Sadly we won’t see a convertible TVR Griffith for a few years yet.
Welcome back, TVR. It’s been a long time coming, as the reveal of the reborn Griffith marks the first new TVR in 12 years, and the first since the company was taken over by current CEO Les Edgar four years ago. It’s not a one-off, either – this is just the start of TVR’s belated rebirth. There’s a possibility that the brand could finally broaden its appeal by coming to America, and TVR has big plans to expand its model line-up over the next ten years with hardcore performance variants, a convertible and an all-new model.
According to TVR’s CEO, the groundwork for the drop-top Griffith is already complete, so it seems likely that this will be the first new variant. For now, though, TVR is concentrating on putting the 500 launch editions of the Griffith into production, which won’t start until late next year with deliveries starting in 2019. The convertible model is expected to arrive two years after the Launch Edition Griffith, so we still have a long time to wait. To ease the wait, render artist Evren Milano has used their masterful Photoshop skills to show how the Griffith may look after dropping its top, and the result is stunning to behold.
By removing the rear-quarter windows and C-pillars, Milan’s vision of the convertible Griffith appears to adopt a targa-style shape with removable panels instead of an electric folding roof, which suits the coupe’s retro-inspired look. After the convertible, hardcore “S” and “R” performance variants of the reborn Griffith are expected to follow that could pack 600 horsepower compared to the standard coupe, which is powered by a naturally aspirated Cosworth V8 mated to a purist-pleasing six-speed manual transmission that sends 500 hp to the rear wheels. This allows the Griffith to reach 0-62 mph in under four seconds and a top speed of over 200 mph.
Let’s hope TVR manages to find a stateside partner to bring the Griffith to America – it makes sense considering its 5.0-liter V8 is based on the same Coyote V8 engine that Ford manufactures for the Mustang in the US.
