Battle of the Three Pedal Kings: Porsche 911 R vs Aston Martin V12 Vantage S
If you want the purest and most driver-focused machine on the market, you are stuck with precious few choices. The current king in the minds of most is the 911 R. The most-powerful naturally aspirated 911 comes exclusively with a clutch pedal, and is heralded as the greatest Porsche in years. Cross the narrow waterway to the north, and you will find what might be the other greatest car in existence right now, the V12 Vantage S from Aston Martin. This is the only V12 car on sale today with a clutch, and that alone makes it worthy of our attention. The fact that it’s still one of the prettiest cars on sale, and it makes enough noise to annoy the residents of the International Space Station is just icing on the proverbial cake.
But which is actually best?
The wonderful Chris Harris has set out to try and pick a winner in this new episode of Chris Harris Drives. Right off the bat, Chris begins to swoon for the Aston. He loves the engine, the layout of the cabin, the crisp feel of the shifter, and the greater engagement that was never present with the old automated gearbox. He talks about how it feels a little soft, a little clumsy, and little more honest than the Porsche. It reminds him of an old racing car in all the right ways.
As for the German, Harris comes out swinging with the announcement that he hopes the 911 R is a bit awful. He hates the hype and the gravitas that has been lent to car that you can’t even buy. Sadly, he admits almost immediately, that the car is everything the internet claims it to be, and maybe even a little more. As a Porschephile himself, I take it as high praise that Chris feels this is one of the best cars in the world for the last decade.
There is a lot to love about both cars, and in his traditional fashion, Harris eloquently conveys his feelings and experiences through the screen across more than 15-minutes of gorgeous footage. Make sure you take the time to watch this one from end to end. It’s worth your time.
