Why would Chris Harris want the new Porsche 911 R to fall flat? Perhaps it’s because his Top Gear co-host Matt LeBlanc got to drive it for the show before him. Perhaps it’s because of the ridiculous hype surrounding the car. Well it’s too bad, because it turns out not even a dogleg manual 7-speed V12 Aston Martin can stop the 911 R from being brilliant.
In the latest Chris Harris Drives video from Top Gear’s YouTube channel, Harris tried really hard to find something that could hold a light up to the hype surround the new Porsche 911 R. He (properly) went for the Aston Martin V12 Vantage S.
The old race-car feel of the Vantage V12 S and its mechanical attachment to the driver really makes it feel like a car that teaches you how to be better. But it just wasn’t enough to top the perfected road worthiness of the new 911 R and its shiny new 6-speed manual.
The Vantage V12 S is also a pretty good deal, and a great end to the naturally aspirated V12 Astons. But as a Porsche purist, Harris would be the first to sniff out a fake. The 911 R is no fake. It is worthy of the hype. It is the real deal. It is what driving is all about.