Chris Harris vs. Ferrari – The "How Ferrari Spins" Controversy
In the world of automotive journalism, few names carry as much weight as Chris Harris. Known today as a lead presenter on Top Gear, Harris cemented his reputation for brutal honesty in 2011 with a bombshell article titled "How Ferrari Spins." This post dives into one of the most famous feuds in motoring history.
The Accusation Harris, writing for Jalopnik at the time, exposed a practice that many in the industry whispered about but feared to publicize: Ferrari was allegedly "optimizing" the cars it sent to journalists. He claimed that the Italian manufacturer would send multiple teams of mechanics to track tests to adjust the ECU, suspension, and tires specifically for the track being used. The result? Performance figures—0–60 times and lap records—that a standard customer car could never hope to achieve. Harris argued this was a form of deception, misleading buyers about the true capabilities of the vehicles they were spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on.
The Fallout Ferrari’s reaction was swift and legendary. Instead of a standard
PR rebuttal, they effectively "excommunicated" Harris. He was banned from the press fleet, meaning he could no longer borrow cars for review, and he was even restricted from purchasing new Ferraris through official channels for several years. This move was intended to silence a critic, but it backfired by making Harris a hero of independent journalism.
The Legacy The ban lasted until roughly 2013/2014. Interestingly, Harris’s integrity actually increased his popularity. Other journalists began to speak up, noting that Ferrari wasn't the only one "tuning" press cars, though they were perhaps the most aggressive. Today, the relationship has thawed, and Harris frequently reviews Ferraris again, but the 2011 incident remains a cautionary tale about the tension between corporate
PR and honest reporting. For car enthusiasts, it serves as a reminder that what you see on a magazine cover isn't always what you get in your garage.