Chris Harris becomes a modern-day Salman Rushdie
Discussion
fido said:
Ditto, same with my female friends - in fact the same ones who ask me 'how comes you drive a Civic' .. like the CTR is 200% a better drivers car than an MX-5!
I've had a CTR as my winter car - effective but dull.No FWD car including the Integra R is as involving nor gives you the options a RWD car does.
Remind me which is the only car to win Performance Car Of The Year TWICE ?
LuS1fer said:
GravelBen said:
How many MGF's did they sell outside the UK?
A bit unfair seeing as the MX5 was sold in America and the MG wasn't. It's a bit like saying how many Corvettes did they sell in the UK.The one or two I've come across on trackdays were faster than my standard 1.6 MX5 on the straights but rolling road blocks in the corners - most likely more a driver than car issue though.
Edited by GravelBen on Tuesday 8th February 10:21
It's a shame Harris has to have gone all 'clarkson'. He's a decent writer, and one of the soul reasons I've read Evo in recent times. This smacks of shock tactics, for more column inches.
The mx5 isn't a complete package, but by Jove smiles per pound take some beating. It communicates and it steers as you'd want. I've had hot hatchs, Tvr's, etc etc, and am in no way a decent driver, but I know a good car when I drive one. And the mx5 is one.
The mx5 isn't a complete package, but by Jove smiles per pound take some beating. It communicates and it steers as you'd want. I've had hot hatchs, Tvr's, etc etc, and am in no way a decent driver, but I know a good car when I drive one. And the mx5 is one.
fido said:
redgriff500 said:
I've had a CTR as my winter car - effective but dull.
I'm guessing you couldn't get the MX-5 off the driveway? I had RS2 track tyres fitted and even after 2 weeks and with all the roads clear I couldn't get it off the bloody drive which has maybe a 5 degree gradient.
I have since got winter tyres but keep a hack (currently a Leon Cupra) for when I need more space etc
There's really not much to the article - it basically says it is crap, without any positive things and without really going into details of why it's bad.
To the person earlier who was saying you could get a Chim and Mk-5 Golf for the price of a new MX-5 - perhaps compare like with like, such as being able to buy 10 secondhand MX-5s for the price of a second hand Chim. Ok, the Chim has a much bigger engine, sounds much better etc. However not everyone can afford the much higher running costs. I'd love to get an Exige or TVR one day, but having just started working there's no way I can afford them. So how do I learn RWD relatively safely - MX-5 is the perfect solution for an all round car. I have just bought one my first car - there was nothing else to compare with it in the price range for an everyday fun car. It accelerates pretty quickly if you're using the revs right (if you're sitting at 6th and putting the foot down and you will be waiting a long time for anything to happen!). It is also pretty tame in snow if you're being careful - I wouldn't have thought the Chim would be.
Also depending what country you're in then the price can be affected much more - a TVR Tuscan here in Norway costs around £65 000!
To the person earlier who was saying you could get a Chim and Mk-5 Golf for the price of a new MX-5 - perhaps compare like with like, such as being able to buy 10 secondhand MX-5s for the price of a second hand Chim. Ok, the Chim has a much bigger engine, sounds much better etc. However not everyone can afford the much higher running costs. I'd love to get an Exige or TVR one day, but having just started working there's no way I can afford them. So how do I learn RWD relatively safely - MX-5 is the perfect solution for an all round car. I have just bought one my first car - there was nothing else to compare with it in the price range for an everyday fun car. It accelerates pretty quickly if you're using the revs right (if you're sitting at 6th and putting the foot down and you will be waiting a long time for anything to happen!). It is also pretty tame in snow if you're being careful - I wouldn't have thought the Chim would be.
Also depending what country you're in then the price can be affected much more - a TVR Tuscan here in Norway costs around £65 000!
alcovrugbyfan said:
I must admit the MX5 has never appealed to me. I always think they look a bit girly. Never really take blokes who drive them seriously.
They are very popular though so there must be something about them.
totally agreeThey are very popular though so there must be something about them.
i met chris harris at ring years ago and was very friendly-posed for photos had a chat really nice bloke
martin
Everyone's entitled to an opinion, and that's all it is. Mr Harris is neither right or wrong. I love my MK1 and really don't rate the 911's I've been out in very highly. I get all sorts of comments on my £700 car, some good, some derogatory.
Interestingly the most abuse and bad comments I've received have been whilst driving a Ferrari 430 (not mine). Jealousy really is a terrible thing, and perhaps that's what Mr Harris is suffering from. He's so established in the supercar journalism world he feels he can't be seen in anything costing less than £50k and is a little bitter about it...
Interestingly the most abuse and bad comments I've received have been whilst driving a Ferrari 430 (not mine). Jealousy really is a terrible thing, and perhaps that's what Mr Harris is suffering from. He's so established in the supercar journalism world he feels he can't be seen in anything costing less than £50k and is a little bitter about it...
jonstable said:
He's so established in the supercar journalism world he feels he can't be seen in anything costing less than £50k and is a little bitter about it...
This being the same Chris Harris that frequently sung the praises of his 205 XS when he was at Autocar? It would be a surprise if he'd changed that much in a comparitively short timescale.Mr. Potato Head said:
So, gather round and have a good pop at me for being rude about a national treasure. Or, use this opportunity to finally admit in public that you too think the Evo magazine is pants.
Not at all.I won't have a good pop at you as I have no need; the fact that I disagree with you cancels out your opinion.
I think Evo is a great magazine.
All he's said is that he doesn't like the car. That's fine. I doubt he's said any of this for effect, publicity or some twisted envy that he doesn't have an MX5 and has to put up with a 911 GT3 instead.
We're all allowed our own opinion.
I personally think that the previous shape Renault Megane (with the large bum) is an exceptionally stylish piece of design while the Ferrari 458 looks a bit awkward. I also think the Aston Martin Vanquish looks hideous but the previous shape V8 is clearly the work of design genius.
I have little doubt that you could ask 1000 car enthusiasts for their opinions on the four cars I've mentioned above and all of them would differ to mine.
If we all liked the same thing then we'd all drive MX5s and that would be very, very dull.
We're all allowed our own opinion.
I personally think that the previous shape Renault Megane (with the large bum) is an exceptionally stylish piece of design while the Ferrari 458 looks a bit awkward. I also think the Aston Martin Vanquish looks hideous but the previous shape V8 is clearly the work of design genius.
I have little doubt that you could ask 1000 car enthusiasts for their opinions on the four cars I've mentioned above and all of them would differ to mine.
If we all liked the same thing then we'd all drive MX5s and that would be very, very dull.
CampDavid said:
All he's said is that he doesn't like the car. That's fine. I doubt he's said any of this for effect, publicity or some twisted envy that he doesn't have an MX5 and has to put up with a 911 GT3 instead.
We're all allowed our own opinion.
I personally think that the previous shape Renault Megane (with the large bum) is an exceptionally stylish piece of design while the Ferrari 458 looks a bit awkward. I also think the Aston Martin Vanquish looks hideous but the previous shape V8 is clearly the work of design genius.
I have little doubt that you could ask 1000 car enthusiasts for their opinions on the four cars I've mentioned above and all of them would differ to mine.
If we all liked the same thing then we'd all drive MX5s and that would be very, very dull.
Well said.We're all allowed our own opinion.
I personally think that the previous shape Renault Megane (with the large bum) is an exceptionally stylish piece of design while the Ferrari 458 looks a bit awkward. I also think the Aston Martin Vanquish looks hideous but the previous shape V8 is clearly the work of design genius.
I have little doubt that you could ask 1000 car enthusiasts for their opinions on the four cars I've mentioned above and all of them would differ to mine.
If we all liked the same thing then we'd all drive MX5s and that would be very, very dull.
NiceCupOfTea said:
how dare Mazda create a sports car that can be.owned or run by anyone! they ought to be prohibitively expensive and terminally unreliable!
There was a cartoon to that effect when the MX5 had just come out... Bert and Ada gloomily contemplating their defunct MGB (roof down, bonnet open) in the rain, while an MX5 (roof up) whizzes past; the caption (originally in Franglais) was something like "Ah, my dear, the Japs have copied our sports cars but have totally failed to understand the concept. A convertible that never breaks down? Outrageous!"I've not driven an MX-5 but when I read the blog the first thing that struck me was it's complete arrogance.
Imagine you're at work, you tell you're mate "got a new car" and replies they're "sh*t"...For a so called respected journalist it's an awful way to put it across. Maybe he's thinking of a move to Nuts magazine?
Well it's also sad that ppl like him are knocking one of the few RWD cars outthere, it does seem his clique is high power exotic. I have read EVO but don't like it (got it a couple of times), yet another magazine that awards the 911 car of the year
Imagine you're at work, you tell you're mate "got a new car" and replies they're "sh*t"...For a so called respected journalist it's an awful way to put it across. Maybe he's thinking of a move to Nuts magazine?
Well it's also sad that ppl like him are knocking one of the few RWD cars outthere, it does seem his clique is high power exotic. I have read EVO but don't like it (got it a couple of times), yet another magazine that awards the 911 car of the year
Harji said:
I have read EVO but don't like it (got it a couple of times), yet another magazine that awards the 911 car of the year
At least Autocar magazine heralded the MX5 as the best handling car on the market one time. In another review/survey, they decided the 911 was the best sports car of all time and the MX5 was the second best sports car of all time.I'm curious as to why Harris has taken such a strong opposing stance to his colleagues?
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