Harry Leaves Evo

[Mezzanine]

TheGnome said:

Mezzanine said:

Watch the latest Evo Diary of Trott's long term 12C and then watch Harry's Clio Trophy video...sums everything up IMO.

Agreed.

I felt that Trott came across as defensive to the point of aggressive throughout. It's great to get an insight into these things, and he was responding to direct questions from YT'ers which is a nice idea but XCar did a far better, and more humble job. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KocRjRI7zMM

Harry comes across as someone you'd actually want to talk to about cars over a pint. Make that several pints.

He made the 12C sound utterly boring. Soulless is a term used for the 12C but if you cannot convey at least some excitement over using a 600bhp sports car as a daily driver, surely you are in the wrong job?!

[crostonian]

Sad to hear of Harry's departure although I'd be very surprised if he doesn't continue to be involved in the motoring media in one form or other.

As others have said the mag has become a bit tedious recently, some of the articles read like 'Famous Five go to Wales & Drive Fast'!

[XJ Flyer]

Lefty said:

Completely agree, his video diaries are superb.

He and Chris Harris could make a wonderful online tv channel for real petrolheads as opposed to the top gear troglodytes.

+1

Although I think Clarkson etc could make something a bit more serious away from the control of the BBC.

Edited by XJ Flyer on Monday 30th September 18:14

[Fantuzzi]

Its a shame I've always liked his stuff, not a fan of Nick Trott, he has always seemed bored in videos and not a very hot writer as well.

I share a lot of the views on here, EVO seems to lack anything that interests me anymore, I always found something to read about that I was keen on in Octane.

Loved Harry's Mille video and his garage stuff, it was all great. Hope to hear more on the 308 gtb soon! His wide interest in cars from all eras and style was nice and refreshing.

Perhaps he could go to classic driver, stop it from doing stupid pop culture, overpriced watches and sailing boat features and REVIEW SOME fkING CARS.

And breath...

Good luck Harry.

[carinaman]

I thought that three superannuated lads lark about Top Gear format was Clarkson's and Wilman's influence?

'If it aint broke.......

That Ferrari F12 piece was epic and much better than the Aston eulogy to the supercar that ended a series or so ago. The death of the supercar gave the world the F12?

Harry has a Clio 182 Trophy. I can relate to that, I can afford that. I guess it's a bit like James May having a Fiat Panda as it's the correct tool for that job?

Harry buying the actual Trophy 182 he road tested is a bit special and car anorak worthy. It's not factory standard though is it?

Edited by carinaman on Monday 30th September 19:01

[sisu]

I subscribed to EVO initially as they wrote about what owning and running exotic cars were all about. Not just - we have a free press car and like to keep everyone happy. This was soon copied by other car magazines. I subscribed and I got the feeling that they saw the internet and video as something that would undermine people buying the magazine. Something that one of the photographers tweeted about last year "recommending that they get better video gear 5 years ago" now that EVO realised what everyone else was making videos.
The EVO forum is just weird. There is no interaction from EVO itself and no moderator, something that any business or enthusiast forum has. It has spammers, the front page has stuff from 3 years ago and 'Skoda on the Salt' is still there...

With Harry he set a course on what he enjoyed or disliked with actually owning the car. Which is something that PH has reflected as you know that somewhere on here there is a person who has one.
I hope he continues making his hand held videos as he certainly feels more comfortable with that, and it shows.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

Genuinely disappointed to hear this, the mans infectious love for all things petrol really permiated throughout the magazine. If I'm honest, I didn't always enjoy his reviews in the magazine-I always felt that Harry just seemed to bag any gig where a rolls needed launching on the Côte d'Azur or a trip to Maserati was in order!

But his video diaries were (are) just superb. I'm not entirely sure exactly what influence he had on the magazine & it's content over the editor but there was something about the magazine that still said "Harry", and if that disappears its something I'll really miss.

I'm not sure if he reads these forums (though I suspect he will) but for all I wish someone who has enriched the reading of such car enthusiasts as ourselves a happy & well deserved retirement, I hope it's not the last we'll hear from him. Whether its more wonderful exploits on the Mille Miglia, taking the long way home via the route napolean or just explaining why he has such a thing as that months favourite car the car enthusiasts world would be a little poorer were it not for his contributions.

All the best H

[0a]

I must admit evo has been very up and down of late - some issues excellent, some not so great (the ones with endless Porsche articles!).

Whilst I like Harry's style, here's to the opportunity to refresh the magazine - having the old boss around even in minimal form limits the ability for any business to move on and change.

[BBS-LM]

jhoneyball said:

From twitter

"After 15 years, today is my last day at evo. What an amazing experience it's been but it's time to move on. What next? I'll keep you posted"

I thought he left about 2 years ago? I must admit to not buying any car mags in a couple of years, there to mush web news for that, but I really do like his video's of his super-car collection, and his special European road tests, very good, and I loved it when he did his review of the Clio 182, just cracked me up, a car collection like that and he still has a little hot hatch in the garage, a true petrol head if you ask me.

Edited by BBS-LM on Monday 30th September 19:31

[Fantuzzi]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

I'm not sure if he reads these forums (though I suspect he will) but for all I wish someone who has enriched the reading of such car enthusiasts as ourselves a happy & well deserved retirement, I hope it's not the last we'll hear from him. Whether its more wonderful exploits on the Mille Miglia, taking the long way home via the route napolean or just explaining why he has such a thing as that months favourite car the car enthusiasts world would be a little poorer were it not for his contributions.

All the best H

Nicely put.

[carinaman]

His TVR goes to new owner video didn't contain anything about him or his wealth, as far as I can remember it, it was all about the car and how it drove and the tale of Gordon Murray putting a TVR on a four post rig....

He even spotted a plug lead off of that Espada and popped it back on, which I hadn't thought until now, may have been scripted a la Top Gear but I seriously doubt it.

[Vladimir]

Did anyone spot the priceless issue where Harry slated pointless carbon tat added to cars. In the very same magazine, Nick Trott detailed speccing every single carbon option for "his" McClaren? Freaking hilarious and made NT look like a right spoiled t1t.

[stew-S160]

Chicane-UK said:

WeirdNeville said:

Yeah, he was the founder of the mag. End of an era, IMO.
It all went down hill when they got Trott in as editor. I cancelled my subscription years ago when I just got bored of the same old articles being recycled. The photos alone were no longer worth the cover price.

I now get my fix through Youtube: Drive, Roadkill, jay Leno's Garage, Mightycarmods of a bit of dicking about... there's tonnes of content on there that puts you closer to the action than evo manages.

It's a shame, because it used to be a really great magazine.

Roadkill is AWESOME. I look forward to a new episode of that, than I do Top Gear!

Hell yeah. Those guys are brilliant. Would rather watch that than Top Gear.

Regarding Harry leaving EVO, it's definitely a huge loss. I hope it doesn't affect what is still my favourite car mag.
Best of luck Harry.

Edited by stew-S160 on Monday 30th September 20:16

[John D.]

carinaman said:

Harry buying the actual Trophy 182 he road tested is a bit special and car anorak worthy. It's not factory standard though is it?

Edited by carinaman on Monday 30th September 19:01

What?

[DanielSan]

[quote=carinaman
Harry buying the actual Trophy 182 he road tested is a bit special and car anorak worthy. It's not factory standard though is it?

Edited by carinaman on Monday 30th September 19:01

[/quote]

Standard all bar a Scorpion cat back exhaust I believe.

[c123]

Well over the last 12 months or so his car change seem to be more Octane than EVO and he's let them use both(?) Lamborghinis for features.

I wonder if JLR will be asking for the press fleet Range Rover back? Didn't he mention he was planning to run it for a year?

[Kronstein]

OlberJ said:

And so Evo takes yet another step into becomming the new Max Power.

I'll give it a few months but can see my subscription being cancelled pretty soon.

I was worried when Trott became editor - but he played it well in my view, just a tweak here and there. Current quality is great in my book so no grounds for pessimism.

Harry did a very good job in launching Evo - great quality from the off and always consistent. Back in the day when Evo was launched, there was only Autocar; Performance car had gone down the pan (emulating Max Power along the way, it was awful) and Car wasn't anywhere near what it's like now. Will def. miss the Evo diaries - don't like the 2 blokes talking videos they introduced tho...

[storminnorman]

carinaman said:

I can't help but notice that Harry Metcalfe is considerably richer than me, but that never comes across in the videos. He just comes across as a really nice bloke that likes his cars, but has the wherewithal to make it real. He comes across like someone that may have won the PH/Adrian Flux win £10K to spend in the classifieds but with about 6 noughts added to the end.

This is exactly it - his enthusiasm to the camera is "just" (to borrow his phrase) fantastic. He wants to tell you everything he likes about the car, everything he knows about it and the various anecdotes and people involved. It's almost like someone's planted a huge car anorak infront of a handycam and told them to let it all out.
Like you say his manner is such that he never comes across as wanting to show off, but share - and I'm really greatful that he does.

Hopefully he'll continue making videos like before - with CHoC, Metcalfe and Petrolicious, we're really spoilt!

[Fattyfat]

I always thought that EVO at it's best could have been a print version of what PH does well...

[DoctorEd]

Good on you Harry.

Best of luck with future endeavours. I look forward with interest...

And thanks.

S.