'Now everything has a Sport mode. Even my dishwasher has one'
'Now everything has a Sport mode. Even my dishwasher has one'
Sport modes are everywhere… It’s a shame most have the subtlety of a sledgehammer, says Porter
'The hardest thing to engineer into a car is niceness'
'The hardest thing to engineer into a car is niceness'
When you’ve got to live with a car, there’s a lot to be said for niceness, reckons Porter.
'When you’ve got to live with a car, there’s a lot to be said for niceness'
'When you’ve got to live with a car, there’s a lot to be said for niceness'
Porter ruminates over that intangible quality that makes some cars so much more pleasing than those without: niceness
‘The A1 is interesting and unusual and I hope it never changes’
‘The A1 is interesting and unusual and I hope it never changes’
It may not be the quickest north-south route, but its ability to surprise, entertain and even disgust makes the A1 the natural choice
‘A stranger tainted my car and it’ll never be the same’
‘A stranger tainted my car and it’ll never be the same’
Mrs Porter’s car has been damaged in the street. Mr Porter isn’t taking it well...
'There is no point to a car if you’re not going to use it.'
'There is no point to a car if you’re not going to use it.'
Treating cars as investments is nothing short of wrong-headed, reckons Porter
'Car makers developing four-wheel-drive technology should take inspiration from a dog'
'Car makers developing four-wheel-drive technology should take inspiration from a dog'
Where will you find the most sophisticated four-wheel-drive system available? Look no further than man’s best friend, says Porter
'POA should be banned from classic car ads'
'POA should be banned from classic car ads'
Few things infuriate Porter more than ‘POA’ on classic car ads, so it’s a term he’ll swiftly outlaw once he becomes dictator.
The art of disguising a car – what’s happened to it?
The art of disguising a car – what’s happened to it?
Manufacturers used to exhibit extraordinary creativity in disguising their prototypes. Porter laments the loss of these pantomime cars
'Too many old farts think Jaguar is the National Trust of car makers'
'Too many old farts think Jaguar is the National Trust of car makers'
There’s a stale attitude pervading the internet forums, and revitalised Jaguar is the victim. Porter takes aim at the naysayers.
'For the modern urban crawl, the relaxing, untaxing Nissan Leaf is perfectly fit for purpose'
'For the modern urban crawl, the relaxing, untaxing Nissan Leaf is perfectly fit for purpose'
Admire a car that’s fit for purpose? Then if you do most of your driving in an urban environment, Porter reckons you need a Nissan Leaf
'So if the supercar is the necessary glamourpuss of machinery, what’s at the opposite end?'
'So if the supercar is the necessary glamourpuss of machinery, what’s at the opposite end?'
If supercars sit at the top of the automotive tree, what are their absolute polar opposites? Porter thinks he’s nailed it
'The Aston Martin Rapide AMR is a completely preposterous car. And I want one very much indeed.'
'The Aston Martin Rapide AMR is a completely preposterous car. And I want one very much indeed.'
Take dignity, and discard. Then add smugness and blend with no logic whatsoever. Yes, it’s Porter’s recipe for a truly silly car
'As a cosmetic add-on, carbonfibre is ugly, unpleasant, and incredibly vulgar'
'As a cosmetic add-on, carbonfibre is ugly, unpleasant, and incredibly vulgar'
Richard Porter has his say on carbonfibre as an aesthetic addition to the car.
‘Maybe it’s a sign of the times. In all likelihood, we’ll look back on the 2010s as the era of grey’
‘Maybe it’s a sign of the times. In all likelihood, we’ll look back on the 2010s as the era of grey’
The choice of paint colours car makers currently offer is unspeakably dull. Porter reckons he knows why
'So riddle me this: why am I not interested in the new 911 GT2 RS?'
'So riddle me this: why am I not interested in the new 911 GT2 RS?'
“A stiffened, steroid-injected 911 just isn’t fulfilling its main role in the automotive animal kingdom”
'Well, I mean, winning is so un-British isn't it?'
'Well, I mean, winning is so un-British isn't it?'
"There are things we Brits do very well, but getting behind our sportspeople is not one of them" says Porter
"Cars are often nicer if you don’t try to be such a hero about it."
"Cars are often nicer if you don’t try to be such a hero about it."
Richard Porter rallies against the misplaced machismo of performance cars and urges us not to be a hero.
"Give it ten years, never mind 20, and DIY gearchanging will seem like a lost art"
"Give it ten years, never mind 20, and DIY gearchanging will seem like a lost art"
Porter suggests that the mass proliferation of automatic gearboxes doesn’t mean our left legs should become redundant
"The V6 is the engine world's constant disappointment"
"The V6 is the engine world's constant disappointment"
The worst engine layout ever to grace an engine bay? Porter has a convincing argument for a perhaps unexpected choice
"The Portuguese are good at overtaking, people in Britain see it as lethal and objectionable"
"The Portuguese are good at overtaking, people in Britain see it as lethal and objectionable"
Porter ponders on the miserable - not to mention dangerous - inclinations of many people we share our roads with
"The glassfibre cladding has disappeared, but the test mule keeps the intrigue alive"
"The glassfibre cladding has disappeared, but the test mule keeps the intrigue alive"
Manufacturers used to exhibit extraordinary creativity in disguising their prototypes. Porter laments the loss of these pantomime cars
"Scrapyards are full of shiny things that appear to have years of life left in them"
"Scrapyards are full of shiny things that appear to have years of life left in them"
Rusting bodywork is largely a thing of the past, but it’s unlikely car makers will address other failing components, reckons Porter
"Cars are often nicer if you don't try to be such a hero about it"
"Cars are often nicer if you don't try to be such a hero about it"
Didn't go for air-con? You'll only notice when you're sweating rivers, says Porter, who doesn't buy into all this options-list machismo
"The A1 is consistently confusing and confusingly inconsistent"
"The A1 is consistently confusing and confusingly inconsistent"
It may not be the quickest route, but its ability to surprise, entertain and even disgust makes the A1 the natural choice, says Porter
Mercedes-Benz E500 Coupe
Mercedes-Benz E500 Coupe
M3 too hardcore? Merc's E500 Coupe might just fit the bill
Ron Dennis interview
Ron Dennis interview
We met Ron Dennis to ask about his new role, the new car and the company’s ambitious plans
Vauxhall VXR: end of term
Vauxhall VXR: end of term
The charismatic Vauxhall VXR8 has gone, and it's one hard act to follow
Mitsubishi Evo X FQ-360
Mitsubishi Evo X FQ-360
Heavy snow was the perfect opportunity for the four-wheel drive Mitsubishi Evo to shine. But it didn't...
Mitsubishi Evo X FQ-360
Mitsubishi Evo X FQ-360
Our Mitsubishi Evo was never meant to be practical. Even so, try finding and topping-up the washer bottle!
Mitsubishi Evo X FQ-360
Mitsubishi Evo X FQ-360
The Evo X is hilariously fast, but hard to live with and hard to love
Jaguar XFR and XKR
Jaguar XFR and XKR
Jaguar has rediscovered its mojo. The brand new XFR saloon and XKR coupe, both powered by an all-new supercharged 500bhp V8, are the most exciting Jag…
Vauxhall VXR8
Vauxhall VXR8
A performance exhaust system improves the V8 soundtrack and offers a shade more oomph
Bristol Fighter
Bristol Fighter
They do things differently at Bristol – and that's what makes the cars so much cooler than most supercars. Richard Porter drives the Fighter