Important Announcements from Harris-Albury
Tom Bryant, Senior Engineer, Albury Motors Inc.
"It’s been exactly a decade since we launched our first mid-engined car - the CMS-16 - and we vastly underestimated how much of a following it garnered during its five-year production run. In the eyes of our customers, it came and went too quick, so when we heard that Harris was reintroducing the RMA, we decided to assist them in developing it, and amortize the costs by launching a sister car - the CMS-20T. This new model is expected to make the Albury Performance sub-brand available to buyers at a lower price point than it has been for some time.
"We expect this new car to be a true contender in the burgeoning light sports car sector, thanks to all-aluminum construction, double wishbone suspension at each wheel, and a mid-mounted 300-horsepower turbocharged 2-litre four-cylinder mated exclusively to a six-speed manual gearbox. However, its development hasn’t all been plain sailing; after some testers complained of pre-production examples exhibiting… unusual handling characteristics, we have revised the suspension tune and gear ratios to make the car easier to drive, without losing too much of its hard-edged, sporty feel. Also, we have enlarged the rear spoiler slightly to produce more rear downforce, and revised the front-end styling to give it a more assertive appearance.
“The new CMS-20T is expected to go on sale this October at a base price of $24,375 with a 30% markup. For that, you’ll get a full suite of driving aids, plus all the latest safety and infotainment systems. Plus, with a combined cycle economy figure greater than 30 mpg, and a 0-60 mph time of just 4.2 seconds, you’ll easily have your cake and eat it with the CMS-20. Get your order in now - demand is expected to be very strong as soon as this car goes on sale.”
Jeremy Hayes, Chief Dynamics Engineer, Harris Cars Ltd.
Resurrecting the RMA, our entry-level mid-engined sports car, after a five-year hiatus seemed like madness at first, until we realized that the previous RMA was highly regarded during its production run. Its discontinuation coincided with the axing of the cheaper front-engined CMC after more than a decade, and so we needed a car that could replace both of these models. When Albury Motors approached us with an offer to lend technical assistance to their own affordable sports coupe, we had no choice but to accept. Ultimately, we were right to do so, for this collaboration, in addition to bringing the CMS-20T to the streets, has allowed us to develop its platform-mate - the Harris RMA-4 - and sell it to the public.
"The number 4 in its name has a twofold meaning: it is the first generation of RMA to be powered by a four-cylinder engine, and the fourth one overall. However, to differentiate it from the CMS-20T, we have fitted our own 1.6-liter turbo four-cylinder engine, developing just over 200 bhp, although the two cars share the same gearbox. As such, it will not be as fast in a straight line, but the gentler torque curve makes it more docile in daily driving - and more economical as well. In addition, the RMA-4 will be offered at a base price of $20,400 with a 20% markup. Apart from that, both cars will have similar levels of standard equipment.
“We expect this Anglo-Australian cooperation to continue for years to come after these two models hit the market. After all, platform sharing is crucial to reducing development costs across a manufacturer’s range. But more importantly, this joint project shows that environmental awareness, high performance, mid-engined dynamics and (relatively) low starting prices need not all be mutually exclusive.”
