Editors note:
We didn’t quite have time to get every single mid-engined sub £50k sports reviewed in the big shoot out last week, hence why I’m back here today reporting on two more cars. Consider this as additions to that previous review.
What of the Harris RMA-4? Well, it seems to have been named after a photocopier. Speaking of inspirations, it’s styling cues seem to be a knock-off GTA-esque Honda NSX at the front and a cheap homage to a generic late 90s/early 00s Ferrari. It looks tired and dull, and doesn’t evoke…well, anything,
Specs wise, it’s the slowest of any of the sports cars I’ve tested recently, being more a competitor for the entry level market (the likes of the Adenine Essence and Maesima MRZ-3) with its 200hp 1.6l i4 turbo. Small engine means low weight of course, yet at 1190kg it seems awfully heavy, especially for an all aluminum car. The equipment levels are at least good, but it still doesn’t really explain where the hell that extra mass is coming from, except for safety equipment.
But on a sports car? Really? This thing needs to be as light as possible, and it just isn’t. It isn’t a slouch though, capable of 0-60 in 5.5 seconds, meaning it’ll out run most hot hatches in a straight line. It’s also remarkably sharp in the corners, and changes direction like a Swallow chasing flies. It drives with a knife-edge level of precision all the time, making for a real on-your-toes experience. At least it’s exciting then.
As an entry level sports car, it’s perfectly acceptable, and the price will be tempting to those wanting to get a slice of MR action on the cheap. But as a car to own? I certainly haven’t been convinced. It’s the styling that really lets it down, while the rest of it feels too standard to be any good. It’s ‘good enough’ in too many places to stand out and make up for its flaws. A confused car, that simply doesn’t cut the mustard.
The Albury CMS-20T’s styling has left me perplexed. From a distance, its perfect. Everything you’d expect from a micro-supercar sorta thing. But study the details, and it doesn’t quite hit the mark. The positioning of everything is a just a bit off. Not hugely, just minutely. But it still adds up. And yet, it still looks good. There’s nothing wrong with it, it’s just not put together perfectly. Or maybe I’m just being picky.
Still, I’ve still got my Yorkshire Dales playground to have some fun in, and the weather still seems to be holding. Let’s see what an Aussie sports car goes like.
Fast, that’s what. 0-60 in 4.2 seconds puts it a tad behind the other cars in its class, but that’ll be made up for by the lower price and forgiven due to its lovely manual gearbox. The spacing is absolutely spot on and you can slam it through the ratios.
The suspension is setup in the same mind. All analogue; stiff without being too twitchy; beautifully, wonderfully sharp. It’s a ballet dancer in walking boots through the corners, and knows exactly how to handle its weight. It’s considerably heavier than its rivals though at 1230kg, and that’s despite all aluminum construction. But they clearly didn’t try to work around that and instead worked with it. Once you, the driver, get used to it, the car is very happy to be driven hard.
Malleable - yes, that’s the word. This thing can take a beating, but still demands that you don’t hit it too hard.
It’s surprisingly sketchy to drive sometimes though. It isn’t afraid to cut you loose sometimes, though I like that. It shows the designers weren’t keen to just shut it up everytime it lashed out at them during testing.
The engine? It’s a bit redundant in character. 2.0l i4 turbo, lovely thrum and the usual 3500 rpm turbo spool. I approve, but don’t expect it to be any more exciting than equivalent cars.
I get out again to have a look at this thing. I’m still not convinced by it, and looking at the front, it it definitely lacking something. More to the point, it’s a bit without soul. It’s efficient and hardy in being a performance machine. It’d be the one that never talks and just shoots in an infantry platoon. For a sportscar that just gets the job done, this is great, especially with its price. Just don’t expect it to be very memorable.
- Gavin Anderson