Tuesday 5th September 2006

TVR Power preps supercharger

Chims and Griffs get chunky power hike

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SC400: under the bonnet

TVR Power reckons that its supercharged TVR Chimaera project, the SC400, is complete.

The car has undergone what TVR Power called exhaustive evaluation both on road and track. Track testing during the very hot weather this summer resulted in the inclusion of an oil cooler as an option, a bespoke heat shield also being specified between the exhaust and secondary air plenum to reduce the intake temperature and improve performance.

During an independent evaluation and testing at Knockhill circuit, the car underwent independent performance evaluation on a rolling road, the performance figures achieved being within 0.02 per cent of the published data, according to TVR Power. The result is identical repeated results of 275bhp and 280lb-ft of torque at the wheels.

The company said the car has been driven over 9,000 miles since mid-June without any issues, and has been shown at many TVR meetings through the summer, including the "Back Home" event in Blackpool.

Potential customers have driven the car and one response is common: they get out of the car with a huge grin, say they must have one, and comment on its power and drivability.

Assistant Editor of TVR Sprint Howard Bryn is taking part in Driving Adventure's Tour of the Swiss Alps over the coming week, providing the opportunity to test the car over 2,000 miles, and at altitude over the mountain passes.

Subject to the car completing a total mileage in excess of 10,000 miles and this final evaluation without problems, TVR Power reckons it'll be ready to offer the SC400 supercharger system in October for 4.0 litre Chimaera and Griffith derivatives.

• TVR Power SC400

[Nano2nd]

"it'll be ready to offer the SC400 supercharger system in October for 4.0 litre Chimaera and Griffith derivatives."

eh? so have we got to wait another year for the 4.6 and 5.0 version?

[Dave N500 CHM]

There will be a 5ltr one on the road within the next 2-3 weeks and I know Dom has a 4.5 which will be supercharged very soon also.

[hollowlegs]

the 4.0 supercharger chimera above couldnt keep up with my T350 round knockhill a few weeks back, expected it to be faster. was nice though

[that daddy]

dont a T350 handle better or was that down the straights as well.

[Dave N500 CHM]

Also the T350 has 350BHP

[IM]

I spoke to Dom (at TVR Power) last Friday and he said it was "quicker off-the-line" than his Sagaris.

[_deejay_]

Dave N500 CHM said:

Also the T350 has 350BHP

But how much torque? What about the gearing? Weight?

I figure the Chimaera will have more torque, lower gearing and less weight? I'd have hoped it would have competed on the straights.

D

[hahithestevieboy]

That'll be the first time that a TVR has done 10K miles "without any problems" then.

[that daddy]

hahithestevieboy said:

That'll be the first time that a TVR has done 10K miles "without any problems" then.

he,he,he a sense of humour is a healthy thing.

[Podie]

hahithestevieboy said:

That'll be the first time that a TVR has done 10K miles "without any problems" then.

[Dave N500 CHM]

_deejay_ said:

Dave N500 CHM said:

Also the T350 has 350BHP

But how much torque? What about the gearing? Weight?

I figure the Chimaera will have more torque, lower gearing and less weight? I'd have hoped it would have competed on the straights.

D

T350 spec of some website
BHP 350.0
Torque (lbs feet) 290.0
RPM to which the Torque refers 5500
Maximum Speed 175
Acceleration (0-60) 4.4
Unladen weight 1187

I'm pretty sure the torque and BHP figures on the Super-Chim (haha that's its new name for me) were very close, I.e. 275BHP and around 270 for the torque.
I don't know what the 0-60 time is on the Chim.
Weight on a Chim is 1060 so it is quite a bit lighter but not enough to real in the missing 80 horses.
So from behind my keyboard Id say it won't/shouldn't beat it.

Mind you is that 350 figure flywheel or wheels?

[_Deejay_]

Dave N500 CHM said:

_deejay_ said:

Dave N500 CHM said:

Also the T350 has 350BHP

But how much torque? What about the gearing? Weight?

I figure the Chimaera will have more torque, lower gearing and less weight? I'd have hoped it would have competed on the straights.

D

T350 spec of some website
BHP 350.0
Torque (lbs feet) 290.0
RPM to which the Torque refers 5500
Maximum Speed 175
Acceleration (0-60) 4.4
Unladen weight 1187

I'm pretty sure the torque and BHP figures on the Super-Chim (haha that's its new name for me) were very close, I.e. 275BHP and around 270 for the torque.
I don't know what the 0-60 time is on the Chim.
Weight on a Chim is 1060 so it is quite a bit lighter but not enough to real in the missing 80 horses.
So from behind my keyboard Id say it won't/shouldn't beat it.

Mind you is that 350 figure flywheel or wheels?

The t350 is at the flywheel.

edited: because I said completely the opposite of what I meant!

Edited by _Deejay_ on Tuesday 5th September 13:30

[hollowlegs]

that was on the straights aswell, on the rollers my car had 300 lb of torque @5000 rpm and 343 bhp @7000rpm. and my car with me in it and a half tank of fuel weighs 1170 kg.

Edited by hollowlegs on Tuesday 5th September 14:12

[Dave N500 CHM]

I would have thought even if the Super-Chim had 300BHP and 300lbs feet of torque it would still stuggle to keep up with your T350 round a track.
Your car looks lovely by the way

[900T-R]

Dave N500 CHM said:

I would have thought even if the Super-Chim had 300BHP and 300lbs feet of torque it would still stuggle to keep up with your T350 round a track.

275 At the wheel translates to somewhat more than 300 at the flywheel, given about 13-15% drivetrain losses for your average RWD configuration, I'd say somewhere in the region of 320-330?

The rest depends on suspension and brakes, factory stock the Chim won't stand a chance of course - but a properly sorted one?

[_DeeJay_]

900T-R said:

Dave N500 CHM said:

I would have thought even if the Super-Chim had 300BHP and 300lbs feet of torque it would still stuggle to keep up with your T350 round a track.

275 At the wheel translates to somewhat more than 300 at the flywheel, given about 13-15% drivetrain losses for your average RWD configuration, I'd say somewhere in the region of 320-330?

The rest depends on suspension and brakes, factory stock the Chim won't stand a chance of course - but a properly sorted one?

I should be able to tell you in about 6 months. I'm hoping to get mine supercharged after fitting 4 pot brembo callipers and bigger 283mm disks up front, Nitrons, polybushes etc, roll cage etc. Having had a t350 previously they're leagues apart at the moment; the chassis feels far less solid, the brakes are next to useless, the ride's terrible and extremely soft. We'll see though

My point was that Dom's Chim should have kept up on the straight, having more torque than the t350c. Maybe he couldn't get the exit corner speed so was at too much of a disadvantage?

Edited by _DeeJay_ on Tuesday 5th September 15:15

[Uncle Bulgaria]

hollowlegs said:

that was on the straights aswell, on the rollers my car had 300 lb of torque @5000 rpm and 343 bhp @7000rpm. and my car with me in it and a half tank of fuel weighs 1170 kg.

Edited by hollowlegs on Tuesday 5th September 14:12

Mates T350c (349bhp and 287 lb ft) is a little slower than my standard Griff 500 (290bhp and 340 lb ft) on the straights up to 140mph but then he catches me up and slowly goes past me. He leaves me for dead on the twisty bits though.


Figures were done at the same place on the same day.

Edited by Uncle Bulgaria on Tuesday 5th September 20:44

[brightyellowtvr]

Any news on how much the SC conversion will be?

[brummiewedge]

Will they sell just the pump unit?

[GreenV8S]

brummiewedge said:

Will they sell just the pump unit?

I'm sure 'they' will, but the centrefugal blowers are readily available from lots of sources. The reason that you'd got to TVR Power is that they have put in the hundreds of hours of design and development of the installation as a whole, and produced a turnkey solution for you.