400 to 500

[davey707]

I used to have a Chimaera 400 - bloody marvelous car but sold it to buy a family.
Now I'm thionking of getting another but a 500.
Will I notice much difference in power?
Maybe a silly question but some say that there's only about 50 horses between them.

[Voltaire53]

davey707 said:

Maybe a silly question but some say that there's only about 50 horses between them.

Not that I have experience here but "some people" apparently don't look at the figures:

Chimaera 400 - 240BHP
Chimaera 500 - 340BHP

100 horses ... a 41% increase in BHP so I suspect quite noticible even if in pure figures terms it doesn't make that percentage difference (a few more mph probably won't be noticible but half a second to 60 mph probably will) and the 80 ft lbs torque more will proabably make a difference too)

[shpub]

Some people live in a real world...

4 litre is about 200 ish on a rolling road...
5 litre is around 250 to 275 ish

Yes there is a big difference as the 500 has better chassis, brakes, suspension etc compared to the pre-96 4 litre cars.

[2 sheds]

The difference between 4.0L and 5.0L in some cases can be as little as 30 bhp but the 5.0L will normally produce an extra 75+ lb ft of stump pulling torque, this is what sets the cars apart, in a 4.0L you can plant your foot to the floor relatively safely, do this too often in a 5.0L and you'll be decorating the road with rubber grafiti.
tim

[bobski]

Sounds like I'll be upgrading to the 5 litre next then . . .

[davey707]

Bugger!
And I was hoping for an extra 100bhp and enuf power and torque to make my pants swell.

[al bell500]

I`ve had my 500 for 9 days and just the sound of it(or any TVR) ticking over is enough to make my pants swell.
Is`nt why we own `em????

[P555]

Davey707 you have an email from me.

[Mark.S]

I switched from a 400 to 500 earlier this year. Difference in power is stunning - once you get comfortable with exploring it!

[PeterC]

Which one is best for towing a caravan?

[2 sheds]

PeterC said:

Which one is best for towing a caravan?

both would be equally adequate, the 500 would get you to the caravan park quicker though.

Tim

[MOD500]

I changed from a 400 to a 500 about 4 weeks ago, noticed a big difference. As said earlier, the 500 requires more respect than the 4 litre. As I first found out when pulling onto the A1 from a petrol station from a standing start, floored the throttle and fished tailed the first 100 yards

Is ok once you adjust to it

The power is there straight away, opposed to having to wait till about 3000 revs in the 400. Though not much difference between them when driving 'normally'

Drive a few too before you buy, I found the ones I drove all behaved differently

[5ltr-chim]

PeterC said:

Which one is best for towing a caravan?

Sorry to dissapoint - they don't make a towbar for them - I've asked and they only do them for the older models e.g. grantura etc.. - stopped just pre-wedge IIRC.

[jessica]

well i haven't owned a 4 litre.Straight into a Chim 500.

Treat it with respect,and more so in the wet. but it is serious fun to floor it and feel that back end snake from side to side. OHHH!!!!!!!!And the noise..

Not sure how I am going to better this one.

T350 maybe ...(I only said maybe!!)

just know there is nothing else like a 5 litre Chim..