TVR Unveils Griffith Sports Car

Britain’s TVR Manufacturing Ltd. took the wraps off the Griffith two-seater—the brand’s first new model since 2006—on Friday at the Goodwood Revival near Chichester, England.

TVR, which was bought by a group of millionaires led by computer-gaming magnate Les Edgar four years ago, developed the Griffith in conjunction with Gordon Murray Design. The partners aim to start production in early 2019 at a 184,000-sq-ft factory in Wales.

Built on an all-new carbon-fiber chassis, the rear-wheel-drive Griffith is 170 inches long, 73 inches wide and 49 inches tall. This will make it the most compact model in its class, cutting more than 7 inches off the length of the Porsche 911.

TVR says the vehicle weighs about 2,700 lbs with a near 50:50 front-to-rear weight distribution. The body panels are made from a mix of aluminum, composites and steels as part of Gordon Murray’s unique iStream architecture to enhance crashworthiness.

The stylish sports coupe displays a muscular design reminiscent of TVR’s 1960s-era Griffith and Tuscan models. The front-end features a wide grille, sculpted hood and swept-back headlights. The rear is highlighted by thin tail lights, an air diffuser and a large spoiler.

Power comes from a modified version of Ford Motor Co.’s 5.0-liter V-8, which is used in the Mustang GT. The engine, which is mated with a Tremec 6-speed manual transmission, is tuned by Cosworth to generate 500 hp. The combination will propel the car from zero to 62 mph in less than four seconds on its way to a top speed of more than 200 mph, according to TVR.

Other goodies include a double wishbone suspension with adjustable coil-over dampers front and rear. Braking is handled by 6-piston aluminum calipers in the front and 4-piston calipers in the rear, both of which are teamed with two-piece, 14-inch vented floating discs.

An initial run of 500 Launch Edition cars will start at £90,000 ($120,000). Production is expected to ramp up to 1,000 cars per year in 2020 and could expand to an annual rate of 2,200 vehicles by 2025 with the addition of a convertible and other models. Sales initially will focus on the U.K., then spread to Europe and possibly the U.S.