TVR hasn’t had a good history in the last decade or so. In the 1990s under Peter Wheeler’s ownership, TVR had become famous for absolutely mental low-production vehicles that screamed and howled, looked wild beyond belief, and seemed destined to do nothing more than scare the holy hell out of Jeremy Clarkson whenever TopGear tested them. Then, in 2004, the company was sold to Nikolay Smolensky, a Russian investor, and things went south quickly. Within two years of the acquisition, the company was barely building any cars and there was talk of moving production to a different location, and finally, from December 2006 forward, it looked as if the brand had been cosigned to the history books, with no vehicle production to speak of and uncertainty of what would become of the four individual sections that Smolensky had turned TVR into.
In June 2013 Smolensky sold the business to Les Edgar and John Chasey, and they got to work on developing a car in quiet, in addition to bringing up the parts departments. Seeing any signs of life from the company was a good sign, but the vehicle they were working on had us actually paying attention, if for one note: Gordon Murray and Cosworth had signed on to help develop the car. That’s always a good sign, and finally, after speculation and rumors, the car has appeared. It’s called the Griffith, a historical TVR name, and the bonkers reputation that the older TVRs had will be present, thanks to a Cosworth-tuned Ford Coyote-based mill that will crank out 500 horsepower. Don’t think that’s a low number or something to be ashamed of, because that mill will be in a car that will weigh in at 2,700 pounds or so. The two-seater will be smaller than a Jaguar F-Type and will start making their way to customers by 2019, with the first preproduction unit having been unveiled at the Goodwood Revival.
Two passionate investors, an F1 guru and one of the most revered names in the engine tuning business…good things are sitting here. We can’t wait to hear this monster in anger running up Lord March’s driveway soon!
Hah hah LS lovers – read this and weep!
I bet there will be a few Ford Mustang owners lusting for that Cosworth Coyote..
With the LSfest going on this weekend, who cares?
If they build this, will they come?
Well first they have to build it.
Too bad the interior looks like something out of a 80’s kit kar.
I think “80s kit car” is the TVR design style.