This, might not be settled today – the Grand Tour trio were the best presenters Top Gear ever had. But, while that debate is infinite, the war between the new blood, Chris Harris and Matt LeBlanc can be wound up in one sitting.
Not a war of who’s got the better command of automotive knowledge but rather, who between the two has the better garage.
These two petrol heads have both made their marks in the automotive journalism industry. However, one started as the star of a sitcom then went ahead to make automotive “Friends” while the other plain out loved petrol, burning rubber, and got banned by Ferrari.
And in this piece, we’ll see whether being born in the industry or sitcom-ing right to it, makes for a better garage. So, read on, and choose your favorite.
10 Ferrari 360 Modena – Matt LeBlanc
The 360 Modena is Hollywood’s statement Ferrari. That reason, adding on top of its impeccable aerodynamics, speed, and performance, were among the reasons why Matt decided to add this ride to his collection.
A favorite among A-list celebrities, the Pininfarina beauty was designed with a 3.6L V8 under the hood, churning out an impressive 394 horsepower. Despite this 1999 beauty being built at a time when folding headlights were a thing, the Ferrari team resorted to fixed headlights, given the difficulty the car would have had, trying to unfold its headlights at top speed.
9 Ferrari 458 Italia – Matt LeBlanc
For Matt, the common thing about his acting career and his garage is that they both kept upgrading. And after 12 years of battling with the 6 speed semi-auto Modena, it was finally time to jump into the 458 Italia.
Crowned the most powerful Ferrari in production during its launch year, the 458 Italia was an extenuation of speed, style, luxury, and raw power. The 5.0-liter V8 engine produced an impressive 570hp, almost 200 more than what the Modena could churn out.
With a top speed of 200mph, it might be correct to assume that this was the car that gave Matt the confidence to challenge The Stig’s driving, around Top Gear’s famous runway.
8 Pantera – Matt LeBlanc
Money makes you do insane things – like buying a Pantera. True story, Matt LeBlanc “squandered” his hard-earned proceeds from Friends on a car known to fewer friends than the Stig has. Squandered? Yes, by petrol head standards. The De Tomaso Pantera was not a wise buy.
Speaking to Car and Driver, LeBlanc admitted that he bought the De Tomaso after a huge payout from Friends. The car was not even in production, having had a brief history spanning between 1975 and 1992. With only 7500 units produced, the Pantera cost Matt not only a lot to purchase but also way more to restore it to working conditions.
7 Porsche 911 Turbo S – Matt LeBlanc
The Pantera issues surely taught Matt the difference between difficult rare and available but reliable. That’s exactly what the Porsche 911 Turbo S is. While calling it an “available” car is a bit of an overstatement, the 911 Turbo S is a resilient car Porsche has been making over the years.
And turns out the 2014 911 Turbo S is Matt’s favorite. While speaking to Car and Driver, he admitted that the 911 serves as his daily driver when he’s back from the UK – where he prefers being chauffeured in an S-Class.
6 Porsche 911 GT2 RS – Matt LeBlanc
Speaking of 911s, the most aggressive of them all, sitting in Matt’s garage, is the 620 horsepower 911 GT2 RS. Labeled the scariest car Porsche has ever made, the 911GT RS requires muscle and guts to drive around.
Fitted with a manual transmission, the rear-wheel-drive GT2 RS was a great leap from Porsche’s “controlled” M.O. The car is full of character, grunt, and sheer muscle. And, according to LeBlanc, while he was speaking to Men’s Journal, the 911 GT2 RS offers a driving experience like no other.
5 Land Rover Range Rover Classic – Chris Harris
Being born into cars (literally, that’s where most of his career has been), Chris Harris has a larger assortment of classics than his sitcom friend, LeBlanc. And a rather interesting one is the Land Rover Range Rover Classic.
While not trying to attribute the existence of this beauty in his garage to his British roots (very likely), the Queen’s SUV of choice is one of Harris’ most unique classics collection. It has a decent motor, sturdy body (can rip the panels off a Velar), and superior off-road capabilities fit to take the British army to war.
4 Ferrari 512 TR – Chris Harris
While LeBlanc’s Ferrari history starts in ‘99 (he was surely living the life), Chris goes back to 1992. Arguably the sexiest Ferrari ever built, the 512 TR Testarossa was a bold statement by the red boys that they’re still the best at performance and design.
Unlike the Modena that shied away from folding headlights, the 512 TR’s folding lights played a huge role in extenuating the car’s aesthetics. And under the hood, the machine was no slouch, using a 4.9L V12 engine to generate 422hp, almost 30 more than the 7 years younger Modena.
3 Ferrari FF – Chris Harris
While the classics sure pack a good auto-jazz, a bit of the modern-day tech can change a “wow” experience into an adrenaline addiction. And that’s the kind of experience you get in a Ferrari FF.
Despite not donning the sportiest of Ferrari looks, the Ferrari FF was designed to look like a family hatchback, but packed with the performance straight from Maranello. Under the hood is a 6.2L V12 that does a great job producing 660hp.
However, Matt hands down has the better of the modern Ferraris, given the 458’s monstrous power and performance.
2 BMW M3 E30 Sport Evolution – Chris Harris
The E30 evolution is not like the standard M3s that were produced by Bavaria Motors between 1985 and 1992. Built to allow BMW to participate in international championships, the M3 E30 Sport Evolution featured more power and better aero.
The engine was a 238hp 2.46L, with a more generous rear wing and adjustable splitter providing better aerodynamics. The adjustable front grille also helped separate the Sport Evolution from the standard model aesthetically, with the fog lights being chopped off in place of brake cooling ducts.
1 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 – Chris Harris
While Matt LeBlanc relishes in the 911 GT2 RS, Chris’ Porsche of choice is the 911 GT3 RS 4.0. Arguably the most aggressive 911 in the lineup, before the GT2 RS butchered the numbers, the 2011 GT3 RS 4.0 is a masterclass piece of engineering.
It features a flat-six capable of producing 493 horsepower. It hits 193mph max on the speedo, gets to 62mph in 3.5 seconds, and can rip through the track thanks to Porsche’s impeccable car balance. Only 600 samples of the 911 GT3 RS 4.0 were ever produced.
Sources: Car and Driver, Ferrari, Men’s Journal, Motor 1, Which Car