New TVR still under wraps! (Vol. 2)
Discussion
frontfloater said:
" Any advances on that? "
I bought my S2 in November 1996, and I have owned no other car during that time. That makes 24.5 years = 40.2% of my life with the same car. Any advances on that?
BOB
Ha. I suffer from double vision .I bought my S2 in November 1996, and I have owned no other car during that time. That makes 24.5 years = 40.2% of my life with the same car. Any advances on that?
BOB
From the mid eighties I have had 2M's 2S's and 2Griff's .
I look forward to the Speling police to arrive with great expectation.
"any cars before the S2?"
From 1982 to 1989 - ratty old Cortina mk.3, ratty old mini, two modified & tuned Hillman Avengers, and a Renault 5 Gordini Turbo which didn't take kindly to doing a couple of barrel-rolls and front-loops in the Bedfordshire countryside. Once all my cuts and fractures had healed, 1990 to 1996 a lovely little Fiat X1/9 - which just needed more power and less rust. Hmm, what to buy to cure those failings ... ?
This is why I kept it for 25 years ¦:¬)
BOB
From 1982 to 1989 - ratty old Cortina mk.3, ratty old mini, two modified & tuned Hillman Avengers, and a Renault 5 Gordini Turbo which didn't take kindly to doing a couple of barrel-rolls and front-loops in the Bedfordshire countryside. Once all my cuts and fractures had healed, 1990 to 1996 a lovely little Fiat X1/9 - which just needed more power and less rust. Hmm, what to buy to cure those failings ... ?
This is why I kept it for 25 years ¦:¬)
BOB
Edited by frontfloater on Sunday 2nd May 15:48
Edited by frontfloater on Sunday 2nd May 19:54
Gorgeous S2!! They really are the most underrated cars in TVR's whole range - glorious retro looks, beautiful shape, the best roof down experience of any TVR (due to the windscreen being more upright than a Griff/Chim/Tuscan etc). I still miss my old sapphire blue S3 but I had to sell it to fund my Griff - if anyone knows the wherabouts of H92 FLX I would be grateful.
As for me, I checked the weather forecast this morning - 12 degrees and 20% chance of rain at worst the BBC said. I was 15 mins out of home with the roof down when it started raining so I kept driving - the key being to keep moving and to stay dry. Then the heavens really opened and so I was forced to pull in and roof on! I traced the A283 Southbound towards Arundel and savoured the way a TVR turns every journey into an event. We parked up in Arundel and went for a nice stroll until the hail started pounding down and the temperature felt close to zero!! I left the missus at the foot of the hill and walked back up to where the Griff was parked in biblical rain - I had a bodywarmer but no umbrella or waterproof coat so just embraced it!! As I approached the car I reflected on how I love the sight of a well waxed Griff beading water over its sumptuous curves!! As I drove down to collect the wife and shivering doggie there was so much water running over the radiator from the gap in front of the bonnet that it looked like the car was overheating as steam was billowing out of the front bonnet gap occasionally! It's quirks like that which make me smile...
I was so glad I now have a powerful demister in the precat and the car is totally watertight after the new D&C hood and retrim. The 30 mile drive home had the odd buttock clenching moment when I hit standing water as by then the roads were flooding! I haven't taken the Griff out in conditions like that in over a decade so I was impressed what a lovely snug, warm and cosy place it is!! As we headed up towards Petworth the weather improved and the sun came out - so we savoured blasting along the A272 admiring the ridge-line of the South Downs in the golden rays of late afternoon sun. The dry late stage of the run would hopefully enable much of the water to dry out on the body and chassis.
Was the day what I anticipated when I set out? No - not even slightly, was it a memorable day in the Griffith - absolutely!! Get out there come rain or shine and just savour driving these wonderful cars...
Saxon
As for me, I checked the weather forecast this morning - 12 degrees and 20% chance of rain at worst the BBC said. I was 15 mins out of home with the roof down when it started raining so I kept driving - the key being to keep moving and to stay dry. Then the heavens really opened and so I was forced to pull in and roof on! I traced the A283 Southbound towards Arundel and savoured the way a TVR turns every journey into an event. We parked up in Arundel and went for a nice stroll until the hail started pounding down and the temperature felt close to zero!! I left the missus at the foot of the hill and walked back up to where the Griff was parked in biblical rain - I had a bodywarmer but no umbrella or waterproof coat so just embraced it!! As I approached the car I reflected on how I love the sight of a well waxed Griff beading water over its sumptuous curves!! As I drove down to collect the wife and shivering doggie there was so much water running over the radiator from the gap in front of the bonnet that it looked like the car was overheating as steam was billowing out of the front bonnet gap occasionally! It's quirks like that which make me smile...
I was so glad I now have a powerful demister in the precat and the car is totally watertight after the new D&C hood and retrim. The 30 mile drive home had the odd buttock clenching moment when I hit standing water as by then the roads were flooding! I haven't taken the Griff out in conditions like that in over a decade so I was impressed what a lovely snug, warm and cosy place it is!! As we headed up towards Petworth the weather improved and the sun came out - so we savoured blasting along the A272 admiring the ridge-line of the South Downs in the golden rays of late afternoon sun. The dry late stage of the run would hopefully enable much of the water to dry out on the body and chassis.
Was the day what I anticipated when I set out? No - not even slightly, was it a memorable day in the Griffith - absolutely!! Get out there come rain or shine and just savour driving these wonderful cars...
Saxon
Call me old fashioned, but I reckon "NewCo" would sell more cars, and have a lot less hassle, if they just forgot about the new prototype and instead tooled up to make resto-mod versions of the S, Griffith and Chimaera - fitted with modern emissions-compliant engines. For me, and I suspect many others, the prototype falls at the first hurdle simply because you can't take the roof off on a sunny day.
BOB
BOB
Edited by frontfloater on Wednesday 5th May 21:38
frontfloater said:
" Any advances on that? "
I bought my S2 in November 1996, and I have owned no other car during that time. That makes 24.5 years = 40.2% of my life with the same car. Any advances on that?
BOB
I've had the 450SE for 24 years 7 months = 45% of life and I had 2 350s prior to that for a while and also got a 3000M currently too so I think I have advanced you on that ;-) Someone here (if anyone cares!) will beat us bothI bought my S2 in November 1996, and I have owned no other car during that time. That makes 24.5 years = 40.2% of my life with the same car. Any advances on that?
BOB
Gazzab said:
Petworth was part of my TVR exercising route. My ex wife could hear me from maybe 3 mikes away as I headed toward petworth. The Cerberas were immense with those big walls.
I think there’s some of the best roads in the south east in that area. Hopefully get some of the member events back on at goodwood this year. cirks said:
frontfloater said:
" Any advances on that? "
I bought my S2 in November 1996, and I have owned no other car during that time. That makes 24.5 years = 40.2% of my life with the same car. Any advances on that?
BOB
I've had the 450SE for 24 years 7 months = 45% of life and I had 2 350s prior to that for a while and also got a 3000M currently too so I think I have advanced you on that ;-) Someone here (if anyone cares!) will beat us bothI bought my S2 in November 1996, and I have owned no other car during that time. That makes 24.5 years = 40.2% of my life with the same car. Any advances on that?
BOB
frontfloater said:
"any cars before the S2?"
From 1982 to 1989 - ratty old Cortina mk.3, ratty old mini, two modified & tuned Hillman Avengers, and a Renault 5 Gordini Turbo which didn't take kindly to doing a couple of barrel-rolls and front-loops in the Bedfordshire countryside. Once all my cuts and fractures had healed, 1990 to 1996 a lovely little Fiat X1/9 - which just needed more power and less rust. Hmm, what to buy to cure those failings ... ?
This is why I kept it for 25 years ¦:¬)
BOB
From 1982 to 1989 - ratty old Cortina mk.3, ratty old mini, two modified & tuned Hillman Avengers, and a Renault 5 Gordini Turbo which didn't take kindly to doing a couple of barrel-rolls and front-loops in the Bedfordshire countryside. Once all my cuts and fractures had healed, 1990 to 1996 a lovely little Fiat X1/9 - which just needed more power and less rust. Hmm, what to buy to cure those failings ... ?
This is why I kept it for 25 years ¦:¬)
BOB
frontfloater said:
Call me old fashioned, but I reckon "NewCo" would sell more cars, and have a lot less hassle, if they just forgot about the new prototype and instead tooled up to make resto-rod versions of the S, Griffith and Chimaera - fitted with modern emissions-compliant engines. For me, and I suspect many others, the prototype falls at the first hurdle simply because you can't take the roof off on a sunny day.
BOB
Absolutely right!! Well said that man.... Also the reliance on carbon fibre chassis worries me. I recall a friend who had a carbon framed mountain bike saying that any crack or damage to the frame rendered it unrepairable and thus scrap unlike steel and even aluminium to some extent. I don't want a car that in a fairly minor shunt is a write off due to the use of exotic and unrepairable chassis materials. BOB
I honestly think a modern Griffith with door bars, airbags and an aluminium chassis would sell well - it's incredible how timeless that shape is - one of the neighbours stopped me in the street the other day and said it looked both modern and yet somehow evocative of vintage sports cars. They couldn't believe it was a 30 year old design!
Saxon
FSIl ordered new Cayman couple of months back but delivery kept slipping now October and they need a second car within the next month or so now... so, he’s put a deposit down on a new Supra GR... they were going for a red one but changed to silver... Sprog sent me some pictures of the red one and if you screw your eyes up a bit the rear view is indistinguishable from new Griff.... looked at one near me a few weeks back and wasn’t blown away but the standard spec is mightily impressive... I think it has a BMW 3.0 litre straight six in it with twin turbos.... he said it was a cracking drive... apparently it’s sub 4 to sixty so it’s no slouch either....
Edited by baconsarney on Tuesday 4th May 15:55
N7GTX said:
Very nice. Car and Driver did 0-60 in 3.7 secs.
Limited Warranty - 3 yrs or 36,000 miles.
Powertrain Warranty - 5 years or 60,000 miles.
Complimentary Scheduled maintenance is covered for 2 years or 25,000 miles.
The sprog clearly has good taste.
She had a great Dad, raised her properly, taught her how cars work, what actually happens under the bonnet when you press one of those pedals, the difference between torque and bhp, what oversteer and under steer is, and took her out on my ZX1000 when she was 16 Limited Warranty - 3 yrs or 36,000 miles.
Powertrain Warranty - 5 years or 60,000 miles.
Complimentary Scheduled maintenance is covered for 2 years or 25,000 miles.
The sprog clearly has good taste.
much to her mother’s disgust.... she’s a proper petrol head N7GTX said:
Very nice. Car and Driver did 0-60 in 3.7 secs.
Limited Warranty - 3 yrs or 36,000 miles.
Powertrain Warranty - 5 years or 60,000 miles.
Complimentary Scheduled maintenance is covered for 2 years or 25,000 miles.
The sprog clearly has good taste.
What’s amazing is you get all that for approximately 50% of the cost of a new TVR.. discounting the manual box, competition is fierce. Limited Warranty - 3 yrs or 36,000 miles.
Powertrain Warranty - 5 years or 60,000 miles.
Complimentary Scheduled maintenance is covered for 2 years or 25,000 miles.
The sprog clearly has good taste.
The problem that TVR have is that the market sector is tiny and shrinking fast. That's why BMW shared the development costs of the Z4 with Toyota, and they were right.
Supras and the Z4 on which is it heavily based don't sell. How many have you seen on the road? Look at the discounts available for delivery mileage cars. The 3.0 Pro has a list price of £53K. A Toyota main dealer will sell you one with delivery miles for £43-45K.
Both dealers admit that they are slow sellers. You really have to want a convertible BMW. The M2 Competition is a much better drive, for the same price. A Toyota dealer told me that they had sold only 2 Supras in 6 months.
The 3.0 is a twin scroll turbo, not a twin turbo. Same engine in the 3 series. Both the Supra and the Z4 are fast, but fairly quiet, and the auto whilst quick is still a traditional torque converter. There is no manual or DCT option. They both drive ok, but as the other poster said, they don't blow you away. The Toyota drives a little bit better, but the Z4 has a better interior. The bits that Toyota have added to the BMW interior are the typical Toyota style of plastic.
Same deal with F-Types and discounts.
The only two sports cars that really sell at the moment, and without discounts, are you know who, and Alpine.
Supras and the Z4 on which is it heavily based don't sell. How many have you seen on the road? Look at the discounts available for delivery mileage cars. The 3.0 Pro has a list price of £53K. A Toyota main dealer will sell you one with delivery miles for £43-45K.
Both dealers admit that they are slow sellers. You really have to want a convertible BMW. The M2 Competition is a much better drive, for the same price. A Toyota dealer told me that they had sold only 2 Supras in 6 months.
The 3.0 is a twin scroll turbo, not a twin turbo. Same engine in the 3 series. Both the Supra and the Z4 are fast, but fairly quiet, and the auto whilst quick is still a traditional torque converter. There is no manual or DCT option. They both drive ok, but as the other poster said, they don't blow you away. The Toyota drives a little bit better, but the Z4 has a better interior. The bits that Toyota have added to the BMW interior are the typical Toyota style of plastic.
Same deal with F-Types and discounts.
The only two sports cars that really sell at the moment, and without discounts, are you know who, and Alpine.
LucyP said:
The problem that TVR have is that the market sector is tiny and shrinking fast. That's why BMW shared the development costs of the Z4 with Toyota, and they were right.
Supras and the Z4 on which is it heavily based don't sell. How many have you seen on the road? Look at the discounts available for delivery mileage cars. The 3.0 Pro has a list price of £53K. A Toyota main dealer will sell you one with delivery miles for £43-45K.
Both dealers admit that they are slow sellers. You really have to want a convertible BMW. The M2 Competition is a much better drive, for the same price. A Toyota dealer told me that they had sold only 2 Supras in 6 months.
The 3.0 is a twin scroll turbo, not a twin turbo. Same engine in the 3 series. Both the Supra and the Z4 are fast, but fairly quiet, and the auto whilst quick is still a traditional torque converter. There is no manual or DCT option. They both drive ok, but as the other poster said, they don't blow you away. The Toyota drives a little bit better, but the Z4 has a better interior. The bits that Toyota have added to the BMW interior are the typical Toyota style of plastic.
Same deal with F-Types and discounts.
The only two sports cars that really sell at the moment, and without discounts, are you know who, and Alpine.
But the Z4s, Supras et al are watered down corporate-designed cars that have to accommodate the aging driver as well as the wife when driving to the golf-club. None of these cars is of any interest to me. None displays the rawness that i was hoping for in the TVR and that will soon be gone entirely. The market is small, but there are remarkably few competitors and Z4 and Supra are not in it ( at least not for me ).Supras and the Z4 on which is it heavily based don't sell. How many have you seen on the road? Look at the discounts available for delivery mileage cars. The 3.0 Pro has a list price of £53K. A Toyota main dealer will sell you one with delivery miles for £43-45K.
Both dealers admit that they are slow sellers. You really have to want a convertible BMW. The M2 Competition is a much better drive, for the same price. A Toyota dealer told me that they had sold only 2 Supras in 6 months.
The 3.0 is a twin scroll turbo, not a twin turbo. Same engine in the 3 series. Both the Supra and the Z4 are fast, but fairly quiet, and the auto whilst quick is still a traditional torque converter. There is no manual or DCT option. They both drive ok, but as the other poster said, they don't blow you away. The Toyota drives a little bit better, but the Z4 has a better interior. The bits that Toyota have added to the BMW interior are the typical Toyota style of plastic.
Same deal with F-Types and discounts.
The only two sports cars that really sell at the moment, and without discounts, are you know who, and Alpine.
As it was suggested a few posts above again: having remade one of the old cars would not have made ANY difference to their current situation as they would have had to complete the exact same development and engineering stages they just completed.
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