Handling on TVRs
Discussion
the latest generation of TVRs are a different ball game. The T350 and Tamora have superb handling IMHO. The older generations (and so I have been told the early Tuscans) dont handle so brilliantly as they come out of the factory. A set of fully adjustable good shocks and decent boots can make the car a hell of a lot better, but its never going to be an elise or a noble...
Well I've just spent the weekend keeping up with a 996T Tiptronic on twisty German country roads.
Pretty impressed with the old Griff as it is in totally standard set-up and the road surface in places was pretty poor.
Handled like a dream and gave no surprises.
It's all relative at the end of the day. TVRs are built to do one job and they do that well. Comparing them to a Scooby is going to be difficult as that is built to do another job and you are trying to get them to meet somewhere in the middle.
It'll always be a long winded arguement
Pretty impressed with the old Griff as it is in totally standard set-up and the road surface in places was pretty poor.
Handled like a dream and gave no surprises.
It's all relative at the end of the day. TVRs are built to do one job and they do that well. Comparing them to a Scooby is going to be difficult as that is built to do another job and you are trying to get them to meet somewhere in the middle.
It'll always be a long winded arguement
I don't understand why TVR's seem to take a knocking in the handling department? At the end of the day, its a rigid steel spaceframe chassis, with double wishbones all round and a near 50/50 weight balance, weighing in at 1060KG's.
How is that really any different from a westfield or an Ultima (Yes I know that is mid engined, but they are achieving the same thing).
I think the real reason is that the Scooby feels safer to go quicker in. A friend of mine owns a modified WRX and although it is very quick, it is also the most uninvolving drive I have ever experienced. Sure any monkey can drive quick A-B in it, but where is the enjoyment in that? They way I see it, if you purely want something that is quick A-B get a scoob, but if you want something exciting, that doesn't look pig ugly and that your Grandma could drive, get a TVR!
How is that really any different from a westfield or an Ultima (Yes I know that is mid engined, but they are achieving the same thing).
I think the real reason is that the Scooby feels safer to go quicker in. A friend of mine owns a modified WRX and although it is very quick, it is also the most uninvolving drive I have ever experienced. Sure any monkey can drive quick A-B in it, but where is the enjoyment in that? They way I see it, if you purely want something that is quick A-B get a scoob, but if you want something exciting, that doesn't look pig ugly and that your Grandma could drive, get a TVR!
My Sons car is a Mitty Evo 2, this things is stuck to the road like it will never let go and you just point it where you want to go. He now is saying that is a bit boring and he prefers something more demanding.
So he drove my 4.3 Griff which is in standard trim. His reaction was : you have to concentrate 100%, it tends to move around on the bumps, you can feel everything thats happening thro the stearing wheel. Bloody nice car.
You makes your choice.
So he drove my 4.3 Griff which is in standard trim. His reaction was : you have to concentrate 100%, it tends to move around on the bumps, you can feel everything thats happening thro the stearing wheel. Bloody nice car.
You makes your choice.
A lot of it's got to do with setup. When I had a Chim, having it professionally setup by a racing suspension engineer madea huge difference. Then buying decent shocks made it even better
Out of the box, though, the handling was adequate but had lots of roll, squat and dive. It also felt like it was going to throw me into the hedge half the time...
Out of the box, though, the handling was adequate but had lots of roll, squat and dive. It also felt like it was going to throw me into the hedge half the time...
Kal-El said:
if you want something exciting, that that your Grandma could drive, get a TVR!
I had a few people in my V8S last night, including an 80 year old woman (dont ask anyone 
she jumped right in ok, but couldnt get out 
...not sure about your grandmother comment there Kal-El 
Im new on the TVR scene, and I recon its fair to say they are about the most fun and involving cars to drive. You really can feel the surface of the road, every pebble through the steering wheel which feels good at speed, its such an involving experience, and does take some concentration, but theres nothing like it. Id read time and again, people saying how connected they felt to their TVR. That is so very true, and why most people love them and would never want anything else after owning one.
Theres plenty for all tastes on the car market, but imho, there isn't much of anything that'll perform and handle like a TIV, in a way that makes pootling off to the shops an adventure to look forward to.
The only reactions Ive had from people in mine regarding the handling have been positive.
UKbob said:
if you want something exciting, that that your Grandma could drive, get a TVR!
I think Ka-El was making reference to the Scoobie re the comment about your grandma being able to drive...
An awful lot of the "problems" experienced with the handling on TVRs is that people still seem to think that the throttle is a switch - its either on or its off, and the result is some very hairy cornering action not to mention trying to drive in a straightline on a rough or slippery road (pity the poor driver with both).
Learning to control the throttle goes a long, long way to sorting out the handling problems.
Making sure the suspension is in good working order is the other major issue. When highly stressed it only takes a small deficiency in the system to make the whole thing feel very unstable. Look after the car and it will look after you. Of course spending some money on a decent set of springs and shockabsorbers will go a long way to tailoring the car to your own personal taste.
Learning to control the throttle goes a long, long way to sorting out the handling problems.
Making sure the suspension is in good working order is the other major issue. When highly stressed it only takes a small deficiency in the system to make the whole thing feel very unstable. Look after the car and it will look after you. Of course spending some money on a decent set of springs and shockabsorbers will go a long way to tailoring the car to your own personal taste.
I have access to an Impreza turbo and a Griffith 500 Here's what I've found so far (a fortnight of Griffith ownership, so things may change)
In the dry I prefer our Griff. (Adjustable suspension, with decent geometry set up by previous owner) It's involving and great fun.
I've not had time to get to know the Griff in the wet, so I prefer the "safety" of the Scoob. (recently had some new suspension bits and the geometry is a bus ride out of line
)
I do tend to push the Scoob much harder (mainly as I'm more familiar with it, and norbert500 would kill me if anything happened to her baby ) The Scoob takes the rough B roads much better than a low sports car ever will.
It may be a slightly different story when the Scoob is properly set up again, but even now it does get dull after a while. The Griff still has that "involvement factor" (difficult to explain, but I'm sure you know what I mean)
Here's what I've found so far (a fortnight of Griffith ownership, so things may change) In the dry I prefer our Griff. (Adjustable suspension, with decent geometry set up by previous owner) It's involving and great fun.
I've not had time to get to know the Griff in the wet, so I prefer the "safety" of the Scoob. (recently had some new suspension bits and the geometry is a bus ride out of line
) I do tend to push the Scoob much harder (mainly as I'm more familiar with it, and norbert500 would kill me if anything happened to her baby
) The Scoob takes the rough B roads much better than a low sports car ever will. It may be a slightly different story when the Scoob is properly set up again, but even now it does get dull after a while. The Griff still has that "involvement factor" (difficult to explain, but I'm sure you know what I mean)
Fing is... does handling = grip? I thought they were two different things. Good handling is about predictability... which the TVR certainly is, even with lovely Avon ZZ1s... feel free to correct me, it doesn't bother me that an impreza will leave me behind on the twisties... i'll be having too much fun to notice he's gone
It's true that handling and grip are not the same thing. My Tuscan had plenty of grip originally but I always felt it was going to spit me into a field on B roads so didn't have the confidence to push it. Now with the Nitrons I actually have an idea what is going on and the car stays in a straight line over the bumps. The ultimate grip probably hasn't changed a lot but the car definitely handles much better.
shnozz said:
Thanks for all your coments my brothers just about to get on oldish tuscan or cerb is there any info you could give me to help with the suspension set up Thanks
get nitrons. from what I hear, its worth every penny
Definately, major improvement.
I also had a new STI before the Cerb - it lasted 3 months. I can see the attraction, but to me it was the most uneventful drive I have ever had, cost a fortune to insure, had a ride that made you think the suspension was made of granite, and attracted every Nova/Max Power knob in a 10 mile radius. Not my best motoring decision to buy!
Just to clarify the difference between handling and road holding:
Handling is the cars ability to change direction. (A light weight car with a low polar moment of inertia such as an Elise is a good example)
Road holding is the cars ability to maintain cornering speed. A good example is the original Audi Quattro which was one of the first raod cars (If not the first) to pull over 1 lateral G.
They are not the same thing!
PS So how much is a Nitron kit for a Chimaera?
Handling is the cars ability to change direction. (A light weight car with a low polar moment of inertia such as an Elise is a good example)
Road holding is the cars ability to maintain cornering speed. A good example is the original Audi Quattro which was one of the first raod cars (If not the first) to pull over 1 lateral G.
They are not the same thing!
PS So how much is a Nitron kit for a Chimaera?
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