OMG!!! 147 TVR crashes and 54 write-offs!!!!
Discussion
More that the designs and prices are pleasing the masses? People comming over from porsche's audi's etc and not used having no gizmoes to help you keep it on the black stuff?
Would be interesting to see a graph of the accident against the amout of tvrs on the road over the years, as each year passes the amount of cars on the road will increase.
Would be interesting to see a graph of the accident against the amout of tvrs on the road over the years, as each year passes the amount of cars on the road will increase.
blackmonday said:
blimey - thats worrying and does perhaps support the ABS et al lobby, even if I stand on the fence at the moment between a purists car and something that can bite hard enough it should have a muzzle.
How do you know the accidents we're a result of no ABS?
Oh, I dont. And as I say, Im firmly on the fence in ridding TVR of its purity. But I would imagine that this statistic is high compared to the number of accidents in the summer months. Add to that the fact a lot of TVRs are stored away for the majority of time over winter and it makes the stats quite heavily pointing towards the weather over winter being the catalyst.
Driver ability and caution is of course the human DNA for ABS braking, but without relying solely on that surely its the driver assistance offered by ABS and all that mallarky that would help lessen the number of winter prangs.
I really don't think ABS has anything to do with it, I think it's more down to lack of car empathy with such power and light weight, with rear wheel drive added into the equation that causes problems, these are cars you simply cannot drive as you do a normal saloon or hatchback, the moment you forget that, they will bite back, they must be one of the most unforgiving cars on sale today.
Having said that, I do think there ought to be tighter control of geometry set up for these cars, I have heard people having very incorrect set ups with new cars, that is certainly a recepie for disaster, especially this time of year!
Having said that, I do think there ought to be tighter control of geometry set up for these cars, I have heard people having very incorrect set ups with new cars, that is certainly a recepie for disaster, especially this time of year!
Well, based on the fact that all other major car manufactures don't produce any cars without ABS and traction control, it can't be wrong to have these driver aids.
Even most of the racing cars coming with ABS and traction control as standard.
So what do you think about a switchable ABS and TC, so that you can drive with the driver aids in bad weather conditions and without on the race track to maximise the driving fun.
Christof
Even most of the racing cars coming with ABS and traction control as standard.
So what do you think about a switchable ABS and TC, so that you can drive with the driver aids in bad weather conditions and without on the race track to maximise the driving fun.
Christof
TVR-Phoenix said:Jesus, that is some statistic....
OMG!!! 147 TVR crashes and 54 write-offs!!!!
I've driven all sorts of cars and bikes over the nineteen years since I passed my test.
My latest acquisition is a Griffith 500.
With the solitary exception of a Yamaha FZR 1000, the Griffith is the easiest vehicle to crash of them all.
I have never driven anything with remotely the same tendency to spin its wheels on dry tarmac, nor the way it whips sideways without any real provocation. It is alarmingly easy to unsettle on uneven surfaces.
I've had a couple of Sevens, which I thought were a bit twitchy at the time, but they are just child's play compared to the Griffith.
In a straight line on a smooth dry road, there is nothing much to touch the Griffith, but on a twisty damp road, I would struggle to keep up with a 1250 Zetec Fiesta.
Never before have I driven a car where the gulf between its abilities in different situations was so alarmingly great.
I hate restrictions on personal freedom. Hell, I even resent having to wear a crash helmet when riding a motorcycle.
But if there was ever a justification for restricting access of inexperienced drivers to such performance cars, then TVR certainly provides it.
Cheers
Pat
That's why I like my 4 litre - a nice balance for every day use in varying conditions. I was taught the facts of life with a Coventry Climax Lotus 7 - solid rear axle, Panhard rod, unequal length wishbones, and a power:weight ratio to interest even the most precocious TVR fan. Came on the cam and you had better be pointing in the right direction, or correctly positioned, on a dry surface.
I think many TVR drivers today have grown up on front wheel drive stuff with many gismos. The TVR demands absolutely basic/classic driving skills and great understanding/appreciation of road conditions (a few years on a decent motor bike in all weathers helps).
If you don't know about rear wheel drive cars with high power to weight ratios then you NEED training before you get out there - or at least a very progressive learning curve on the road. The TVR concept and design follows the classic requirements for fast driving skills.
Toodle pip
Of up the A6 to Shap tomorrow at sparrow's fart
I think many TVR drivers today have grown up on front wheel drive stuff with many gismos. The TVR demands absolutely basic/classic driving skills and great understanding/appreciation of road conditions (a few years on a decent motor bike in all weathers helps).
If you don't know about rear wheel drive cars with high power to weight ratios then you NEED training before you get out there - or at least a very progressive learning curve on the road. The TVR concept and design follows the classic requirements for fast driving skills.
Toodle pip
Of up the A6 to Shap tomorrow at sparrow's fart
Just had my exhaust system upgraded yesterday with a stainless steel jobbie on the 3000GT, bloody hell! Now I can hear my turbo's warbling out of the rear but about 5 octaves down - and seem to have a much better mid-range response, just a short straight-thru fibrefilled muffler in there now, not a bellowing sound, but a deep turbine sound on WOT... but anyway, took her out for a spin, thin layer of ice, just love the 4 wheel drive handling on slippery roads, its near enough as much fun as rear wheel drive in the dry!... now, I wander if 4 wheel drive in a tiv would be an advantage? the lambo does it pretty well... hmmm... 
Interesting thread this. I must come clean and say that I am not a TVR owner. I've driven every model except the Cerbera ( and more than a test drive, rather several extended blats !) and I must admit that I don't find these statistics surprising.
I agree with Pat that I have never driven a high performance car with the same degree of inconsistency of handling of a TVR. The last Tuscan I drove was fine at 6/10 ths but take the car any further beyond 6/10ths ( or drive it in unpredictable weather conditions ) and it was probably the worst handling sports car I have ever driven.
I think inconsistency is the main issue. That favourite corner on one sunday morning might have been fantastic in a Tuscan one day, but go back the next day when the weather was different/ temperature was colder/ road was more damp or whatever, and I found the car changed from grippy, pointy racer to an animal that seemed to want to understeer and oversteer at the same time !
I gather that getting them re-aligned and fitting Nitrons can sort things out, but I guess that you guys know more about that than I do !
No offence intended, and I'm not slagging TVR's off because I truly admire their creative styling and adventurous position in the Uk market. We would all be much poorer without TVR, thats for sure.
But I for one look forward to Mr Smolenski bringing more development and chassis integrity to the marque. I have high hopes for the Sagaris, and EVO's feedback on the Tuscan 2 is encouraging.
Keep going like this ( and fit switchable ABS and race-logic TC) then even I might buy one !
I agree with Pat that I have never driven a high performance car with the same degree of inconsistency of handling of a TVR. The last Tuscan I drove was fine at 6/10 ths but take the car any further beyond 6/10ths ( or drive it in unpredictable weather conditions ) and it was probably the worst handling sports car I have ever driven.
I think inconsistency is the main issue. That favourite corner on one sunday morning might have been fantastic in a Tuscan one day, but go back the next day when the weather was different/ temperature was colder/ road was more damp or whatever, and I found the car changed from grippy, pointy racer to an animal that seemed to want to understeer and oversteer at the same time !
I gather that getting them re-aligned and fitting Nitrons can sort things out, but I guess that you guys know more about that than I do !
No offence intended, and I'm not slagging TVR's off because I truly admire their creative styling and adventurous position in the Uk market. We would all be much poorer without TVR, thats for sure.
But I for one look forward to Mr Smolenski bringing more development and chassis integrity to the marque. I have high hopes for the Sagaris, and EVO's feedback on the Tuscan 2 is encouraging.
Keep going like this ( and fit switchable ABS and race-logic TC) then even I might buy one !
GreenV8S said:
4wd? Unnecessary for most of us but might come in very handy if you have say 1000 bhp/ton to play with.
Funny you should mention that, already looked into it... chassis design and low centre of gravity would all suffer to fit in the running gear (differential, big shafts, big joints etc).... also serious mods on central geartrain... after drawing it out on paper, I realised why so many stay away from 4 wheel drive, its a different ball game, and the dosh required to get it right is astronomical... unless, we move the engine to the rear... hmmmmm
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