TVR Griffith Restores Our Faith In The Purity Of Sports Cars

Published September 11, 2017
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2 min read

A front-engined, rear-wheel drive manual is nothing less than a rebellion to the corporate suits of the world

Cars today have become an embodiment of corporate compromise. In an attempt to appease those suits who are in charge of the marketing and design, or those in a flowery shirt trying to save an ice cap somewhere, every car has has to cut corners to fit into what is ‘acceptable’ in society. If someone had to break these shackles and revive the monogamy between man and machine, it had to be TVR. Welcome the Griffith - TVR’s way of bringing back the holy trinity - front engine, rear-wheel drive, and manual gearbox! Not just that, it also marks the revival of the legendary British marque since it was acquired by former video gamer, Les Edgar, in 2013 as well.

Enough with the jibber jabber, let's get to the car. The Griffith is the first TVR to get Gordon Murray Design’s iStream technology, which means it gets a lightweight carbon-fibre bonded chassis that helps reduce the cost of production. This new chassis can withstand almost 20,000Nm per degree and accommodates for airbags, ABS and ESP.

Powering the TVR Griffith is the Mustang’s 5.0-litre V8 which has been tweaked by Cosworth to produce more power by using a custom clutch, flywheel, and ECU. In addition to this, it even uses a dry-sump to achieve a low centre of gravity. Although the power figure hasn’t been revealed yet, we know that the Griffith will have a bonkers 400bhp-per-tonne power-to-weight ratio. All this power will be sent to the rear wheels via a, wait for it, 6-speed manual!

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Apart from the pure driving sensation, TVRs are also about the boy-racer looks. The Griffith stays true to the TVR DNA and looks fantastic with the long bonnet, bulging wheel arches, and sculpted body. The exhaust has been made to exit from the side in order to keep the underbody clean, which helps the sports car to suck to the ground at high speeds. The cabin too is simple with an elegant and functional layout.

The first 500 ‘Launch Edition’ TVR Griffiths will be available for about Rs 76 lakh (£90,000). There is still no clarity on when the world will get a production car but it is expected to be launched in 2019. Anyhow, with the TVR Griffith, the world looks like a better place again.