Get the latest episodes of The Driver's Seat with Henry Catchpole from Hagerty Media https://www.hagerty.com/media/series/drivers-seat/ Get the automotive stories and videos you love from Hagerty Media. Find up-to-the-minute car news, reviews, and market trends when you need it most. Tue, 25 Apr 2023 19:06:20 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.2 Driving the Kimera EVO37: The Group B Restomod | Henry Catchpole – The Driver’s Seat https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/driving-the-kimera-evo37-the-group-b-restomod-henry-catchpole-the-drivers-seat/ https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/driving-the-kimera-evo37-the-group-b-restomod-henry-catchpole-the-drivers-seat/#respond Wed, 26 Apr 2023 15:00:25 GMT https://www.hagerty.com/media/?post_type=videos&p=308940

In collaboration with Mobil 1.

Henry Catchpole is a rallying fan through and through, so driving and reviewing Kimera’s rally-inspired restomod, based on the legendary Group B Lancia 037, is a pretty good day in the office for him. Throw in some amazing mountain roads, a race track, and the odd Martini livery and you have all the ingredients for something truly memorable.

The Kimera EVO37 is the brainchild of Luca Betti and it combines the looks and layout of the 037 with an engine that takes inspiration from the Lancia Delta S4. The amazing little 2.1-litre four-cylinder engine that sits behind the driver is both supercharged and turbocharged. It has been engineered by Italtecnica in Turin and in its most powerful map puts out 505bhp and 442lb ft of torque. That’s pretty wild in a car that weighs less than 1100kg or 2400lb.

As with most restomods, like those from Singer, Alfaholics, and Eagle, the Kimera is a very analogue driving experience. To that end, there is a manual six-speed gearbox from Graziano, which has also been featured in the Lamborghini Gallardo and Audi R8 over the years. What differentiates the EVO37 from other restomods is its very distinct rally persona. You can see this in the twin Ohlins dampers at the rear, but you can feel it straight away on the move through the steering and the way it soaks up bumps and tackles corners.

In the film we cover a lot of ground, starting at the beautiful Villa Kimera just outside Cuneo in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. Here we interview Luca Betti and discover the genesis of both the company name and the EVO37. Then we head to the beautiful Colle della Maddalena and its profusion of spectacular hairpins to drive the car on the road. Then it’s off to Turin for a visit to Italtecnica where the engine is built, before we pop over to Martini for a look at the latest, limited edition Kimera. Finally, we stopped off at a fun little race track to drive Kimera’s development car with shorter gearing and more power.

We hope you enjoy the film and Glenn Winhall’s superb editing and filming (aided on this occasion by Nick Wilkinson). Please do give it a thumbs up and share it with anyone else who you think might enjoy it – it really helps us to keep making content like this on the Hagerty channel.

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The Fastest Porsche 959 EVER? | Henry Catchpole – The Driver’s Seat https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/the-fastest-porsche-959-ever-henry-catchpole-the-drivers-seat/ https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/the-fastest-porsche-959-ever-henry-catchpole-the-drivers-seat/#comments Wed, 12 Apr 2023 15:00:01 GMT https://www.hagerty.com/media/?post_type=videos&p=305125

The Drivers Seat is presented by Mobil 1.

Henry Catchpole drives and reviews the amazing Porsche 959. But it gets better because this is the rare Sport version as opposed to the more usual Comfort variant. And then it gets even wilder because this is F9, one of the very first prototypes of the 959. Currently, for sale with Girardo & Co it is a very special car indeed.

There is an argument that this could actually be the fastest 959 ever to leave the factory (as opposed to others, such as those from Canepa, that have subsequently been further tuned up from stock). The Sport variants of the 959 were already said to be some 100kg lighter than the standard, Comfort variant of the 959 and in addition, or rather subtraction, this lacks the Sport’s roll cage and various pieces of trim. Some have estimated that this might be as much as 200kg lighter than standard.

It certainly feels mighty quick when the second of the sequentially boosting turbos kicks in above 4000rpm. The Sport variants had an uprated engine, taking power from 450bhp up to 508bhp, so the official 0-60mph time dropped to just 3.6 sec, with 0-100mph taking an even more impressive 8.2 seconds. Despite being almost 40 years old, this car certainly felt good for that.

There is also something wonderful about the fact that the 959 was designed to compete in such diverse events as the Paris Dakar Rally and the 24h hours of Le Mans. That it was successful too is just incredible. Some of that vast breadth of ability is baked into the road car, with things like the gearbox, which only says it goes up to five but is really a six-speed.

Of course, the fiercest competition took place in the pages of magazines. The Porsche 959 and the Ferrari F40 were iconic (justified use of the word) sparring partners in the late 1980s. In Porsche’s corner was a huge amount of new technology and processing power. In Ferrari’s corner was lightweight and a bonkers power delivery. It felt like something of a digital v analogue battle. Given that this prototype Sport version of the 959 has unassisted steering and passive suspension, it was interesting to see whether it would feel closer to the analogue spirit of the F40.

Which would you rather have? F40 or this 959? Or would you rather have the equivalent Porsche 911 Turbo of the time? Let us know in the comments down below. And if you spot any other cars in the background at Girardo & Co that you would like to see more of, then put in a request and we’ll see what we can do! Thank you, as ever, so much for watching.

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All-New BMW M3 Touring Review: The One-Car Solution? | Henry Catchpole – The Driver’s Seat https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/all-new-bmw-m3-touring-review-the-one-car-solution-henry-catchpole-the-drivers-seat/ https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/all-new-bmw-m3-touring-review-the-one-car-solution-henry-catchpole-the-drivers-seat/#comments Wed, 29 Mar 2023 15:00:32 GMT https://www.hagerty.com/media/?post_type=videos&p=301563

The BMW M3 (G81) Competition xDrive Touring (to bestow its full title,) has been one of the most hotly anticipated cars ever since the first pictures lit up the internet. Those twin facets of practicality and performance are usually skewed one way or the other in a car, but occasionally there is the tantalizing promise of total harmony. This week, Henry seeks to find out if the M3 in wagon/estate/load-lugger form, is that promise realized.

With exactly the same 503bhp, turbocharged, straight-six S58 engine under the bonnet and power going to all four wheels, the M3 Touring still does 0-62mph in a mere 3.6 seconds – just a tenth of a second slower than an M4 Competition xDrive. The top speed remains limited to 155mph (although if you opt for the M Driver’s Pack then this rises to 174mph.)

In this episode of The Driver’s Seat, Henry Catchpole tests the M3 Touring both on the road and round the track, to see if the reality lives up to the hype. There are some big skids on the circuit (and then he pops a bit of shopping in the boot afterward.) Knowing Henry at this point, he also tests the Touring’s ability to carry a bicycle, a size 58cm Specialized Tarmac SL5 S-Works (if such things matter to you,) and then finds some company in the shape of Otto—the giant teddybear.

Can the new M3 Touring really take on “The Establishment,” aka, Audi’s RS4 and RS6 Avants? Will it feel lacking, given that the new Mercedes AMG C63 S estate has closer to 700bhp? In a shocking turn of events, will the appearance of the Ferrari Purosangue in the last few weeks, have made the estate format seem rather ‘old hat?’

Before you start adding things, like the Frozen Portimao Blue metallic paint, Carbon ceramic brakes, and carbon bucket seats, the M3 Touring is not cheap. Priced at just over £80,000 in the UK (it’s not coming to the US. sorry folks,) the car comes with a steep price tag. However, it could be seen as multiple cars in one – we can certainly see it being helpful in the fantasy five-car garage game.

Anyway, we hope you enjoy the episode. And if you do, please consider sharing it with someone else that you think might appreciate it. Thank you.

Presented by Mobil 1.

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Driving The NEW Purosangue, Ferrari’s First 4-Door Production Car | Henry Catchpole – The Driver’s Seat https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/driving-the-new-purosangue-ferraris-first-4-door-production-car-henry-catchpole-the-drivers-seat/ https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/driving-the-new-purosangue-ferraris-first-4-door-production-car-henry-catchpole-the-drivers-seat/#comments Tue, 07 Mar 2023 23:01:12 GMT https://www.hagerty.com/media/?post_type=videos&p=295425

In this review, we get our hands on the new Ferrari Purosangue – Ferrari’s first four-door and the Maranello manufacturer’s first full four-seater. However, it’s not an SUV like Aston Martin’s DBX, Porsche Cayenne, or Lamborghini Urus. Not according to Ferrari, anyway. So, what is it?

Henry Catchpole drives the new V12 in the mountains of northern Italy to try to decipher exactly what the Purosangue is all about. In the end, he decides that all that really matters is not boot space or legroom or the fantastic new Burmester stereo, it’s whether it still has the feel of a Ferrari. Is it just an example of badge engineering or is there real substance to it?

The spec sheet would certainly seem to suggest that it’s the latter. A monstrous 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12 makes the Purosangue unique in the segment and it sounds utterly glorious – particularly when hammering through the avalanche tunnels running alongside a frozen mountain lake. On days like these…

But it’s not just the engine that is interesting, there is also the new active suspension. Developed by Multimatic, the True Active Spool Valve technology has (in theory) allowed Ferrari to tune the ride of the car independent of the handling. This means that for every stage of the Manettino, there are also up to three options for the firmness of the suspension. It’s clever stuff and rather beautiful when you see what’s hiding in the arches.

Finally, in this episode of The Driver’s Seat, there is a quick look back at Ferrari’s history because although this is the first production four-door in the company’s history, there was a concept in 1980 called the Ferrari Pinin that was designed by Pininfarina and had Enzo Ferrari’s blessing. What’s more, there is a nice link between that four-door concept and the new production car.

Presented by Mobil 1.

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FIRST DRIVE! Aston Martin Valkyrie: An F1 Car For The Road | Henry Catchpole – The Driver’s Seat https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/first-drive-aston-martin-valkyrie-an-f1-car-for-the-road-henry-catchpole-the-drivers-seat/ https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/first-drive-aston-martin-valkyrie-an-f1-car-for-the-road-henry-catchpole-the-drivers-seat/#respond Mon, 06 Mar 2023 17:01:06 GMT https://www.hagerty.com/media/?post_type=videos&p=295651

In this episode, Henry Catchpole finally gets to drive the incredible Aston Martin Valkyrie. Under the spectacular floodlights of the Sakhir F1 Circuit in Bahrain, we got some answers as to whether this hypercar developed with Red Bull lives up to the promise of being one of the all-time greats. Will future generations mention it in the same breath as the McLaren F1, the Bugatti Veyron and the original supercar, the Lamborghini Miura?

With a 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12 producing 1000bhp and revving to 11000rpm it has certainly got an engine that is memorable from outside the car let alone from behind the wheel. But what will 1100kg of downforce feel like? Will it actually feel drivable?

There is also an incredible ride in the track-only AMR Pro version of the Valkyrie, with none other than Formula One driver Nico Hülkenberg. Pulling over 3G around Silverstone is an interesting experience as you can tell from Henry’s face!

It’s fair to say that the development of the Valkyrie hasn’t always been easy and the video also explores what the challenges were and dives into some of the extraordinary stories that surround the car’s gestation. Just how did Adrian Newey’s phenomenally bold aerodynamic design finally make it into production as a full homologated road car? And what have sausage and mash in a pub near Milton Keynes and the Space Shuttle programme got to do with it?

We hope you enjoy the film. Let us know in the comments where we should take the Valkyrie when we get to drive it on the road.

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The EV That Drives Like a Porsche 911? – Reviewing the Porsche Taycan GTS | Henry Catchpole – The Driver’s Seat https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/the-ev-that-drives-like-a-porsche-911-reviewing-the-porsche-taycan-gts-henry-catchpole-the-drivers-seat/ https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/the-ev-that-drives-like-a-porsche-911-reviewing-the-porsche-taycan-gts-henry-catchpole-the-drivers-seat/#respond Wed, 15 Feb 2023 16:00:41 GMT https://www.hagerty.com/media/?post_type=videos&p=290821

In this episode of The Driver’s Seat, Henry Catchpole drives not one but two Porsches with a GTS badge on the back… and one will surprise you. Everybody knows that Porsche’s GTS models are the sweet spots in their respective ranges. Short of full-blown GT cars, they are the most driver-focused versions. But one GTS model seems to be overlooked as a proper driver’s car. Yet the brilliant Taycan GTS should be celebrated.

Most performance EVs like those from Tesla and Lucid and even Porsche’s own Taycan Turbo S are generally only seen as really entertaining in straight-line drag races. But while the Taycan GTS is still astonishingly rapid in a 0-60mph dash, that’s not why it’s fun to drive. This Taycan is fun because it has fabulous steering, a great chassis balance, and a brilliantly calibrated throttle pedal. It is genuinely engaging.

But to test whether the Taycan GTS is just good ‘for an electric car’ or good period, we decided to pitch it against the quintessential Porsche – a 911. A current 911 in fact, a 992 GTS in matching Carmine Red. And, after investigating the various attributes already mentioned, we even indulged in a bit of an experiment. By the power of video editing (and thanks to Glenn Winhall’s skills) we gave the Taycan a soundtrack to be proud of. Does it work? Should it be left alone? Let us know in the comments down below, because we’re genuinely interested to hear what you think.

In collaboration with Mobil 1.

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Tiny Engine, Huge Fun: New Caterham Super Seven 600 | Henry Catchpole – The Driver’s Seat https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/tiny-engine-huge-fun-new-caterham-super-seven-600-henry-catchpole-the-drivers-seat/ https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/tiny-engine-huge-fun-new-caterham-super-seven-600-henry-catchpole-the-drivers-seat/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2023 16:00:06 GMT https://www.hagerty.com/media/?post_type=videos&p=286448

In this episode of The Driver’s Seat, Henry Catchpole drives the new Caterham Super Seven 600. It’s like a resto-mod that normal people can afford. Ok, it doesn’t have a quilted engine bay, but so much of what is appealing about cars like the Porsche 911 reimagined by Singer or the Alfaholics GTA-R or the Eagle E-type is present and correct in this little British sports car. That idea of connection, emotion, and back-to-basics old-school motoring values is present and correct and it costs less than £30,000.

With just 84bhp and 86 lb-ft of torque (yes, really) from its tiny 660cc, three-cylinder engine, it might sound like it would be slow and sleep-inducing. But it also weighs just 460kg or 1014 lbs and has delightfully short gearing, so it actually feels surprisingly swift. Being closer to the road than the line painted down the middle means that every mph is exaggerated too.

The diminutive size of the Caterham also allows you to explore roads that would be off-limits to supercars. Whether it is dashing along between the reeds in some marshland or climbing tiny back lanes to spectacular vantage points, the Seven feels like it is up for an adventure. Admittedly there has to be a touch of the adventurous about the driver too, particularly if it’s the middle of winter in the UK and the temperature is below freezing.

Henry also gets into some of the history of the Seven, with an amusing story about Colin Chapman’s original Lotus Seven. The Norfolk firm finally stopped building the mk4 in 1973, since then it has been down to Caterham to keep the flame alive. And fifty years on, the formula feels somehow more relevant than ever, particularly in this very traditional, low-powered version which is fabulously fun and easy to enjoy at any speed.

Its skinny tyres might be at the other end of the scale from supercars like Porsche’s GT3 or Ferrari’s 296 GTB, but in many ways, this little car is just as enjoyable. You only have to look at Henry’s cold but happy face in the film to see that. We hope you enjoy the episode; please let others know if you do.

In collaboration with Mobil 1.

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Why Does This V10 Sound So Good? Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica Review | Henry Catchpole – The Driver’s Seat https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/why-does-this-v10-sound-so-good-lamborghini-huracan-tecnica-review-henry-catchpole-the-drivers-seat/ https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/why-does-this-v10-sound-so-good-lamborghini-huracan-tecnica-review-henry-catchpole-the-drivers-seat/#respond Wed, 18 Jan 2023 16:00:31 GMT https://www.hagerty.com/media/?post_type=videos&p=282944

The Lamborghini Huracan is a bit of a dinosaur now, right? And the Tecnica is just an exercise in clinging on, trying to generate a few more sales in the twilight of the model’s life while a replacement is developed. It’s surely got its work cut out against much newer competitors like the McLaren Artura and Ferrari 296 GTB. That’s one perspective.

But the other way of looking at the Tecnica, is that it embodies the Huracan recipe finely, finally honed. After all these years the baby Lamborghini with the V10 has, at last, had all the kinks ironed out. It sort of felt that way with the STO, but this takes nearly all the best bits of that extreme, expensive halo model and puts them into a more usable package. The end result is a supercar that feels sensationally exciting but also remarkably drivable and fun. 

Its longevity also means that the Huracan bucks the current trend for turbos. The 5.2-litre V10 is naturally aspirated and although that can sometimes be seen as out of date as the manual gearbox, Henry Catchpole believes that it shouldn’t be dismissed. Particularly where performance cars are concerned (we’re not about to wax lyrical about a 1.9-litre non-turbo diesel).

In this film, we look at the reasons why NA still rules OK. Sound is clearly a benefit, but just why do naturally aspirated engines sound more musical than turbocharged ones? Then there is drivability; Turbos rule the roost when it comes to efficiency and producing power, but there are still NA traits that snails are continually striving to match. 

Throw in some chat about hertz (not the rental car company) and a particular type of French pâté and you have yourselves an episode of The Driver’s Seat. We hope you enjoy it, let us know in the comments down below how you feel about naturally aspirated engines and what you love about them.

In collaboration with Mobil 1.

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McLaren Mercedes SLR HDK and the Mysterious Race Car That Inspired It | Henry Catchpole – The Driver’s Seat https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/mclaren-mercedes-slr-hdk-and-the-mysterious-race-car-that-inspired-it-henry-catchpole-the-drivers-seat/ https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/mclaren-mercedes-slr-hdk-and-the-mysterious-race-car-that-inspired-it-henry-catchpole-the-drivers-seat/#respond Wed, 04 Jan 2023 16:00:09 GMT https://www.hagerty.com/media/?post_type=videos&p=280018

Presented by Mobil 1

McLaren Special Operations is the place you go to if your McLaren F1 needs a service or if want a particularly interesting paint job on your new Artura or Senna. However, there is another car that MSO also looks after and it’s a model for which there is a particular fondness: The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. 

Launched in the era of supercars like the Porsche Carrera GT and Ferrari Enzo, the mad Super GT with the side exit exhausts and supercharged V8 has always been something of a curiosity. It wasn’t well received when the press first drove it (understandably), but with the benefit of time, views seem to have mellowed. The SLR has also seen numerous iterations over the years and now there is perhaps the best version of all: the HDK. Those letters stand for High Downforce Kit and the car has indeed been treated to a big wing and diffuser, but there is much more to it than that. 

The inspiration for this limited edition (just 12 will be built) is the even wilder 722 GT prototype, a race car that was built under the gaze of Gordon Murray but which never raced. Rarely seen, we managed to get it into the studio for this film. The SLR did eventually go racing, but those cars, built by RML, were never quite as crazy or beautiful as this original prototype. 

And now, 20 years later, there is a road-going version, with a paint job that might have leapt from a Disney Cars movie. It is an intentionally fun design that is meant to bring out the child in all of us and the SLR HDK is certainly a car that makes you smile when you get behind the wheel. It is intimidating and fast and yet also quite easy to drive thanks to its automatic gearbox and mountain of torque. There is both the sense that you’re driving something very close to a race car and yet also the feeling that you are in a GT, complete with corduroy upholstery on the bucket seats! 

At the end of the day, the SLR HDK is really just a bit of fun. A bit of fun that is capable of over 200mph – a speed which this particular car has done on numerous occasions, because it has covered over 90,000miles as a pre production prototype (PP14). In previous lives it has been crashed and shaken on rigs and fitted with numerous bodywork and suspension upgrades, but now it has been adorned with hand-turned gold leaf (look closely at the numbers) and given to Hagerty to drive across snowy moorland roads.

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VW ID. Buzz Review: Dream Machine or EV Nightmare? | Henry Catchpole – The Driver’s Seat https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/vw-id-buzz-review-dream-machine-or-ev-nightmare-henry-catchpole-the-drivers-seat/ https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/vw-id-buzz-review-dream-machine-or-ev-nightmare-henry-catchpole-the-drivers-seat/#respond Wed, 21 Dec 2022 16:00:19 GMT https://www.hagerty.com/media/?post_type=videos&p=277434

The new Volkswagen ID. Buzz isn’t officially a campervan… yet. That will come with the longer wheelbase version (which is also the version that will eventually be available in the USA). However, Henry Catchpole has found a way to turn it into a Camper. With the ingenious Ququq BusBox-4, you can quickly convert the VW ID. Buzz into a mobile bedroom and kitchen. It’s not quite a full Westfalia-style transformation but it is rather appealing, not least because you can slide the whole thing out and revert the Buzz to its original five-seat layout. 

Of course, you might be the sort of person that thinks hotels were invented for a reason but still likes the idea of owning a Buzz. And why not, it’s a very funky-looking vehicle with its optional two-tone paint (this one is Bay Leaf green) and it seems to make the world a slightly happier place wherever you go. 

The fact that the ID. Buzz is an EV is both a blessing and a curse. It’s a boon because it makes it feel refined and relatively quick – not things you usually associate with a vehicle like this. However, with a 77kWh battery, the Buzz doesn’t have a great range and, if you live in the UK, the charging network still feels inadequate if you want to have an adventure that takes you further than 100 miles from your driveway.

Then there’s the festive fun. Santa Claus would certainly be able to fit plenty of presents in the back of a Buzz (although an ID. Buzz Cargo would be even better) and there is room for a tree on the dashboard (look closely). With bi-directional charging you could even use it to help run all the Christmas lights at home. And yes, the decoration is real (there’s a link below if you want one).

We hope you enjoy the film – a slightly more perched version of The Driver’s Seat.

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Datsun 240Z as you’ve never seen it: MZR Roadsports Evolution | Henry Catchpole – The Driver’s Seat https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/datsun-240z-as-youve-never-seen-it-mzr-roadsports-evolution-henry-catchpole-the-drivers-seat/ https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/datsun-240z-as-youve-never-seen-it-mzr-roadsports-evolution-henry-catchpole-the-drivers-seat/#respond Wed, 23 Nov 2022 16:00:20 GMT https://www.hagerty.com/media/?post_type=videos&p=271663

For this episode of The Driver’s Seat, Henry Catchpole walks around the city of Bradford looking pensive until he stumbles upon a garage with a secret. MZR Roadsports is a gem of a company that is producing some beautiful restomods based on the Datsun 240Z (also known as the Nissan Fairlady Z). Since Singer Vehicle Design set the internet alight with its reimagining of the Porsche 911, there has been a vibrant market for subtly (and wildly) updated classics and although the S30 Datsun is an unusual basis for a restomod made in the UK, the result is fascinating.

With a full carbon fibre body and a larger, 3.2-litre straight-six engine, this is the first example of the company’s latest Evolution model – the Caraba commission. It sounds glorious, with hints of BMW, Jaguar, and even Ferrari in the soundtrack, and it has 275bhp which is sent to the rear wheels through a modern, six-speed manual gearbox. The whole car is light, too, weighing in at just 1079kg (2379lb), wet.

Inside, there are bespoke carbon seats covered in wonderfully soft Spinneybeck leather and the dashboard is a voluptuous redesign of the original with similarities to a Lamborghini Miura. Despite being a relatively diminutive two-seater sports car designed in the 1960s, there is a surprising amount of room in the cabin, which makes you instantly imagine setting off on a road trip. It’s all topped off with a gear-lever that has something of the Atari CX40 joystick about it – in a good way. And the price for an Evolution? A remarkably reasonable £200k, including the donor car.

If all that isn’t enough to get you clicking on the film, just know that if you don’t then you’ll be missing out on Glenn Winhall’s inspired idea to bring a smoke machine and multiple fluorescent tubes into the MZR workshop. The resultant slightly spooky disco vibe is a visual feast. We hope you enjoy the video – perhaps let us know in the comments which other restomods you’d like to see Henry review in the future.

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/mzr_roadsports
https://mzrroadsports.co.uk 

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Full Cycle and Border Weave are part of the British Council film archive of short documentaries made by the British Council during the 1940s. The films were designed to show the world how Britain lived, worked, and played. View, download, and play with the archive at https://film.britishcouncil.org/resources/film-archive

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New BMW M4 CSL: Worthy of the badge? | Henry Catchpole – The Driver’s Seat https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/new-bmw-m4-csl-worthy-of-the-badge-henry-catchpole-the-drivers-seat/ https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/new-bmw-m4-csl-worthy-of-the-badge-henry-catchpole-the-drivers-seat/#comments Wed, 09 Nov 2022 16:00:28 GMT https://www.hagerty.com/media/?post_type=videos&p=267827

BMW’s M Division is on a roll. The M2 CS was brilliant, the M5 CS was bewitching, the reviews were effusive. Now, after an absence of almost 20 years, and in honor of M’s 50th birthday, BMW has brought back its most iconic badge of all: CSL. However, at first glance, the new G82 M4 CSL isn’t particularly ‘L,’ which stands for ‘lightweight.’ At a DIN curb weight of 1625kg or 3583lb, the new M4 is pretty chunky.

However, Catchpole wonders whether we should be so quick to judge. Since the badge doesn’t just represent lightweight, we decided that the new M4 should meet its predecessor; the amazing E46 M3 CSL. From the use of carbon fibre, to the extreme Michelin tyres, to the questionable gearboxes, to the tails of aquatic birds—the more you look at the two, the more there are interesting comparisons.

We hope you enjoy the film – there is some stunning FPV drone footage to feast your eyes on. And even if you’re more of a Porsche person, you will want to watch this video just to see Henry wrestle (fairly unsuccessfully) with a trio of helium balloons on a windy Welsh hillside. Idiot.

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NEW Audi RS4 Avant Competition: A BMW M3 Touring Rival? | Henry Catchpole – The Driver’s Seat https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/new-audi-rs4-avant-competition-a-bmw-m3-touring-rival-henry-catchpole-the-drivers-seat/ https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/new-audi-rs4-avant-competition-a-bmw-m3-touring-rival-henry-catchpole-the-drivers-seat/#comments Wed, 26 Oct 2022 15:00:10 GMT https://www.hagerty.com/media/?post_type=videos&p=263746

In the world of fast estate cars, everyone is talking about the new BMW M3 Touring and Mercedes’ newly unveiled hybrid four-cylinder AMG C63 Wagon. This has clearly annoyed Audi, which has arguably been king of practical performance ever since the RS2, which it developed with Porsche back in the 1990s

So, to redress the balance, Audi has poached a bit of BMW’s naming strategy and produced the RS4 Avant Competition. Despite its twin-turbo V6 not having more power or torque this RS4 is quicker, doing 0-62mph in just 3.9 seconds, and faster, with a maximum speed of 180mph. But even more interestingly it promises to be greater fun in the corners, thanks to a recalibrated quattro Sport differential, new steering, stiffer anti-roll bars and a lovely set of three-way adjustable coilovers.

This new RS Sport Suspension Pro allows the car to be dropped by up to 20mm which lends it an incredibly aggressive stance and should be great on track. But the worry is that it will also compromise the ride quality on the road. After all this is meant to be a practical and useable performance car that you could taking shopping when you’re not setting lap times.

To find out if it’s an improvement or now just a bit niche, Henry Catchpole puts the latest fast Audi Avant through its paces around town, in the hills and on the amazing Ascari race track in Southern Spain. He also puts a dog in the back. We hope you enjoy the film!

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New Porsche 911 GT3 RS: Fast, but is it Fun? | The Driver’s Seat with Henry Catchpole https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/new-porsche-911-gt3-rs-fast-but-is-it-fun-the-drivers-seat-with-henry-catchpole/ https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/new-porsche-911-gt3-rs-fast-but-is-it-fun-the-drivers-seat-with-henry-catchpole/#respond Tue, 04 Oct 2022 22:01:28 GMT https://www.hagerty.com/media/?post_type=videos&p=258252

The new, 992 generation of Porsche’s GT3 RS is the most extreme, ever. Henry Catchpole gets behind the wheel of this latest 911 on track at Silverstone during the international launch and is understandably blown away by the speed it is capable of delivering. It certainly lives up to its Rennsport name. But he has a question: Is it fun as well as fast?

In this episode of The Driver’s Seat, we look at the latest GT3 RS’s glorious naturally aspirated flat-six engine, the wild aerodynamics, the lightweight Weissach pack and then, perhaps most interestingly of all, the adjustability. Because in this new car you can easily tweak and tune the setup to your heart’s content. You can adjust differential settings, traction control, stability control and the dampers all from behind the wheel.

That last topic is where the mountain bike comes in. To help explain some of the basics of the suspension Henry decided to head to the woods with a YT Industries Capra, complete with Flight Attendant (that’s a fancy suspension system, not someone who serves a meal on a Boeing).

Finally, we delve into some of the more technical aspects of setting up the car for a circuit like the Nurburgring Nordschleife with none other than Jörg Bergmeister. A Winner at both Le Mans and Daytona, Jörg then gives Henry a passenger lap to demonstrate just what 860kg/1900lbs of downforce (combined with a lot of talent and experience) can do through high-speed bends like Maggots and Becketts or braking into Brooklands.

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Not a Ford Escort: The MST Mk1 | The Driver’s Seat with Henry Catchpole https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/not-a-ford-escort-the-mst-mk1-henry-catchpole-the-drivers-seat/ https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/not-a-ford-escort-the-mst-mk1-henry-catchpole-the-drivers-seat/#comments Wed, 28 Sep 2022 15:00:59 GMT https://www.hagerty.com/media/?post_type=videos&p=256435

In his first film on the Hagerty channel, tall, slightly scruffy but award-winning motoring journalist, Henry Catchpole introduces us to his passion for cars.

And what does he choose to drive for his first review? A supercar? A hypercar? Nope, a Ford Escort. Not his own Mk2 rally car (because that doesn’t have an engine in it at the moment) but instead an Mk1 with the same red paint and gold wheels. And the curious thing about the MST Mk1 is that it isn’t actually an old car from the 1960s – it is a brand new car. Not a restomod created from some poor donor car, but a car built using a brand new body shell with a freshly minted number plate. Which is why, to keep Ford’s lawyers happy, it doesn’t have a single Blue Oval badge anywhere on it and you won’t find MST (which stands for Motorsport Tools) calling it a Ford or an Escort.

Semantics aside, all that really matters is that it has the wonderful induction noise of a naturally-aspirated BDG engine, the tactility of a manual gearbox, and the sort of glorious rear-wheel drive handling balance that makes you think of rally cars in a forest with Clark behind the wheel or Mikkola in the driver’s seat.

We hope you enjoy the film as much as Henry clearly enjoyed the car. And even if you’re perplexingly indifferent to red cars with gold wheels we suggest you check it out anyway just for Glenn Winhall’s stunning editing and jaw-dropping drone shots of Wales.

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