Thursday 3rd May 2012

Chris Harris video: RS 4.0 vs C63 Black vs M3 GTS

Dream grouptest line-up, Harris at the wheel and one epic video you NEED to see...

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After we shot this video, myself and videographer Neil Carey drove from Betws-y-Coed to the Severn Bridge straight through the centre of Wales. It was by some margin the most enjoyable UK drive of 2012 – possibly for several years. He was in the M3 GTS, I was in the C63 Black Series.

Track is where these cars rule supreme...

The road element of this video is secondary to the track work because cars look far more exciting when they can move around, but the more time I spend in this type of car, the more their road manners matter to me. I fully accept that many people will think this is madness but that drive through Wales in the C63 was mind-expanding. What a car. Moreover – what a road car. A machine which can lap with panache but you could happily use Monday-through-Friday. If you did without the silly spoiler.

You can still enjoy driving in this country. Be patient, don’t take the proverbial and you find yourself covering ground at a decent speed and enjoying cars like these.

...but they're amazing on the road too

The M3 GTS didn’t make any sense at £115,000 in 2010, and it still doesn’t now, but it’s juddering with enthusiasm and specialness. Strangely, it has a bright future in the UK because fewer than 10 came here, thereby ensuring instant classic status.

You know my thoughts on the other car. The 4.0 RS is a great all-rounder; possessor of what I think is the finest production car engine and, including sat-nav, iPod connector and upgraded hi-fi, weighs far less than either of the others. Its only real weakness is being a little too stiff for lumpier UK roads. The M3 GTS is even worse in this respect, leaving the beautifully damped Mercedes feeling very civilised indeed. Hence the fact I didn’t swap with Neil on the way south. That and the shagged tyres.

We were only shooting for a day-and-a-half, but those were some of the best on-location hours of my working life. These are my kind of cars: rigorously engineered for the business of going fast but entirely useable too. The weather at Anglesey Circuit was perfect, as were the snowy peaks of Snowdonia the following morning.

Enjoy the vid. We enjoyed making it.

 

 

 

 

[cerb4.5lee]

Wow what a collection of motors, excellent!

[FamilyDub]

I'll fly in the face of conventional wisdom and get my towel down for the C63 Black!

• dibs!*

[Luca Brasi]

AMG noise Shame it's coming from such an ugly car.

[Turbofun]

11/10 for content and 11/10 for overall video, well done all for making such a great film...

[vincegail]

Watching some Rocket Snooker now, will come back for this one later on!

[Tyrewrecker]

Thank you Chris, love it. Want all cars!

[obscene]

Got to be the Porsche, doesn't it? That Merc sounds great though

[Gatsods]

Absolutely love that Merc, a metallic dark grey would suit it's carbon exterior features, adore it!

Fantastic video as well, congratulations all

Off to configure...

[jason s4]

Fantastic cars --- One AMG Black edition please!

However, its no surprise the Porsche won considering a) it was his car and b) its a 'sports' car, not a saloon made to go fast.

IMO.

[wackojacko]

Finally someone has the same realistic view about the GTS as I do .....



Yuu could buy a second hand E90 M3 Chuck 8K at it on seats, cage, brakes, exhaust and Suspension ....


Wallaa you have a back yard CSL/GTS.

[Tyrewrecker]

wackojacko said:

Finally someone has the same realistic view about the GTS as I do .....



Yuu could buy a second hand E90 M3 Chuck 8K at it on seats, cage, brakes, exhaust and Suspension ....


Wallaa you have a back yard CSL/GTS.

csl?

[wackojacko]

Tyrewrecker said:

wackojacko said:

Finally someone has the same realistic view about the GTS as I do .....



Yuu could buy a second hand E90 M3 Chuck 8K at it on seats, cage, brakes, exhaust and Suspension ....


Wallaa you have a back yard CSL/GTS.

csl?

Don't recall the E46 M3 CSL no ?

[Tyrewrecker]

wackojacko said:

Don't recall the E46 M3 CSL no ?

Oh yeah, I was just being lazy and thought the comparison was odd. Ignore me
You get a CSL for 22k, E90's still cost more...

[KTR]

I think we should start a petition for Chris to have his own TV channel!

Loved the fact he used the seat belt AND harnesses in the GT3 RS.

[wemorgan]

Excellent video. Though I do dislike comments like 10.5 out of 10 or 110% et al. In that context there is nothing more than 10/10 or 100%

[spacegrey335]

Bloody awesome fantastic video!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! .... All great cars!....

[JagJag363]

M3 for me, not sure why though...

[R.P.M]

Full harness and three pointer? WTF?

Chris are you making up for that Macca ride?

[anonymous-user]

wackojacko said:

Yuu could buy a second hand E90 M3 Chuck 8K at it on seats, cage, brakes, exhaust and Suspension ....

you could do exactly that, but history would suggest you will wipe about £10k off the value of your car rather than add £10k ! (ok, start with a bent one (crashed) and it has some legs), but in the market for such cars, heritage and an OEM badge still count for a lot! (value wise)

[STiG911]

KTR said:

I think we should start a petition for Chris to have his own TV channel!

Loved the fact he used the seat belt AND harnesses in the GT3 RS.

+1 Vids getting better and better every time. Superb stuff.