RE: TVR Griffith at Castle Combe: Time For Coffee

[GM182]

I've never owned a TVR and I can't afford this new Griffith but I really want it to be a success.

Shmee's video linked above gives a lot more footage of the car driven by Edgar around airfield access roads and the like and is definitely worth a watch.
It looks like quite a usable proposition and a lot of fun. It is clearly much more raw than a 911 or anything else I can think of. It is clearly not competing with a Cayman or Alpine - it is the class above. Think AMG GT or R8 or F-Type V8 levels of performance given the TVR's weight advantage.

It looks like it will be a man's car, for men. Perhaps it's biggest competitor would be a second hand Vantage...

[Funk]

Equus said:

Cacatous said:

Sounds like a lot of farting to me.

It does, doesn't it?

Presumably a result of the front-side exit exhausts, so that you're only hearing half of the engine at any one time.

But definitely an overbearing impression of flatulence...

I'm sad to say I concur; it doesn't sound like there's any real substance to the sound, like there are frequencies missing. Perhaps it's better in the metal and just doesn't come across well on video?

[bullittmcqueen]

Funk said:

Equus said:

Cacatous said:

Sounds like a lot of farting to me.

It does, doesn't it?

Presumably a result of the front-side exit exhausts, so that you're only hearing half of the engine at any one time.

But definitely an overbearing impression of flatulence...

I'm sad to say I concur; it doesn't sound like there's any real substance to the sound, like there are frequencies missing. Perhaps it's better in the metal and just doesn't come across well on video?

Again, do yourselves the favor and check this with a decent speaker:

https://youtu.be/TIJpphK7SGc?t=175

and from the same video here a few seconds later:

https://youtu.be/TIJpphK7SGc?t=266

Anyone still taking the Cayman after this is missing purpose in his life.

[anonymous-user]

bullittmcqueen said:

Again, do yourselves the favor and check this with a decent speaker:

https://youtu.be/TIJpphK7SGc?t=175

and from the same video here a few seconds later:

https://youtu.be/TIJpphK7SGc?t=266

Anyone still taking the Cayman after this is missing purpose in his life.

Nobody is comparing the boxer or cayman to the griff.

The point I made was that perhaps new TVR should have started with a cheaper car (priced similarly to a boxter) to build up an international user base and the manufacturing processes and dealer support etc.

At £90,000, there’s a lot of choice and many people spending that money will want something from an established manufacturer with dealer support and a known product etc

There’s a lot of people who don’t like the looks or the sound or the cost, and that’s from a start up with no reputation for reliability or anything else.

Seems to me like there’s too many reasons not to buy one of these, and that’s on a website that started as a tvr forum.

There’s a huge market for people that might take a risk from a new manufacturer on a £50,000 car but not so much for a £90,000 car with at best controversial looks.

[bullittmcqueen]

El stovey said:

Nobody is comparing the boxer or cayman to the griff.

The point I made was that perhaps new TVR should have started with a cheaper car (priced similarly to a boxter) to build up an international user base and the manufacturing processes and dealer support etc.

At £90,000, there’s a lot of choice and many people spending that money will want something from an established manufacturer with dealer support and a known product etc

There’s a lot of people who don’t like the looks or the sound or the cost, and that’s from a start up with no reputation for reliability or anything else.

Seems to me like there’s too many reasons not to buy one of these, and that’s on a website that started as a tvr forum.

There’s a huge market for people that might take a risk from a new manufacturer on a £50,000 car but not so much for a £90,000 car with at best controversial looks.

Get you, no offense intended. In my book they did the right thing. You got to start with a bang and 90k, while a lot in absolute terms is not that much given the performance figures and is also not that much compared to their old prices from 20 years ago. Always easier to scale down than it is to scale up. Looks are a thing, but i read a lot of these forums and no car get's unanimous praise. Check out the Supra MkV forum, it's basically a rehash. Or see the flak the new BMW 340 was getting here on PH a few days ago, devastating. Yes, there are a few things i'd change about the TVR visuals, but the package is extremely compelling and for me there are really no alternatives that would not be compromise. Split between an Exige and C7 Z06.

Philosophy-wise they nailed it 110% and i'm all for the underdog. When/if they ever deliver it you'll get a serious rarity-bonus when driving it, that's for sure.

[HighwayStar]

El stovey said:

bullittmcqueen said:

Again, do yourselves the favor and check this with a decent speaker:

https://youtu.be/TIJpphK7SGc?t=175

and from the same video here a few seconds later:

https://youtu.be/TIJpphK7SGc?t=266

Anyone still taking the Cayman after this is missing purpose in his life.

Nobody is comparing the boxer or cayman to the griff.

The point I made was that perhaps new TVR should have started with a cheaper car (priced similarly to a boxter) to build up an international user base and the manufacturing processes and dealer support etc.

At £90,000, there’s a lot of choice and many people spending that money will want something from an established manufacturer with dealer support and a known product etc

There’s a lot of people who don’t like the looks or the sound or the cost, and that’s from a start up with no reputation for reliability or anything else.

Seems to me like there’s too many reasons not to buy one of these, and that’s on a website that started as a tvr forum.

There’s a huge market for people that might take a risk from a new manufacturer on a £50,000 car but not so much for a £90,000 car with at best controversial looks.

Yep, clearly bullit has not read your post properly or my response to it re a £50k car, hence me mentioning the Cayman and Alpine. I wouldn’t swap my Cayman for the current one but around that price point, personally, I don’t see anything past the Alpine and I can’t see TVR doing anything...
On paper the Griff sounded great but the reality is not to my taste. I just feel disappointment, it could be different in the metal though. I hope for those getting one it’s a great car, I’m not in the business of why would someone buy or like something I don’t.

[Cold]

B17NNS said:

Cold said:

Is this car still a thing? I figured it had drifted back into obscurity.

Big thread here:

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

I've just skim read the last couple of pages. My question still stands!

LordOfTheManor said:

...I live 8 miles from the proposed factory and there’s not even a wheelbarrow on site ...I had my deposit back 6 months ago

and

AUTODESIGN said:

371 pages of chat and still no significant announcement !

[redroadster]

Looks a lot like new supra but for double price ,this or a V8 f type Jag ? Better looking better built prob as quick if not faster ?

[bullittmcqueen]

HighwayStar said:

Yep, clearly bullit has not read your post properly or my response to it re a £50k car, hence me mentioning the Cayman and Alpine. I wouldn’t swap my Cayman for the current one but around that price point, personally, I don’t see anything past the Alpine and I can’t see TVR doing anything...
On paper the Griff sounded great but the reality is not to my taste. I just feel disappointment, it could be different in the metal though. I hope for those getting one it’s a great car, I’m not in the business of why would someone buy or like something I don’t.

I did read it and my comments were about all the mentioning of the Cayman. It's just that i believe that the TVR and the Cayman (also the Alpine) are so fundamentally different compared to the TVR in their approach their underlying philosophy that the two are almost mutually exclusive. Also, if you take the price difference for the GTS to the TVR they are not that far apart anymore and the TVR still has a way better numbers as for example power-to-weight ratio. But that's not even the point. The TVR is an old-school, raw car, while the other two clearly arent't.

Marketing wise the worst thing TVR could have done was to start with a non-signature, mediocre model.

Will they succeed ? Noone knows, very difficult market, especially given the current environmental and political dynamics. Is the car perfect looks-wise ? Quite a few don't like it, but that's to be expected.

[Byker28i]

Great sound, manly performance and a handful whilst sticking to todays legal reguirements. Prefect TVR

[KillianB4]

bullittmcqueen said:

Are you sure about the rumors ? Never heard about them and they are most likely not true. The side exhausts are integral to the whole car's architecture, not just a design gimmick. The underfloor aero, which prevented the rear exhausts, was a major feat from the beginning on. It sure was a massive effort to design, develop and stay within the limits of type approval. Altering them would probably have meant a complete redesign of the entire chassis. Them being technically required is the only way these days to get them approved in a new car.

Not sure at all, just going on what that guy had told me. Trust me I'm happier they have remained.

[bullittmcqueen]

KillianB4 said:

Not sure at all, just going on what that guy had told me. Trust me I'm happier they have remained.

Me too It's something quite special these days.

[cerb4.5lee]

I can't afford one but boy do I want one! By the time the car gets put on sale...£90k will probably be an absolute bargain!!

It feels like the longest wait in history for a car launch, I've seen it in person and I fell in love with it. I like old school though and flappy paddles are for the kids!

[greenarrow]

fernando the frog said:

I don't understand all of the hate this car gets. The engine sounds awesome and it looks nice too. I assume a lot of the people who hate it are maybe old and stuck in their ways? I don't get it.

I just think its the Pistonhead way tbh. Or the internet way. Its not cool to actually like something. Everyone feels the need to be edgy and criticise everything. Doesn't matter what it is. People have already written off the new Supra as too expensive and not fast enough. Before the positive owner reviews were published, people were writing off the Alpine "too expensive, wont sell, bla, bla".

Admittedly I'm slightly hypocritical having dissed the M340 the other day, but I played that video and thought "wow, what a car!"

[Reciprocating mass]

As a current griffith owner I wish tvr every success, but I can’t help feeling from what’s going on currently that this car is never going to make production, there have been many tvr pipe dreams since it’s demise and this latest venture seems to be dragging its heals which doesn’t sound convincing to me but I hope I’m wrong

[IMI A]

Reciprocating mass said:

As a current griffith owner I wish tvr every success, but I can’t help feeling from what’s going on currently that this car is never going to make production, there have been many tvr pipe dreams since it’s demise and this latest venture seems to be dragging its heals which doesn’t sound convincing to me but I hope I’m wrong

+1 hope you're wrong. I still think its wrong enthusiasts (from the Great British Public) were being asked for deposits before the car was production ready and not just an idea. Bad management of customer expectation IMO and pretty amateurish. Get yourselves fully funded, develop the car properly, announce official launch and then start taking deposits.

Be great to see TVR succeed as I loved their earlier cars. Real brutes with good looks and sound. I'm amazed they've got this far even with all the delays etc so hats off to them for that as this is an important achievement in itself. Think of the jobs they will create too.

Patience is a virtue

[donteatpeople]

redroadster said:

Looks a lot like new supra but for double price ,this or a V8 f type Jag ? Better looking better built prob as quick if not faster ?

Almost double the price of a supra but it’s almost double the power to weight ratio too. I can’t see the F type V8 being quicker, it’s got 50-75 more bhp but the TVR but it’s nearly half a tonne lighter. I think the big V8 in a relatively light car is what will draw people to the TVR, it’s not a common combination.

[Testarossa]

All it needs is for TVR to find a styling house that will either do in-house work or have approved by TVR on it.
That way, TVR will be on the same shopping list as Ferrari, Lamborghini and Aston...

Some of you may not like the above rendering, but that is fine, TVR can't be all things to all people.
Personally, I would rather have the above then any other sub £200k list car.

[Jonny TVR]

Testarossa said:

All it needs is for TVR to find a styling house that will either do in-house work or have approved by TVR on it.
That way, TVR will be on the same shopping list as Ferrari, Lamborghini and Aston...

Some of you may not like the above rendering, but that is fine, TVR can't be all things to all people.
Personally, I would rather have the above then any other sub £200k list car.

That does look very good

[crimbo]

Could and should be so much better, and it definitely needs someone to stand up and say it sounds terrible and they need to replace the exhaust design.

Not to late to fettle an new one. Got to be the most terrible sounding na v8 there is, sounds crap. As for the looks. For 100k its not good enough either