Tvr Griff 500 Power to weight
Discussion
GreenV8S said:
About 265 bhp/ton I would have thought, in real world figures. Torque per ton is quite high thought which would give relatively good mid-range performance.
Ballistic, surely?
I think we get carried away sometimes, driving TVR's all the time. Lets not kid ourselves. Compared to the average car, TVR's are hideously quick.
GreenV8S said:
About 265 bhp/ton I would have thought, in real world figures. Torque per ton is quite high thought which would give relatively good mid-range performance.
AS you say its the torque that makes the 500 have a relatively good mid range punch
. Slightly OT as I know you would have actually measured it Peter. How much does your S weigh in at
obviously before the extra bits went on the top of the engine and slowed it down . 
97octane said:
If kerb weight is 1200kg, ie 1.2 metric tonnes and power is 260bhp, then it is 217 bhp/metric tonne. Sorry to mix Imperial with metric units, but I can't remember how to convert metric to imperial tons
Edited by 97octane on Friday 2nd June 17:11
really.. are they only 240 out of a hc 5.0 V8
3000M-TwinTurbo said:
If kerb weight is 1200kg, ie 1.2 metric tonnes and power is 260bhp, then it is 217 bhp/metric tonne. Sorry to mix Imperial with metric units, but I can't remember how to convert metric to imperial tons
Edited by 97octane on Friday 2nd June 17:11
really.. are they only 240 out of a hc 5.0 V8
I think 260-280 is a more realistic figure, some made 300 out of the box but not many. However they pretty much all have over 300lbs/ft peak and at least 250lbs avaialable 2k to 5.5k rpm which is where the real performance comes from.
HarryW said:
Slightly OT as I know you would have actually measured it Peter. How much does your S weigh in at
Haven't weigh bridged it, I'm mostly interested in corner weights rather than absolute weight, but on my scales it comes in at just a few Kg off a ton (half tank, no driver). With the NA 4.6 in that gave it roughly the same power to weight as a standard 4.5 Cerbera. Which was nice.
(The Cerbera of course is far faster at high speed due to its superior power-to-drag ratio.)
Edited by GreenV8S on Friday 2nd June 17:25
3000M-TwinTurbo said:
Anyone no the exact power to weight ratio of a Good Tvr Griff 500.
Had a little play with one in my clio a while back and it didn't seam to be much quicker, i take it there over a ton.
Stu
If it didn't seem to be much quicker then he wasn't trying at all!!! I recently sold my Griff 500 after three years and replaced it with a Clio V6 so although that's quick, it's nowhere near the performance of the Griff, not in the same league!!!
Edited by Painey on Sunday 4th June 09:31
The Griff is quick throughout the rev range, due to the massive spread of torque. This makes them very quick in real life situations, as speed is always directly related to right foot depression, irrespective of gear selection. They don't just suddenly get quick for a few hundred revs when screaming.
Yes, you might live with one for a while in something lesser by stirring the cogs and bouncing off the limiter. On a charge across Eurpoe, say to Le Mans, I suspect in the long run the loping gait of the Griff might see it outrun (and outlive) the screamer, and deliver the driver in better shape to enjoy the proceedings.
One aspect of the RV8 vs S6 debate I've never seen explored is the relationship between the S6 power characteristics (i.e. the "but above 6k nothing can live with the S6" comments) and their unfortunate (past?) tendency to go home on trailers.
Yes, you might live with one for a while in something lesser by stirring the cogs and bouncing off the limiter. On a charge across Eurpoe, say to Le Mans, I suspect in the long run the loping gait of the Griff might see it outrun (and outlive) the screamer, and deliver the driver in better shape to enjoy the proceedings.
One aspect of the RV8 vs S6 debate I've never seen explored is the relationship between the S6 power characteristics (i.e. the "but above 6k nothing can live with the S6" comments) and their unfortunate (past?) tendency to go home on trailers.
Edited by victormeldrew on Sunday 4th June 09:41
Power v Torque again. An old classic on here. A good example is that I can get on the motorway and drive 200 miles all in 5th gear, anything from 40mph to xx(x)mph. You only have to get out of 5th for slow roadworks or congestion; which as we know is inevitable, especially last saturday on the M6 
But seriously, if you look how the Griff 500 manages 20 mph increments in 5th over those ranges they are around 5 secs a piece. Come down a cog or 2 and of course it decreases.
Not sure if is due to the "effort" the engine has to make but the induction noise seems more aggressive and bassy when you push up in 5th?
Power is talk but torque is pure torque
edited to say - on most motorway runs I reckon i get 25-26mpg on optimax, which I reckon is pretty good for a 5.0! Of course that goes down when the fun comes up
But seriously, if you look how the Griff 500 manages 20 mph increments in 5th over those ranges they are around 5 secs a piece. Come down a cog or 2 and of course it decreases.
Not sure if is due to the "effort" the engine has to make but the induction noise seems more aggressive and bassy when you push up in 5th?
Power is talk but torque is pure torque
edited to say - on most motorway runs I reckon i get 25-26mpg on optimax, which I reckon is pretty good for a 5.0! Of course that goes down when the fun comes up
Edited by donatien on Monday 5th June 01:40
Painey said:
Anyone no the exact power to weight ratio of a Good Tvr Griff 500.
Had a little play with one in my clio a while back and it didn't seam to be much quicker, i take it there over a ton.
Stu
If it didn't seem to be much quicker then he wasn't trying at all!!! I recently sold my Griff 500 after three years and replaced it with a Clio V6 so although that's quick, it's nowhere near the performance of the Griff, not in the same league!!!
Edited by Painey on Sunday 4th June 09:31
Well it was my brothers Griff 500 and belive me he was trying. Mine is a Mk1 clio 16V but belive me its not standard...
was close up to 130 but after that the arodynamics would kill the clio, plus the griff is geared allot higher.Painey said:Probably not, yesterday pulling off the motorway onto a nice mile-long slip road I noticed something silver alongside my driver's side at the lights, I heard it reving its nuts off so as they turned green I simply tried to keep it just in the corner of my vision a yard or so behind me, playing if you like. As we reached about 70 still level I just pulled well ahead in 5th and went on my way home. I think it was a new Honda R or something. I was already in 5th by 70 when I could still have be in 2nd/3rd if I'd wanted! If I'd have nailed the Griff using all the gears straight away from the lights it'd never seen me for dust.
Anyone no the exact power to weight ratio of a Good Tvr Griff 500. Had a little play with one in my clio a while back and it didn't seam to be much quicker, i take it there over a ton. Stu
^^ you bully..lol
most of these modern hot hatches and sports cars are not actually that fast though. most of them have 200-250 bhp but weight about a ton and a half with all there luxuries and air con, power steering..ect. Clio V6 for example is 1300kg and 225bhp or 255bhp, even the new STI wrx’s aren’t that fast with all that extra weight plus 4wd system taking out allot of the power.
In our case I was actually following him out of a round about from 2nd gear 30mph upwards onto the dual carriage way up to #30 and it was neck and neck. But as I said its not standard so it not a fair comparison, I was just curious of the power to weight, mine is about 285per ton… but far less torque
most of these modern hot hatches and sports cars are not actually that fast though. most of them have 200-250 bhp but weight about a ton and a half with all there luxuries and air con, power steering..ect. Clio V6 for example is 1300kg and 225bhp or 255bhp, even the new STI wrx’s aren’t that fast with all that extra weight plus 4wd system taking out allot of the power.
In our case I was actually following him out of a round about from 2nd gear 30mph upwards onto the dual carriage way up to #30 and it was neck and neck. But as I said its not standard so it not a fair comparison, I was just curious of the power to weight, mine is about 285per ton…
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