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• Paddle-Shift Paradox: The New Porsche 911 GT3 Leaves Chris Harris Torn [Video]

  In Fast Forward / By Tom Anderson / 13 June 2013

  

  On paper, the new 991-based Porsche 911 GT3 seems like the best one yet. It has a stiffer chassis, a wider track, four-wheel steering, and an all-new 475hp naturally-aspirated flat-six that revs to 9,000 rpm (but not over 9,000). Oh, and the gearbox is Porsche’s 7-speed PDK dual-clutch unit. The only gearbox; no manual will be offered.

  So you can imagine Drive host (and former GT3 owner) Chris Harris was quite eager to drive this new rump-engined rocket. As you can see, he was quite impressed with the improvements made to the handling balance, and the banshee-esque engine. But while he was impressed with the PDK, he wasn’t in love with the fact it’s the only choice. Still, we wouldn’t be at all surprised if Harris Monkey adds one to his personal fleet before too long. We know we would.

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• Triple Threat: Chris Harris Tackles the Nürburgring in the Street-Legal Formula Ford EcoBoost [Video]

  In Fast Forward / By Tom Anderson / 10 June 2013

  

  The idea of making a single-seater/formula racing car street legal isn’t exactly new, but Ford Motor Company is one of the few entities with the means to make that happen. The monoposto in question is the Formula Ford EcoBoost, propelled by the Blue Oval’s new turbocharged 1.0L inline-three that will soon find its way into U.S.-bound Fiestas. And to help spread the Gospel of Boost, they invited the Internet’s favorite English car journo (not counting mirrored-to-hide-in-plain-sight-from-Auntie-Beeb’s-anti-piracy-ninjas Jeremy Clarkson), Chris Harris.

  Because this particular Formula Ford has been modified to be street legal (at least in the EU), Mr. H took advantage of the novel opportunity to wring it out on some German backroads. But while he was in the country, Ford let him take it around the Nürburgring Nordschleife. No, we aren’t having a seizure, stroke or some other catastrophic physiological breakdown; all that frothing and twitching is strictly jealousy-related. But thank you for your concern.

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• Bantam Brits: Chris Harris Tests the Morgan Three Wheeler and Caterham Supersports R [Video]

  In Fast Forward / By Tom Anderson / 30 May 2013

  

  Although all of the United Kingdom’s mainstream (i.e. tens of thousands or more cars made each year and/or are available in most major global markets) car brands have long since been either snapped up by foreign firms or shuttered altogether, most of the nation’s small, independent “cottage builders” remain proudly domestically-owned. Morgan is one of these and, until recently, so was Caterham (before it was purchased by Malaysian businessman Tony Fernandes). So who better than the most entertaining British motoring journalist not on a TV show to try out the newest – and arguably purest – models from each company?

  Chris Harris certainly seems to like the Morgan for its uniqueness and the way it makes you reset your mental approach to driving a bare-bones sports car. But he just loves the Caterham, and really, how can you love the craft of driving and not love these modern manifestations of one of Lotus founder Colin Chapman’s earliest designs? If owning (or at the very least driving) a Seven isn’t on your bucket list, do us all (including yourself) a favor and trade in your car for a 55-gallon drum of bus tokens.

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• 918 and Life: Chris Harris Tests the New Porsche Supercar [Video]

  In Fast Forward / By Tom Anderson / 17 May 2013

  

  Not even 24 hours ago we brought you the skinny on the production version of the Porsche 918 Spyder, Stuttgart’s shapely plug-in hybrid hellraiser. It looks wicked cool (particularly with the flashback-fabulous Weissach Package), and puts up staggering performance and economy numbers, but how does it look (and, more importantly, sound) when in motion? The one and only Chris Harris RSVP’d to the car’s launch at Porsche’s Leipzig test track (which is adjacent to the Cayenne and Panamera factory) to find out.

  It’s safe to say that Chris finds himself quite smitten with the driving experience, but he’d really love to see a lightweight, non-hybrid version. Frankly, we’d be curious to see how such a creation would perform, too, but we realize that, like the McLaren P1 and the LaFerrari, the 918 was designed around a hybrid powertrain and thus plays the role of technological showcase and assuager of greenie anger toward its maker. Besides, it’s damn fast and sounds like Wagner’s subconscious, and by Georg, that’s good enough for us.

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• Electric Sliding: Chris Harris Hoons the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive [Video]

  In Fast Forward / By Tom Anderson / 11 April 2013

  

  A few weeks ago we brought you a video from the Drive channel in which Chris Harris wrung out the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series during its press launch event at France’s Circuit Paul Ricard. What you might not have known is that Mercedes and AMG used the very same event to debut the SLS AMG Electric Drive, the gas-free Gullwing we first came to know as the SLS E-Cell. So naturally, even though he loves loud, petrol-chugging conventional cars, he took the opportunity to sample this most powerful AMG production car ever.

  Needless to say, after watching the video, you get the feeling that Chris came away rather impressed with the SLS AMG Electric Drive. Of course, with 750hp at his right foot’s disposal, how could he not? But it seems like he was even more in awe of the car’s torque vectoring capabilities, and to be honest, so are we. Amazing what powering each wheel independently can do, huh?

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• Rocket Chip: Chris Harris Discovers What an ECU Tune Can Do for His Audi S4 Avant [Video]

  In Fast Forward / By Tom Anderson / 9 April 2013

  

  One of the virtues of owning a modern car is the fact that, if you want extra power under the hood, you might not even have to open the hood to add some. Re-flashing a vehicle’s ECU (engine control unit) is often as simple as plugging a computer or specialized programming module into the OBD port, turning the ignition on, transferring the new code into the ECU, and hitting the road with newfound oomph. It almost seems too good to be true, right?

  Well, Chris Harris is known for his healthy skepticism with regards to most things automotive. So he wasn’t expecting the guys from REVO Technik would be able to do much with his new-to-him Audi S4 Avant. But as you can see in the video above, the REVO geeks were able to turn Harrismonkey’s Audi wagon up at least one notch (the same notch as a new, much more expensive RS4 Avant, as it turns out), simply by rearranging some zeroes and ones. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: These are the good old days.

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• Gullwings of Desire: Chris Harris Samples the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series [Video]

  In Fast Forward / By Tom Anderson / 22 March 2013

  

  Certainly one of the biggest stars of last November’s Los Angeles Auto Show was the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series. Long rumored to be in development and probably longer desired, this extra-strength neo-Gullwing incorporates all of the usual upgrades found on AMG’s Black Series models: Flared fenders, retuned suspension, bigger brakes, more power and less weight, to name just a few. And while we still aren’t smitten with the SLS coupe’s looks, we do like how all of the Black’s bits are functional and, on paper anyway, turn it into a much more capable and focused driving tool.

  But is it a more capable and focused driving tool in practice too? Well, our favorite British car journo without a TV gig Chris Harris tried this new mega Merc at its press launch, which took place at the Circuit Paul Ricard in France, and he seems to feel that’s the case. Then again, maybe that’s just us misinterpreting his mirthful giggling and copious use of complimentary and positive words. You should probably watch the video and decide for yourself.

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