Talk me into a Chimaera!
Discussion
Bassfiend said:
To all those debating the Chimaera / Griffith decision here's a little helper...
It's a bit like going to a celebs party and deciding which of the Minogue sisters you're going to take a shot at ... there's Danni (the Griffith) who you know you should take a shot at because she's a little less mainstream and "edgy", then there's Kylie (the Chimaera) who you know you really shouldn't be lusting after because you maybe feel that she's a bit less "credible" but if we're being honest you know you'd much rather have.
Thing is, once you get inside either of them you know that genetically they're just the same underneath and it's just the exterior that's different - Kylie having a much nicer, tighter and more pert ass.
Of course - if you do decide to go for a Griff and then decide you got it wrong and go for a Chim instead then you'll find it much less grief than transitioning from Danni to Kylie - however if you could do the latter then you would, of course, be a God to the the entire male population of the planet as opposed to changing from a Griff to a Chim which would just be admitting that you got it wrong in the first place...
Of course there's always the option of having both ... then as long as they didn't sychronise being "off the road" you could rag whichever you liked whenever you liked
Phil
It's a bit like going to a celebs party and deciding which of the Minogue sisters you're going to take a shot at ... there's Danni (the Griffith) who you know you should take a shot at because she's a little less mainstream and "edgy", then there's Kylie (the Chimaera) who you know you really shouldn't be lusting after because you maybe feel that she's a bit less "credible" but if we're being honest you know you'd much rather have.
Thing is, once you get inside either of them you know that genetically they're just the same underneath and it's just the exterior that's different - Kylie having a much nicer, tighter and more pert ass.
Of course - if you do decide to go for a Griff and then decide you got it wrong and go for a Chim instead then you'll find it much less grief than transitioning from Danni to Kylie - however if you could do the latter then you would, of course, be a God to the the entire male population of the planet as opposed to changing from a Griff to a Chim which would just be admitting that you got it wrong in the first place...
Of course there's always the option of having both ... then as long as they didn't sychronise being "off the road" you could rag whichever you liked whenever you liked
Phil
Quietlybonkers said:
For me the Chimaera isn't the fastest or most nimble thing on the road, but it gives me entry to a club of real enthusiasts, gets looked at lovingly by all and sundry and is a real event to drive....every time.
This might surprise you, but the other weekend I joined 12 other cars (7 x 355/360/430 Ferraris, 3 Gaillardos, a 911 Turbo and an Esprit) for a cruise around the Norfolk coast, and got more attention than all the others at the start, and a a lot of "OOOH Look, a TVR" as we cruised around the towns. I was at the back of the line, in a navy TVR, the others were mainly red, yellow and orange. I defy you to get that from an S2000. THAT is what TVR ownership is about - it is something a bit special.
Yes, it has reliability niggles, yes it can be frustrating, and yes I will be buying a Caterham/lookalike before too long (as well as the TVR) for the track-day experience - the TVR was just about the slowest car on the track at Cadwell due to its lack of nimbleness.
If the above strikes a chord with you, then buy a TVR. If you just want to drive a nimble, quick, reliable car with a slick gear-change and have fun on the track, buy something else.
This might surprise you, but the other weekend I joined 12 other cars (7 x 355/360/430 Ferraris, 3 Gaillardos, a 911 Turbo and an Esprit) for a cruise around the Norfolk coast, and got more attention than all the others at the start, and a a lot of "OOOH Look, a TVR" as we cruised around the towns. I was at the back of the line, in a navy TVR, the others were mainly red, yellow and orange. I defy you to get that from an S2000. THAT is what TVR ownership is about - it is something a bit special.
Yes, it has reliability niggles, yes it can be frustrating, and yes I will be buying a Caterham/lookalike before too long (as well as the TVR) for the track-day experience - the TVR was just about the slowest car on the track at Cadwell due to its lack of nimbleness.
If the above strikes a chord with you, then buy a TVR. If you just want to drive a nimble, quick, reliable car with a slick gear-change and have fun on the track, buy something else.
I'd agree with that.
Just make sure you hang on to the TVR when you get the Caterfield. I sold my previous Tiv to buy a very track-orientated Caterham and although it was much better for track work or a half hour white knuckle blast on the local B-roads it was inferior in just about all other situations.
The great thing about TVRs is the way they combine the brutish and the civilised. Alongside the demonic soundtrack and sledgehammer power delivery you get genuine interior comfort, a usable roof and a gigantic boot, none of which really apply to the average Seven-a-like.
FastRich said:
Phil, that was a fantastic way of describing the Chim/Griff difference!
Suprisingly (and quite pleasingly) the new GF read that and chuckled ... then read the earlier post and said "Good job I don't have a sister..."FastRich said:
'off the road' eh? Well we all know the Tiv's are rear drive so no chance of taking the dirt track instead now is there?!
I was - of course - meaning laid up temoprarily for repairs and essential regular maintainance. However, there's nothing wrong with a bit of slippery rear end action as long as you don't end up making a mistake, coming too far off line and giving it a good pounding into something hard... Phil
Bassfiend said:
I was - of course - meaning laid up temoprarily for repairs and essential regular maintainance. However, there's nothing wrong with a bit of slippery rear end action as long as you don't end up making a mistake, coming too far off line and giving it a good pounding into something hard...
Phil
And they're off!Phil
Chris71 said:
But ... it's probably no quicker in the real world (our apparently standard S2000 would chase a supercharged Elise in a straight line so I reckon it would have troubled a 400 and possibly others), less outright grip, significantly less nimble, less torsionally rigid, thirstier, more prone to niggles.
Chase a SC Elise perhaps, but unless Miss Daisy is in the passenger seat a standardish S2000 would be nowhere near. 0-100 in the S2000 is 4 seconds off the pace of a SC Elise and hardly surprising as its 187bhp/tonne -v- 234/tonne of a standard 220 Elise. That said, having driven S2000's I am a massive fan of the car. It's a Japanese TVR in my view. With a budget of £8k - £9k it's got to be a strong contender if used as an only car. Whilst both a 4L Chim and an S2000 may boast 240bhp, I'd expect the S2000 to have retained more of its ponies. I would also expect an S2000 to give a 4L Chim more than a hard time....
That being said, the Tiv isnt just about pace. Its a beautiful car. Yes, its an old car these days, but the design remains stunningly classic. Being blunt, the performance of the 4 litre isn't strong when compared to even modern day hot hatches. If that bothers you, aim for a 4.5 or 5 litre. Little between the 4.5 and 5 in my experience, but both offer a big step up from the 4 litre. When all said and done though, the sense of occasion burbling along with straight through pipes in a V8 Chim is something you'll never achieve in an S2000.
Shnozz said:
Chris71 said:
But ... it's probably no quicker in the real world (our apparently standard S2000 would chase a supercharged Elise in a straight line so I reckon it would have troubled a 400 and possibly others), less outright grip, significantly less nimble, less torsionally rigid, thirstier, more prone to niggles.
Chase a SC Elise perhaps, but unless Miss Daisy is in the passenger seat a standardish S2000 would be nowhere near. 0-100 in the S2000 is 4 seconds off the pace of a SC Elise and hardly surprising as its 187bhp/tonne -v- 234/tonne of a standard 220 Elise. That said, having driven S2000's I am a massive fan of the car. It's a Japanese TVR in my view. With a budget of £8k - £9k it's got to be a strong contender if used as an only car. Whilst both a 4L Chim and an S2000 may boast 240bhp, I'd expect the S2000 to have retained more of its ponies. I would also expect an S2000 to give a 4L Chim more than a hard time....
The Elise felt quicker, but it didn't pull out any significant gap. We did the same thing half a dozen times on the same stretch of road while accelerating away from low speed passes for a photo shoot. Given a longer stretch or a standing start (let alone a few bends) I'm sure the Elise would have proved decisive, but there was little to choose between them as it was.
LordGrover said:
Are you sure about that? 
Maths ain't my strong point but I reckon it's more like 25 metres, which is a long car.
AT 60mph, 1 second is 88 feet, or approx 25 metres.Maths ain't my strong point but I reckon it's more like 25 metres, which is a long car.
At the average speed of a 0-60 (for example 30mph), it's half that.
Still more of a double decker bus than a car
Quietlybonkers said:
haircutmike said:
Quietlybonkers said:
the TVR was just about the slowest car on the track at Cadwell due to its lack of nimbleness.
Don't get me started!
haircutmike said:
I look forward to taking you out on a T/D one day, you may be surprised.
I am looking forward to going out on one in two weeks time (both days at RAF Marham) with proper tyres on the car - which i now have.Also yours has about a zillion horsepower more than mine, and a competent driver.
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