Driving The Dragon: Porsche GT4 RS + 318 Turns in 11 Miles | Henry Catchpole - The Driver's Seat
In this episode of The Driver’s Seat, Henry Catchpole visits a famous road that has always fascinated him - the incredible Tail of the Dragon. It’s obviously not a race track, but it has some of the mystique and atmosphere of the Nurburgring Nordschleife when you rock up in the car park at the weekend. You might see anything from a modded Honda Civic Type-R to a Carrera GT and everyone is there because they have petrol running through their veins.
However, away from The Tail of the Dragon, Catchpole finds that there is much, MUCH more to explore in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. In fact this might just be the greatest, most extensive collection of driving roads in the world, with incredible stretches of asphalt scattered all over this amazing, densely forested area.
Of course a great driver’s road needs a great driver’s car and they don’t get much better than the Porsche Cayman GT4 RS. With the naturally aspirated engine from the 911 GT3 mounted in the middle of the car it is an absolute joy to drive. In fact the only thing that sounds better than one of these engines revving to 9000rpm is two of them. Or three. Or four. Which is what happened when we met up with some of the cars from Smokies GT.
Everything from a 993 RS to a well used 996 GT3 to a PTS 992 GT3 was there and it was wonderful to duck and dive with the cambers, watching the wings and hearing the howls. There was even time to stop and brew coffee on the rear wing of a 997 GT3. All in the name of raising money for the battle against Cystic Fibrosis.
We hope you enjoy the episode. Let us know if there are any other places in the USA (or anywhere else on the planet) that you’d like us to visit in our continuing quest to find the greatest driving roads in the world. And if you’re in the US and you haven’t done so already, please do think about joining the Hagerty Drivers Club - not only is it great, it also helps us to keep making videos like this! bit.ly/Join-HDC-Henry
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The Hagerty videos with Henry are some of the best automotive videos out there. They are extremely well written, shot, and edited. I'm impressed!
Henry is magic to listen to.......
Agreed. It now stands out (from other channels) and sets the high standard - cultured, balanced and a joy to watch. Well done Hagerty & Henry
Some of the best reviews on youtube right now, this and Chris Harris Collecting Cars
Any video with Henry is high calibre. Been that way wherever he is. Hagerty should give him more time and more content.
Absolutely agree, the narrative is brilliant, there’s no need to hear about all the specifications, just the experience of the drive and the symphony this car delivers. Is all you need. Fantastic roads too.
Finally a simple, yet brilliant video of the dragon and the neighboring roads. The area is beautiful and anyone who enjoys driving has to experience it. Don't forget to check out the dams nearby!
You're absolutely right. Love that area.
North America is almost always at its best in the untamed wilderness. Colossal forests, never-ending deserts, mountains that reach high enough to shave God's beard. I hate to go all tree-hugger in the comments under a car vid, but we really need to preserve this stuff, going forward, don't we? Much like the manual transmission and the screaming NA engine, woods like these are worth saving. They're among the best parts of these United States.
@@mitchell-wallisforce7859 That's why Teddy Roosevelt created the National Parks system. He knew we would likely never have the beautiful ancient cities of Europe, Asia, Africa, etc, but that our untamed natural landscape was the thing we had that was worth treasuring like some many historic places.
@@kmac720 Teddy was an extremely based human being for a few reasons, that among them. We absolutely have to ensure that these places - along with some others not ON the National Parks list - remain sacred. That said, in the wake of literally half of Canada catching enough fire for the smoke to reach the whole way down the Eastern Seaboard, my mind is now on the _other_ problems we have to solve to keep our woods from looking like Hell.
Facts. Did the dragon, devil's whip, and a few other roads last year. The dams are also AMAZING!
I saw this red Porsche GT4 RS with Florida plates in the parking lot of Walmart in my home town of Waynesville NC. Took note of a pair of eye glasses on the driver's side dash as I took pictures of the car. Thrilled to see my first GT4 RS in person. A couple of guys came back to the car and I chatted briefly with them about the Tail of The Dragon. I noted the driver spoke with an accent. Now I see this video and realize it was Henry I was talking too! I wish I had known! So enjoy your commentary and feedback in your videos! Keep up the great work guys!
Henry - so nice to have met you and to have had the privilege to run with you for a short while. Great having you at Smokies this year!
I think we need to have you return for Fall Smokies, driving amongst the changing foliage. Don’t you think Chris? We all can find something for you to drive. ;)
As a NC (Charlotte) native I love to see our famous Appalachian road on Hagerty. Henry nailed it, it’s very crowded and full of police at peak times because of how big the internet has made it, but it’s hard to match that cultural feeling of automotive Mecca seeing all the different builds and people there. I try to go once or twice a year. There are better quieter roads, yes. But it’s ~The~ Dragon.
Where are those better quieter roads and how far from Charlotte are they? I’ve been looking for so long I don’t even know where to start looking for them
@@moorehalfon4052 28, 215, 276, 151, 226A, 281. There's many many more! Get out and go explore and drive them all. I've spent days and days finding and driving all the best roads in that area.
As a TN (Chattanooga and Knoxville) native I love to see OUR famous Appalachian road on Hagerty.
Peak times it's crazy, but like he showed, the chaos is kind of its own vibe. If you want to drive it, go at sunrise on a weekday. Everytime I've done that, I've been able to make multiple uninterrupted runs of it. So so good.
You can really link your way all the way through the Smoky Mountains in an incredible way. In February, I took out my NC miata by myself, and drove down through Shenandoah National Park, Blue Ridge Parkway (469 miles), Tail of the Dragon, scraping into the mountains of Tennessee. I drove for 9 or 10 hours straight every day for 5 days, stopping only to pee off of overlooks and refill on coffee and beef jerky from my trunk. I'd find a squiggly road that off-shoot from BRP, and see where it would go. Eventually, I'd find a hotel when I couldn't drive anymore, and I'd fall out of my car buzzing. Best trip ever.
Coming from central PA. I plan to head south on I81 and go to that area. Any advice/suggestions/recommendations?
Hop off of i81 once you get near Front Royal, and take Shenandoah down to BRP. There's a little gem of a road that offshoots from the northern end of BRP called Tye River Turnpike. If you make it all the way down to Asheville, check out Little Switzerland. Drive safe and have fun!
Sounds epic! This is how I drive, wandering through beautiful areas down roads to see where they take me for hours and hours. Obviously you knew where SNP and the BRP were going to take you, but there is so much to explore in the surrounding areas as you mentioned. I've been driving them for decades and still find new roads.
I recently had the immense pleasure of pushing a GT4 RS flat out at Circuit of The Americas. As a former race car driver and current instructor, I drive lots of incredible cars, but the GT4 RS is on a whole different level from anything else out there right now, regardless of price. The handling and responsiveness at great speeds is mind blowing. Such an incredibly satisfying car to drive! And of course, Henry is always outstanding!
@@ss-mw9dj None taken. It's more involved than that, and there are also drivers who get seats simply because they bring serious sponsor money with them (sometimes their dad) but.... we can all agree the GT4 RS is friggin awesome to drive!
“After the last car has left, the road remains.” Love that sign-off ❤
Henry these endings have been quite poetic lately, you and your collaborators really know how to sell the excitement of a blast in a scenic flowing area and road - the howl of a flat-6 in this case didn't hurt either. Good work as always!
Just drove the Dragon and all 469 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway for the first time this past month in our manual C6 Corvette; paired together, those roads and that car proved to be a blissful combination (especially with the targa top stowed in the hatch)! We'll treasure the memories made as we await the next opportunity for a return visit.
I’ve been on that stretch of road several times on a motorcycle. There are hundreds of miles of great riding/driving roads in that area!
There are 50 roads similar to the dragon all within an hour or two drive. The funny part is they're only 40-50 miles from where I live but the switchbacks add a tremendous amount of time to any drive! Appalachia is a beautiful place to live!
Can you name a few? I’m in Spartanburg area and go out to the mountains a few times on my sports cars. Moved from NY 6 years ago and absolutely love the area. Still exploring new roads.
Not sure about SC but in East TN basically anywhere around Gatlinburg, Maryville, Townsend and Cosby all great driving twisty roads. Western NC has lots of nice roads surrounding Blue Ridge. Asheville, Maggie Valley, Sylva, Cherokee all have great driving twisty roads. One of my favorites is taking 441 from Cherokee over to Gatlinburg.
@@reubenroll2144 It depends on how much time you want to spend but my favorite for a there and back driving day trip is leaving from Greenville to Walhalla, take the Moonshiner28 up to Highlands. Take a left onto 64 for some wicked curves with amazing views. Take the switch back on Buck Creek Rd. and follow the connecting roads of Windy Gap Rd. into Mill Creek Rd., Right onto N. Norton Rd. and follow it down into Cashiers. From there take a right back onto 64 back to Highlands and then back down the Moonshiner. Road surface is in good to great condition and makes for a very scenic, very fun, and not crowded (except in peak vacation and leaf changing season) drive or ride.
I drove the Tail last year. It was amazing. Perfect weather. Colorful trees. And I agree that the roads surrounding the Tail are amazing as well. I drove for hours and enjoyed every mile. 😁🤙
Yes, friend. Everything you said about these roads and this region of the country is spot-on accurate. It's easier than you think to find quiet times on these roads. Just avoid weekends. And get up early.
This place is always packed. There's is an event going on damn near every day.
@@alotl1kevegas860 you’re obviously correct…Henry barely got it over 25 mph with all that traffic 🙄.
Sunrise on weekdays is the move. Even the Dragon will be yours, not totally empty, but empty enough for a good hoon if you get there early enough on a weekday.
Hats off to Hagerty for funding all of the great content on KZhead !
I'm from Chattanooga, and have been to the Tail of the Dragon a few times. Hearing my city mentioned by you is something I never thought I'd hear, but I love it! This was a beautiful video, and it's inspired me to go up again real soon!
Same here! I was born and raised in Chattanooga (living in Hixson these days but have lived all over Chatt) and have watched Henry Catchpole's videos for years. I never thought I would've heard him mention the 423 either haha
@@codyC423 Same as well, haha. Lived around, but in Hixson / Red Bank area now. Been using Mont Lake Mountain in Soddy to get me by until I can find time to go to the Dragon.
Took my Mclaren 720s here last summer. Easily one of two of the best roads on the east coast. The 'back of the dragon' is the other one.
Came here for car reviews, stayed here for the road review. Fantastic stuff as always, Keep up the good work Henry
More road review videos would be pretty epic.
Henry Catchpole strikes again!! The car(insert: ultimate dream car), the video edit, the screenplay, the narration??!! I loved it!
California has a huge car "scene." The car is an accessory. The roads and people around this place represent real car "culture". It's in the blood. The touge vibe is such a perfect explanation. Before kids I went every year for my birthday... during the week. In the evenings the road and the people you meet are perfection if you are a true enthusiast.
This brought tears to my eyes. The sounds of the downshifts of that engine are blissful.
The RS Boxster Spider with its softer suspension (not having to cope with all the GT4RS downforce) and open feel "in the environment" sensation should be even more involving. A wonderful vid.
The Blue Ridge parkway is made for drives in cars like these. If you live near the parkway, I implore you to visit and take a drive in whatever you have.
careful of the park rangers up there, a lot of that road is absurdly low limited. It's worth warning people that some of the states it cuts through have bizzarely punitive speeding regs. As in, spend a night in jail for what is a meh ticket anywhere else.
Beautiful place
@@OnkyoGrady yeah. North Carolina, West Virginia, Virginia. No. The speed limit on The Dragon was dropped to 30 when did used to be 50 I suspect to write more tickets. The United States really does need a Ring. I think The Dragon is better than any track; there’s literally no time to rest when you’re making a run. I like cornering far more than I like high speed.
Blissful road. A few years ago I put traditional christmas with the family aside to go down to Deals Gap. It was a strange time as in the weather as completely opposite of what it should have been. 70 degrees, only had come across about 3 cars on the road the entire time, and zero police. It was so relaxing to just drive at a swift pace and have no worries.
Just bliss! What an amazing road(putting it on my bucket list), what a car, what a presenter, what a video...just pure joy from beginning to end. Thank you to everyone who produce these stunning videos for us(petrol heads) to drool over...we appreciate it, and you!😊
The car just looks so composed through all those bends and undulations. It also sounds the buisness aswell. Awesome bideo as always.
Great to hear Henry say such wonderful things about the area that I live. The roads and surrounding scenery is truly fantastic!
Jesus Henry, my bucket list is already exploding with road tours. Lovely route, Dragon added! 👍
Great to see Henry back on KZhead - more please!
Love Porsche, and Love Catchpole...couldn't be a better combo.
Henry, regardless of the content, the continent, the channel or the car, your videos are the absolute best! Your comments are thoughtful and informative - no histrionics that distract (and sometime detract) from the video. These are videos that are easily watched from end to end, not scrubbed through for highlights. Yours are my go-to videos to learn more about a car I want to own or that I currently own and want to appreciate even more. The production quality of your videos is magnificent. And thank you for coming to the U.S. to share new stories, and very nice that you gave the GT group a shoutout. Nicely done!
Great stuff Henry,what a melodic,mechanical soundtrackI love your geographic sense of importance,fairness too,even in a touristy place!You have a good film team too!🙏
Everything about this video was nothing but amazing. One of the best videos I've ever seen. Never stop!
Liked before it even played - Henry, you are a treasure. Absolutely divine piece.
Thank you for your eloquence Henry. Beautiful piece.
Best GT4RS video! Great stuff Henry.
I drove The Dragon for the first time two years ago in my 992 Turbo S, it was the most exhilarating time I have ever had behind the wheel of a car. Thank you for this truly incredible master piece of a video, and as many others have said Hagerty and Henry Catchpole together is a match made in heaven.
This road + this car = the perfect day. Thank you.
Good to see my CB decal is still there 🙂
THE best TOTD video I’ve ever seen! 💯 nails the feeling and is absolutely right in saying the local mountain roads are a great place to explore!
Brilliant. I've driven roads in this area and it was truly amazing. Going back again soon for more.
Love The Dragon; I most-recently rode it on an R1250GS. Zero traffic. Warm days. Crashed at Deal's Gap Motorcycle Resort and enjoyed coffee and pancakes both days. Met some lovely folks. It's soul food and exactly why I drive and ride...
Just got home from a 4 day trip driving these roads in my GT500 Carbon fiber track pack. Amazing roads! Love Henry documenting this
This is an absolutely magnificent piece of art Henry and team, bravo! The crisp visuals and fantastic audio had me fully immersed all the way through. That Cayman GT4 is absolutely in contention for the top of my list of potentially attainable in the future dream cars.
So many great ribbons of road in this land. Privileged to have the Smoky Mtns among them. Thanks for featuring a great car and world class roads in our backyard, the Carolina Blue Ridge.
Again Henry, thanks for another amazing drive video. Love it!
Loved how the video was more about the journey & roads untravelled than the car in focus itself. 👏😍
Thanks Henry for the best video of the TOTD I've seen!
Wonderful! Great car,great road and oh how I wish I was there. Henry, you do great work!
I love that henry prefers change gear using the shift knob
Wow Henry... You don't stop to amaze me. Quite a story teller in did. EPIC car
Great job Henry. You were one of the first journalists to spend a good amount of time in this car.
I went to the Tail of the Dragon with my friend for his 21st birthday. We took his mk6 GTI and my mk7 GTI in January 2021 which might have not been the best time to go for grip but excellent for boost. Phenomenal stretch of asphalt with amazing views
Thank you for sharing your passion with us!❤
Your content and the way you explain it all is carfection👍 massive respect, keep up the good work
Been a stone's throw away from the parkway for the last 6 years. And it'll forever hold its place in my heart. Just those beautiful quiet roads, in the lush green of summer or the misty mornings of September or the colorful Fall season or just the dry crispness of winter, this road and my E30 really saved my senses, especially through covid and some of the toughest years of my life.
Beautiful video! I didn't expect less from Henry and a GT4 RS! 😍
As always, Porsche and your videos, are beautiful art!!! 👏👏👏
What a video! I'm going to watch it again tonight, tomorrow, the next day, the next day, the next day... You get my point. Thanks.
Pure nirvana. Never Stop Making these videos
I'm glad you liked the roads. Living in Maryville TN my whole life being at the foothills of the mountain I've always loved driving the dragon.
My best experience on the dragon was in the passenger seat of somebody's early model Cayman S. I'd love to experience it in this vehicle
Beautiful video. Everything to love; great car on a great road in great conditions. Perfection
Unreal roads with an unreal car! I could on dream of ever getting to do something like that! Such an awesome video
Glad to see you down here in TN. The Dragon is special.
Simply brilliant and breathtaking video. Koodoos to Henry and the team.
So thankful to be born and raised half an hour from the dragon. Love seeing our area showcased by Hagerty. Thanks guys amazing work as always!
Another awesome video from Henry, especially showing the great smokies of my home state.
Magnificent scenery, magnificent car.
Video spot on as usual. What an amazing road/place. I will move there only for that experience!
Stunning, absolutely stunning.
Such a good video. I love your comments on the car and the roads. I bought my Cayman in South Georgia in February. I drove the Tail 3 times on my way back to Indiana. It was such I dynamic road and on a Tuesday afternoon in February, I practically had it all to myself. The Cayman was pure joy on that road, as if the car was made for that road, and the road was made for that car.
I never, ever thought I'd hear Henry Catchpole mention Chattanooga and Knoxville. That's badass
Holy moly, that was almost poetic! I have to say: Hagerty has a hand in collecting & creating the best automotive content... 😎👍
Great editing and cinematography topped off by the excellent Mr Catchpole..... Popcorn a alcoholic drink and a big tv, I'm happy. I very much look forward to these videos, well done!
Just such good content, you guys. And I do love me some Porsches!
Hagerty just does not miss! Beautiful video!
Henry said it - Magical !
Thanks for the awesome aspect ratio on this video!
Fantastic video, fantastic gt4 RS. My dream...Porsche since I was a little boy and now 52 yo. I like this car like a 911 Gt3 what a sound
Wow - what a car and what roads! Driving nirvana!❤
This video is a work of art
I'll be going there in a couple of months. Very excited.
Thank you, Henry.
I live about an hour and a half from the dragon and have a Boxster GTS 4.0. This is so much fun to tool down the road and have lunch at the Tapoco Inn. I try to make this run 2-3 times a year. Thanks for this video.
Amazing video. Your reviews are top shelf! It was great seeing you hanging out with us at Smokies GT. Come back next year!
Wow. we are moving up the list of worlds best. Wish I was up there for the filming. Welcome to the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The sound of that GT4 is amazing. Truly a work of art. Never mind that the Tail is a great road!! Do it. Just do it.
I was out that day in the yellow supra. I was admiring the ride and loved watching you let it rip.
Fantastic content. The Dragon is my temple and I go to worship there. Nothing melts away my problems like pouring through those turns. My weapons of choice are my Elise, my Evora and my most recent addition to the stable, Alfa Romeo 4C.
I said on one of your videos before that you guys were on to something rather epic by pairing this host with these roads & epic automobiles. Never did I imagine you’d include a trip to my ‘neck of the woods’ and experience the splendor of Blue Ridge and the Appalachian foothills. I beg that you guys bring him back in the fall to see the Smokies when the leaves turn. It’s the only way to top a back road, sports car trip between TN, NC, GA, and SC.
Fab. Can't help thinking an RS Spyder would be much more enjoyable than the GT4 RS
Very well done, Henry.
Exceptional as always
Went to the Dragon twice, in 2008 and 2011, when I had my Evo IX MR and loved it. Was planning on taking my new Camaro SS 1LE down this year, but I'm taking it out west instead. Never driven out there before, but I'll be on some of the great roads in Utah in a few weeks, which should be equally fun.
The contrast between this and the Top Gear UK special in these roads is striking, TG focused on the low speed limit (which is rarely enforced) as a running gag typical of their schtick, this is actual automotive journalism. Well done.
The pacing of this video was equally matched by the pacing of the driving...kudos!
Brilliant content Henry and team
You are the master Henry at car journalism! Period. It is almost 'click bait' when I see your name in the title of a YT vid. Thanks.
Love that car, also love the show case of the Appalachian Mountains. Biased, but it’s one of most beautiful places in the world that is still accessible to enjoy driving and nature.
Amazing! Great meeting you that weekend!