New TVR Griffith (Second Generation)

Imagine the manic shifting a driver has to do in a sub 4 car with a manual...
 
The orginal TVR Griffith. Built from 1991 - 2002.

TVR Griffith 500

The TVR Griffith, later models being referred to as the TVR Griffith 500, was a sports car designed and built by TVR starting in 1991 and ending in 2002.

Like its forerunner namesakes, the TVR Griffith 200 and Griffith 400, the modern Griffith was a light weight (1048 kg or 2310 lb) fiberglass bodied, 2 door, 2 seat convertible with a large V8 engine. Originally it had a 4 L 240 hp (179 kW) Rover V8 engine but that could be optionally increased to 4.3 L 280 hp (209 kW) in 1992 with a further option of big valve cylinder heads. Later it was replaced entirely in 1993 with a TVR developed 5 L 340 hp (254 kW) V8 (though still based upon the original Rover V8). All models use a five speed manual transmission.

Although the TVR Griffith is almost mechanically identical to its sister car, the Chimaera, it is a cleaner body design and was produced in much smaller numbers. As such well-maintained examples command higher prices on the second-hand market.

During its production run, the TVR Griffith offered comparable super car performance at a sports car price. The combination of light weight, high power, and well-balanced chassis make it much sought after by those looking for a car that challenges the driver to bring out its best. A comprehensive History with pictures of the TVR Griffith can be seen on The Griffith Pages this also has the early 1990's press packs from the British Motorshows and postcards sent out by TVR to the garages which includes information on the speed six TVR Griffith.

In 2000, TVR announced that the TVR Griffith production was going to end. A limited edition run of 100 Special Edition (SE) cars were to be built to mark the end of production. Although still very similar to the previous 500's, the SEs have a hybrid interior using the Chimaera dashboard and Cerbera seats. Noticeably, the rear lights are different along with different door mirrors, higher powered headlights and clear indicator lenses. Some also came with 16 inch wheels and each car comes with a numbered plaque in the glove box including the build number and a Special Edition Badge on its boot. All cars also have a unique signature in the boot under the carpet. The SEs were built between 2000 and 2002, with the last TVR Griffith registered in 2003. A Register of the last 100 SEs can be found at TVR Griffith 500 SE Register.

Every Year to celebrate the TVR Griffith owners have a meet called "The Griff Growl" with over 100 owners gathering together the event has grown in the 5 years it has been going.

https://www.netcarshow.com/tvr/1993-griffith_500/

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Car design is much more restrictive these days than it was in the 80's & 90's. They need to cater for much much tighter regulation; wind cheating aerodynamics; pedestrian safety etc
 
500bhp TVR Griffith makes dynamic debut on video

All-new British V8 sports car uses Gordon Murray’s iStream architecture and gets a flat floor for ground effect

TVR has shown its long-awaited sports car in motion, testing in a not-so-secret location - a dynamic debut for the Griffith.

The car was first revealed at the Goodwood Revival, where the reborn brand also confirmed the Griffith name for the upcoming Porsche 911 rival.

The new car is the first 
to be built by TVR’s current owners, a private millionaires’ consortium fronted by computer-gaming magnate Les Edgar that four years ago mounted a successful 
bid to buy the brand from Russian ‘mini oligarch’ Nikolai Smolenski. It was a day that diehard enthusiasts feared would never dawn: the big-hearted, big-performance sports car marque born in Blackpool 70 years ago ceased production in 2006 under Smolenski and resisted all attempts at revival until the current owners began a lengthy restoration process in 2013.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/...500bhp-tvr-griffith-makes-dynamic-debut-video
 
Chameleon Paint Works Perfectly On The New TVR Griffith

Some new and very striking images of the TVR Griffith have surfaced online showing it sporting a superb chameleon-like paint job.

Before TVR’s previous demise, they were well known for their willingness to paint your car in pretty much any colour you asked for. Their most popular colours were the flip paints which like this one change colour depending on which angle you are viewing the car from.

As a reminder, the TVR packs a Ford-sourced 5.0-litre V8 tuned by Cosworth to deliver roughly 500 hp, sending the 1250 kg car to 100 km/h in less than four seconds and through to a top speed exceeding 321 km/h.

Prices for the TVR Griffith Launch Edition start at under £90,000 and the first customers are expected to take delivery in the first quarter of 2019.

http://www.zero2turbo.com/2018/01/chameleon-paint-works-perfectly-new-tvr-griffith.html

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TVR boosted by £500,000 investment from Welsh Government

The Welsh Government has contributed £500,000 worth of investment to TVR, acquiring a 3% stake in the reborn car brand.

The government has also provided a £2 million loan to the company and has purchased the Ebbw Vale site where TVR’s cars will be made.

TVR boss Les Edgar told Autocar that the investment actually took place almost two years ago. He said: “The government invested [in TVR] on the 22 March 2016 – and last month, they announced that they’d acquired the Ebbw Vale factory where we will build the car.”

The reason it has come to light in 2018 is due to calls from the Welsh Conservative party, which is in opposition to the country’s leading Labour party, for assurance that the public money would be safeguarded.

“It’s an unusual thing for the Welsh Government to invest in a company like this – in fact, I don’t think it’s ever happened before – so I see it as a sign of their faith in TVR,” said Edgar.

The relaunched TVR brand revealed its first car, which will return the Griffith name to production, at the 2017 Goodwood Revival. Edgar said the brand is now working to produce the first pilot builds of its 500bhp V8-engined Porsche 911 rival, with production of customer cars scheduled to begin next year.

While progress at TVR continues to be made, the firm’s potential neighbour, the Circuit of Wales, has experienced less fluid development. The new track complex was planned to use 336 hectares of land just north of Ebbw Vale, but the project has suffered ongoing financial issues. Its biggest blow came in June 2017 when the Welsh Government refused to guarantee funding for the project.

Edgar told Autocar that while he was in support of the circuit’s construction, it had no effect on TVR’s progress. He said: “I actually knew nothing about the Circuit of Wales when the Welsh Government first got involved, so the changes there have had no impact.

“A potential resurrection of the plan would be good and very beneficial to the economy, but it’s not something that’s built into our plan.”

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/tvr-boosted-£500000-investment-welsh-government
 
Yeah no it might just be me but a Toyota 86 looks better.
 
The New TVR Griffith Sounds Angry In New Clip

We first saw the new TVR Griffith towards the end of 2017 and not much has been said or seen since then but thanks to a new video from Avon Tyres, we get another peek at it (and the noise she makes).

The clip will not smash any records but it is very enjoyable for those who love the deep growl of a V8, and few automakers pull it off better than TVR.

Let’s be honest, it is hard to go wrong with a Ford-sourced 5.0-litre V8 tweaked by Cosworth to make 500 horsepower (373 kW). Combine this power with a very light weight chassis and a perfect 50:50 weight distribution and you have yourself one seriously fun creation.

Hopefully, the 500 people who pre-ordered the launch edition of the TVR will love the package they have purchased. The cars are slated for delivery next year.

https://www.zero2turbo.com/2018/11/the-new-tvr-griffith-sounds-angry-in-new-clip.html

 
TVR’s revival: a history lesson from the last Welsh car manufacturer

Gilbern built composite sports cars in Wales 25 miles from where reborn TVR plans to do exactly the same. We visit old and new in a Gilbern Invader

Why it has all gone quiet at TVR - for now:

What’s happening at TVR? It has all gone deadly quiet. Since the official launch of the new Griffith at the Goodwood Revival in September 2017, we’ve had a news story in December announcing that the Griffith would be built in a factory in Ebbw Vale, in a building that was the former home of a company called Techboard.

Then in January this year, the Welsh government took a 3% stake in TVR (worth £500,000) and lent the company £2 million. Then there were a few announcements about a TVR-sponsored car at Le Mans and a story online that TVR chairman Les Edgar had bought a country club near his home in Surrey. And that’s it, apart from a few appearances by the sole Griffith at a few events.

So we rang Edgar for a catchup. There’s no obvious official route to contacting TVR – no PR department or office phone number – so it required a bit of old-fashioned hackery to find a mobile number. Edgar is very approachable and straight. The obvious starter for 10 is what’s the score with the factory? Currently, it’s a run-down dilapidated unit fenced off and clearly not being worked on at all.

“It’s frustrating, that’s for sure,” said Edgar. “Under EU rules, the Welsh government has had to follow a seven-month tender process for the work to bring the building up to standard. At last, that period has run, and in January next year, the contract will be given to the winning company. From then, it’s going to take six months to get the building ready for us. We’ve asked if we can be allowed to carry out some of our own preparations alongside these works to save time.

“Obviously, the Griffith won’t be built on a line as such. Cars will be moved on dollies so actually fitting out for production won’t take long at all. I’m talking more about infrastructure.”

The talk at the launch last year was of the first production car coming off the ‘line’ at the end of 2019. Presumably, there’s going to be some delay between the work being awarded and the winning company actually starting work at the site, unless the tender goes to a building contractor that actually turns up when it says it will. Unlikely. Let’s give it two months, which, added to the six, gives us a completion date of August. Clearly, production will be delayed.

“It’s virtually impossible to give a date for delivery of the first customer car,” said Edgar, “until we know where we are with the factory. We could possibly start building cars in the smaller unit that will be handed over to us in March, which at the moment is intended as a training, test and prototype centre.”

As for the car itself, how is development going? “Well, we’ve got about 75% of the components sourced; certainly all the main parts of the car,” said Edgar. “There has been a hold-up because Ford’s new Coyote engine has meant that we’ve had significant extra work that’s really duplicating what’s already been done.”

Those with deposits on the first Griffiths – and there are about 500 of them – appear to be very patient if the lack of whinging on social media is an accurate gauge. Perhaps many of them have been through this before with TVR in the old days and have learnt how to play the waiting game. Edgar seems to be good at keeping them posted with updates, the latest of which contains footage of tyre testing at Castle Combe in the one and only Griffith. We suspect that plenty more patience is going to be needed, especially from those at the back end of the list.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/tvr’s-revival-history-lesson-last-welsh-car-manufacturer
 
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