BIG Engine In A Tiny Package! The Fearsome TVR Griffith 500

For some The Griffith 500 has a reputation as a dangerous car.. big power in a small light package with a tendency for oversteer can be quite intimidating.. but for others this is peak TVR, a car that perfected the old recipe of lots of power and simplicity with a beautiful body!
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[@tonymiller3182]

Ahh! I watched my Griff 500 (Terry) being built in the factory and did 30k pretty trouble-free miles in him before he had a bit of bad luck...All that now remains is the Griffith 500 badge on the wall above my desk. It wasn't the car's fault, I was going quickly & someone pulled out in front of me on a dual carriageway. I spun & wiped out front & back on the central reservation, but the doors opened & I climbed out with just a bump on the head from the roof panel, which ended up on the other side of a roundabout. The insurance assessor was very impressed with the way the car's passenger space had kept its shape, the fibreglass body absorbing a good dose of the impact. The only mistake I made was not ordering him with power steering, mostly for my wife's benefit. He did 25 mpg on a decent run & would pull in 5th from under 20 mph. A great car (sob..)

[@gottliebdee263]

Did the fibreglass body really have much to do with absorbing the impact or was it more the structure beneath?

[@clubsport9334]

Sorry for your loss.

[@Covkiller]

Sorry to hear about the death of your Griff 500, truly sad. I've driven a couple in the day and nothing could touch it. I should have bought one.

[@JeremyWilliams-tz4xt]

If you don't love a Griffiths with that Rover engine, you have no soul.

[@Treker-yv7nz]

One of a very few car reviewers that doesn’t wheel spin away off a gravel road 👍

[@Buck3366]

You can take your 300 mile range, 0-60 in 3 seconds and auto driving function. There is NO electric car that can make me smile like listening to that gruff, animal like V8! Every journey would be a stereo off, window ajar affair! It’s one area an EV won’t EVER trump an ICE.

[@malcolmlane-ley2044]

Absolutely.

[@xNeo64]

an EV also won't work in 30 years because you can't fix it yourself

[@Bob-nu3xe]

what is the purpose of the radio in a TVR? LOL

[@Harvy500]

I own a Griffith 500HC. Some engine upgrades. Yep, can be beyond bonkers. Also, after having a major engine ECU upgrade with now no dizzy etc. Drives super smooth and all the 'unreliable' parts gone. I love driving it.

[@TheFatAndTheFurious]

When did you buy it and if I might ask, for how much? I saw Brewer got a pretty decent one on WheelerDealers for 15k just a couple of years ago

[@majorp7967]

Brilliant review!❤

[@Harvy500]

@@TheFatAndTheFurious I paid £12,500 for mine not long ago. (August 2023). I've spent near that again on it. Now, it's as it should be. (And as I wanted it to be).. Have I spent as much as it would have cost to go out and buy a real good one? Yes and no. Yes= still probably needs work. No = all the niggles on my car done and sorted. ALL of them..

[@Harvy500]

​@@TheFatAndTheFuriousI paid (100% true) £12.5k for mine. It had a new chassis, paint job and all new suspension 1 year before I bought it. Then, it went to TVR power for the ECU work, had a new clutch, updated intake trumpets, decatted exhaust manifolds and decatted Y pipe. Large intake plenum. All that was near £12k on top of the purchase cost. Worth every penny!!!

[@rhettcorcoran2879]

At last, the best car video thus far. I am slightly biased, I owned one for 13 years and 90k, brilliant cars!

[@stephenricketts7764]

Beautiful car and lovely V8 sound. I think they got it pretty well spot on, what's not to like? Thanks Jack.👍👍

[@ryanmccormick2150]

Number 27 just keeps getting better and better buddy!...... Absolutely superb stuff Jack 👌👍

[@timgosling6189]

They were certainly a bit raw, and even when they were new the build quality was a bit casual. But fantastic fun. The steering was very quick for the day, although it would be familiar to someone used to a modern Ferrari. Traction control was provided by amazingly long throttle travel, just as well when on a damp road you could get wheel spin in most gears. And the scary reputation was backed up by the insurance industry, which found that 70% of Griff 500 write-offs were single-vehicle accidents. But treated with respect, such as making sure all the wheels are pointing the same way before giving it the beans, my main memory is of grinning so much my mouth hurt!

[@hughwalker5628]

I remember the AC Cobra being described as 'brutal and violent'. Does that fit the Griffith?

[@timgosling6189]

@@hughwalker5628 all down to the driver!

[@davidstuart4915]

I think its pretty fair to view the Griff as a more modern Cobra @@hughwalker5628

[@marinedrive5484]

Yes, it is such a pretty little car with a monstrous bite. TVR's best design? I think so. The front end has shades of an E-type. Having owned an Austin Healey 3000, the Griff has always appealed to me because of its hairy-chestedness.

[@robpetersen87]

One of the few cars that actually lives up to the moniker "insane."

[@richardcarter1000]

I did treasure hunt in a Griff 500 in the rain. Huge fun keeps you on your toes. Probably one of the most exciting cars I've ever driven. Amazing value still

[@mattscott2198]

Lots of nostalgia here, my Dad is the JS in J555 GRF. Been to spa and le mans on multiple occasions in that car, excellent video, Thanks!

[@keefensera2004]

This is going to get expensive. First I have to buy a house with a 'proper' sized garage, and then buy a Griff. What a sound. Much prefer this shape and the more simple (for a TVR) interior. What a machine. Great video, and it looks like a million smiles per mile judging by the look on your face.

[@jasonheathcote7407]

Always loved the Griffith ever since the CEO of Vision Express used to shake the windows of the office when he arrived or departed. That Reg Plate looks familiar so that may have been his actual car. Proper 'Hairs on Back of Neck' presence.

[@canucklehead0]

That was fun!!! I like the Griffith a lot!! Over here in the colonies we had TVR's imported in the 60's and 70's, converted to left hand steering and the straight 6's removed and fitted with either Ford's 289 or 302 V8's and called them Griffiths which were either marked as a series 200 or 400 and indeed to use your phrase were "hairy chested Man's cars" some were delivered to be sports cars, but most found their way into racing and remained competitive into the late70's to mid 80's (if memory serves me) when they got upstaged by the newer Tuscan in the late 70's. The great thing about the Griffiths is that while squeezing in those V8's they kept the pretty TVR design. The later Griffith 500 which you drove in this episode all had that eager 5L version of the old 3.9L Buick which Rover kind of made their own. I'm curious having never driven one what would you estimate it's performance numbers at? I love these kinds of reviews Jack, they make my want to find an abandoned TR7 hard top and swap in one of these new v6's with superchargers and the lot already built in, several of which I have seen at the Breakers Yard in Edmonton including a Jaguar Supercharged v6 from an XF that someone had attempted to wrap around a light standard, but the engine and transmission were perfectly fine. Could you imagine pulling up beside a Mustang or Camaro at a set of lights with a rusty old TR7 that you had sorted the suspension in and added that Jag V6 into? Can you picture the look on the bloke's face in the American Muscle Car as you leave them in the dust?? All I need is a shop, time and of course lots of money,....someday!! lol Take care, Jack and keep driving these awesome cars!! If anyone had a Jensen CV8 I'd love to see that reviewed!!

[@derekantill3721]

The TVR Griffith 500 always was a real hairy beast. Great video. ❤

[@Ricketik65]

As a Citroën guy I like the CX mirrors of course, but the rest of the car... Wow, I just love it!❤

[@vincentwhiteman6433]

You could have said the same mirrors as the jaguar xj 220 as well 😅

[@rainbowcampers]

As an owner of 4 TVRs and 4 2cvs plus 8 VW camper vans...........

[@rainbowcampers]

Over the years obviously? Any one got a DS23 Safari to let me try...?

[@Stinger430]

This is my favourite TVR. It's so so so beautiful! Amazing colour as well. Nick is a lucky man.

[@kevinoconnor7684]

Great review there Jack.. I'm not a big TVR follower but your description of the power and how it drives is changing my mind.. one can nearly feel how much fun Nicks car is.. its a beautiful example and looks great..Thanks Nick for letting us all get this view of TVR.. 😊

[@CupcakeElliott]

I had a Lotus Esprit SE Turbo, my girlfriend had a Griffith 500: we both loved to drive each other's car. If only the two could have been married into one, how amazing that would have been (the cars, I mean). The Grif was wonderful in the dry, but I will never forget going to overtake a tanker on a damp evening and wondering if I was going to go out in a fireball of fibreglass as the thing just decided to drift toward the petrol tanker!

[@davidstuart4915]

u sir, had one wild lady...the cars too!

[@jase6370]

Fantastic car. Beautiful, charachterful, wonderful interior and a noise to die for. Now on my shopping list!

[@TheFatAndTheFurious]

Only NOW??? Where've you been? I've wanted one of these for 20 years!

[@gazzafloss]

I saw a Griff 500 first time at the Sydney international motor show way back when. Owned an E type Jag then and couldn't afford both. E type went in favour of a kid carrier. Fast forward all these years, I now own an MX5 Mazda, not a Griff but enough fun for an old chap.

[@SabotsLibres]

…dates back to the Buick 215ci small block V8 of 1961… It produced 150 bhp SAE, later 155. When introduced in the P5B (and later P6B) it still produced 155bhp but now “British” horsepower. When it was shoehorned into the MG MGB, the convoluted intake resulted in a drop to 137bhp. The first versions in the Range Rover were even more detuned (improving torque) I believe to around 93bhp. The most powerful Rover version was the 218bhp 4.6 in the P38a Range Rover.

[@TalkieToaster.]

A friend of my (at the time girlfriend) took me for a very enthusiastic rip in a 500 getting on 20 years ago. It's probably up there with the most bum clenching drives I've ever been on, and I've been sideways at around 100mph in a Cobra on wet grass.

[@paultucker1272]

TVR’s finest moment. I distinctly remember the Performance Car magazine feature written by Peter Tomlinson, driving a dark grey (with oxblood red interior) 4.3 Griffith around the Lake District……and I fell in love. A few years later I bought a 350i……I loved the looks and the sound but the sub par kit car build meant I couldn’t live with it. But a TVR will still turn my head today.

[@TheFatAndTheFurious]

What was / were the main gripes with the build?

[@paultucker1272]

@@TheFatAndTheFurious I thought (foolishly) I could use it as my only car. When it rained, I literally had to wring the mats out because they became soaked. Interior buttons, when pushed, would fall into the dash! Finally, the one part I thought would be reliable (the engine) started to have running issues. After spending almost a £1000 on its first service in my ownership only to be told it would need a lot more doing, I decided to sell it. But at least I scratched my TVR itch. (BTW, this was probably about 20 years ago now).

[@rainbowcampers]

That Peter Tomalin article did rather influence me too 😊

[@davidstuart4915]

I was already in love with the Griff...and when that article landed in my favourite magazine, I was nearly salivating with excitement! - Yep, got a 4.3 (having tested back to back with 500) - Cats really spoil the character and too much torque / ton for anything but a perfect road surface - the 4.3 has the perfect combo of bhp/ lb ft / cwts, also screams like a wild banshee at 6,000rpm :)

[@dmode2793]

My good lady and I used to often take the Griffith out for a spin when were were courting. She often commented on how stiff it was...

[@iangreenstreet1407]

I had a 500 and a 4.3 BV before that. Both mad and great fun.

[@TheMrFishnDucks]

Love TVR cars ever since I learned about them from Gran Turismo 4. TVR always have such beautiful colours. Nice video. Keep up the good work.

[@Steviegtr52]

Hi No 27. I have just bought a Chimaera 450. Love it. It was that or a Griffith. Super presentation you have done. I have already done a couple of video's about my plans for it. More in the garage type using the 2 post lift. Thanks for sharing. Steve.

[@KenSidebotham]

I have owned a Chimaera 450 for 18 years. I never tire of driving it and listening to the soundtrack. It is extremely quick and I'm told it is the best one to have because the bottom end is still original Land Rover and bomb proof! Hope you enjoy yours as much as I enjoy mine.

[@stratcat4450]

As a young guy many decades ago I owned 3 big healys when they cost next to nothing used in poor condition. Surely i love those cars forever, but you cannot compare what a healy to any tvr. I owned a1972 tvr 2500m in the 1980s back when us poorer folk could get thier hands on something so wonderful. Even with the triumph 6 that car was no slouch, especially when at a cruising speed an up shifting an nailing it! Of all the cars i owned including chevy, mopar and my healys the only car i still regret having to sell off to support my young family....damn i wish i never sold tha tvr!

[@brianjames5685]

When you initially pulled away I thought the guy stood behind the car had his hands clasped praying lol. I realized then he was holding a camera filming.

[@dantheman7357]

Jack, this was another very enjoyable review. They way it was filmed and presented seemed to put me right there in the car with you. The engine sound is intoxicating and the car looks good too. Thanks.

[@liverpoolscottish6430]

The Griffith is far better looking than the TVR's which followed it. Simple clean lines, light weight, BIG power, no nanny state interference 'driver aid' BS. A PROPER driver's car. I visited the factory back in 1997, what a fascinating place, a crying shame that TVR went to the wall. Whilst TVR didn't have a reputation for build quality, or reliability, you can never accuse TVR of building a dull car! 30 years on, the Griffith is still savagely quick.

[@davidcolin6519]

I loved the Griffith that I test drove for a friend back in the 90s. It was harder and rougher than the Chimaera I tested at the same time. I could see that the Chimaera was a better drive for many drivers, it was easier to drive and maybe a bit more easily controlled at the limit, but the Griffith was jus lovely. I found that pushing it to, and beyond the limit was actually much easier than expected. Sitting right over the rear wheels and the delivery of the V8 just made it easy to go faster than you really ought to. The salesman was a bit nervous when I started playing with the rear end, but calmed down when he saw that I knew what was happening (either that, or he might have been cowering in the footwell). I've never really understood the "widow maker" reputation of TVRs, but there again, I've driven and ridden many cars and bikes which have had really evil reputations and I've usually been surprised by how easy they were at the limit. Surprisingly, some of the truly worst cars at-the-limit were usually much more mundane vehicles that were truly awful.

[@steveedmunds4949]

Taking me straight back to my youth with this one Jack!

[@Jonoponomono]

What a fantastic car. I have a 2500M with a Corvette LT1 engine in it which is probably similar in feel. Too bad we cannot buy cars like this today, this is the type of car that made us enthusiasts, made us turn our heads when we heard one or saw one, and the dream of ownership was possible. Keep up the great work.

[@leolopezvalido1892]

Hello Jack! That TreVoR is truely a "British Brute" of a sportscar. And your enthusiasm shine's through to me - I'm sure to all viewers too - on that drive. Yet... it's flaw is summed up by your headline: Widowmaker! Having said that, what a car!! Thank you - and Nick - for puting us viewers in that driving seat...

[@nickfiore1743]

Your welcome

[@e28forever30]

@@nickfiore1743 Awesome car. Enjoy it!

[@mr.13zn83]

My boss had one of these for a few weeks, until he wrapped round a lamp post! City brokers used to love TVRs.

[@nigelbatten6162]

Owned a V8S back in the nineties. A really underrated car and the true successor to the Austin Healey 3000 etc. A true British sports but seems to be forgotten these days.

[@davidstuart4915]

yes, you dont hear of them at all - sounds particularly good with their exhaust config.

[@andywilliamson4234]

What a Beautiful Noise!

[@dalamar6228]

Please work your way through the rest of the TVRs! It’d be great to see you document this chapter of British motoring history.

[@TheFatAndTheFurious]

SECONDED!

[@rhettcorcoran2879]

Thirded!

[@duncanwood4313]

Great video Jack! You were grinning from ear to ear. I had a Chimaera 4L HC with roughly 270bhp. The noise. The power. I miss it! Keep these quick review videos coming. Love them 💪🏼

[@waytosacramento3843]

I remember test driving the 500 20 years ago in Germany. It has been my dream car ever since I sat in it at the ‘93 Geneva motor show. Even though I am driving a Model 3 today some pistonheadishness seemed to have remained in my brain and I am still contemplating getting one today as a weekend warrior. The biggest issue is that LHD models are significantly more expensive than RHDs. I survived the test drive as a much younger lad, I reckon I will be able to tame it today. It is the Cobra of the 90s.

[@Lemma01]

"Whoa!" is spot on. Never drove one, but was given a 'spin' by a mate who used to race in Aus: never been more surprised in my life. Needless to say, any idea I had that I'd owned a fast car were shattered. As was I. Hairy, Jack. Very Hairy. You'd still favour an Elise on a Sunday pub run, obvs, if only because you'd have petrol money left over for a packet of crisps. Love that grunt and grumble!

[@WainwrightWalksWiaLocalLad]

Back in the 90's my boss had on of these...and very generously let me take it out for the day numerous times. As the owner of a superbike both now and then...the TVR was still able to grab my attention especially on a damp road 😲😲 Great video as always, cheers Alistair 👍

[@rainbowcampers]

Alistair Morrel?

[@WainwrightWalksWiaLocalLad]

@@rainbowcampers No, I think you must be confusing me with some one else 🤔

[@rainbowcampers]

@@WainwrightWalksWiaLocalLad had a colleague called Alastair Morel , not sure if spellings who, like me worked for Booths the Grocers in Preston. Edwin Booth followed me into TVR ownership by getting an ash? Cureton green (?) 4.3 Griffith new from the factory.... I had a white S1.5 at the time, G923GRP

[@WainwrightWalksWiaLocalLad]

@@rainbowcampers Ahhh... I know Booths well but in the South Lakes! I worked all my life in Kendal... I worked for a guy at that time who had many different, interesting car's. Because we shared an interest in ICE's he would let me have them for the day if he didn't need them 👌 Seems a long time ago now! ATB Alistair 👍

[@davidstuart4915]

His way of firing u?! ;)

[@user-uf7bz1jb5g]

Awesome! This used to be my favorite Grand Turismo car. Fantastic review, keep up the great work!

[@paulelverstone8677]

Just glorious in every way. With my own money, this would be somewhere towards the top...

[@adrianrutterford762]

Beautiful motor car. Thank you

[@neilvinyl]

The Griffith 500 is one of the greatest british sports cars!!

[@davidstuart4915]

...bettered only by the 4.3 ;)

[@geoffnorton9279]

Drive every TVR Jack, they're all interesting. Great review, as always!

[@ganeshshenoy1102]

Awesome soundtrack 🤟🙏☺

[@murrieteacher]

Thanks Jack, another car that I think never made it to Oz. Great video, and the smile on your face says a lot too. I think you really enjoyed the drive.

[@grahamrobson9292]

Some of the best car reviews on KZbin no 27

[@bm7760]

I saw one of these today. Lovely.

[@futurecat]

Thanks! Love your work.

[@Number27]

Thank you so much and sorry for the late reply.. I only just saw this.. really glad you enjoyed the video FutureCat!

[@pjay3028]

Apparently Gordon Murray had one and wanted to improve the handling. He put it on a chassis rig and found it to have such poor chassis torsional rigidity he just got rid of it! I suspect that, because it has a separate backbone chassis, you don't get scuttle shake because the body is separate and isn't actually the thing that's responsible for providing the rigidity, so that gives a false impression of the true rigidity of the car.

[@scalecrawlnl]

Fighter airplane for the road! What a soundtrack! Thank you Jack :)

[@russellhammond4373]

Just lovely Jake. What a noise.

[@timking777]

Love it. Keep up the great work

[@JayEmmOnCars]

These are a fantastic driver's car and a bit of a bargain

[@nickwebb9290]

That sound 😳 what a car. Heavy clutch? Great stuff though more interesting cars of all sorts please

[@markotango54]

I had a drive in a friends 400HC Chimaera it was brutal and beautiful at the same time, but so intoxicating ❤

[@MatthewCallier]

The sound of that engine is amazing.

[@nicksellens272]

I have a blue 500 and that review was spot on.

[@global_nomad.]

such enthusiasm is enough to make me look at the classifieds....

[@MatthewJohnCrittenden]

Was, and still is, my dream car. Peak TVR. Great, balanced, take.

[@marknelson8724]

Wow. What a beautiful sports car.

[@VivariumSnake]

Such a beautiful car ❤

[@kenpoppie4408]

Thanks for another great review!

[@nickloftus4188]

Fantastic review Jack. Spot on. Your grin said it all! I love my Griff ❤

[@discovolante2585]

No huge tv-screens planted in front of the "driver"....No lane-assist or self parking mode.....No million-watt-audio systems that give You a fake V8-power sound from Your speakers(😂)..... Most modern cars are ridiculously heavy and just pretend to be sporty. This does not. What a great machine! I wish they'd made more in LHD.

[@eric-wb7gj]

TY 🙏🙏

[@KarelBeelaertsvanBlokland]

The Buick-derived V8 sounds AWESOME.

[@simonh870]

I wish I still had mine, it was a Metallic red1997 Griffith 500 reg number P6 TVR, and it was featured in the 1998 TVR calender and other promotional material.

[@LSD04]

Got the chance to have a drive in one of these when I was 18, the best part was probably when the owner floored it on a dual carriageway, the grin was stretching off on my face, didn’t know where to look 😂 was quite an experience considering I owned a brown 1.3 HLE Metro at the time.

[@lesklower7281]

I do agree with you it is a pretty car the exterior and interior also it seems a very fast car bonus

[@thewhiterabbit7548]

Only thing missing here is nice roads and scenery. The Griffith deserves better.

[@neilmarshment2910]

A car I badly wanted back in the day an still would like today!

[@mrdainase]

'The high maintenance and slightly unhinged younger sister' is easily the best description I've ever read of the Griffith! Funny that the 4.3 and 500 get all the attention because for me the 4.0 was a peach.

[@billsunderland3936]

Having driven 5 litre and 4 litre you are right - just rev a 4 litre and your in heaven - 27 years of ownership

[@davidstuart4915]

the 4.3 is the perfect middle ground and will howl like a banshee at 6k :) @@billsunderland3936

[@martinlaver007]

I’ve owned a Griff for 5 years before swapping for a T350. Griff was such a B road monster. And a fantastic GT car. TVR Car Club members can be found driving all around Europe in them.

[@stephgagnoulet3133]

Hello Martin, Do you enjoy your T350? What can you tell us about her?

[@davidcooks5265]

I love tvr it's a shame we need it back 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@ibisona]

Thank an engineer for the styling. One of the clever features is the front of the door is curved to remove the gap and allows the rear to be finished easily.

[@fishbert17]

Sweet, sweet car. Good looking and a fantastic soundtrack!

[@biastv1234]

Great review

[@Kellsboro]

Back in the mid 1990s I seriously explored importing these into the US (well before the 25 year rule) as grey market cars but was strongly dissuaded by the President of the TVR Owners Club in the US. A handful of Left-hand Drive Griffiths had been made for Canada and imported up North, but ceased thereafter. It's a shame as TVR left the US with the lackluster 280i in the early 1980s. With these sexy looks and killer weight/power ratio this could've been the next Cobra. For US buyers in 2023 there aren't many LHD examples in Europe available to buy and import, I've been looking for a few years.

[@jimpydee4729]

TVR's output figures are ahem......optimistic. Right out the factory the five litre probably only really does about 300 horsepower on a good day, but because that V8 is such a flexible engine you can bolt on bits that take it to the quoted figure and beyond without too much difficulty.

[@manofweed1]

Gorgeous on many levels, but virtually no competition history.

[@chalesnu]

love to see your drives

[@chrisdooley1184]

God I’d love to have that Tuscan in black or a Sagaris 😊

[@PrivateEyeYiYi]

Nice looking sports car.

[@majorp7967]

Brilliant review ❤

[@bandidol200]

You look like a very happy boy driving that "animal". 😎

[@armathyx]

Videos don't do justice to what this car really sounds like. That V8 sounds terrifying up close.

[@markotrieste]

You should take it on a closed track and do some drifting, must be a great tool for that.

[@flyinghedgehog3833]

Best thing from Blackpool... Ever!

[@andrewstubbings5628]

Unhinged cars are always cool!! Be cool to see you do a TVR 420 Seac?!

[@davidstuart4915]

love those, love to have one, but wouldnt sell the 4.3 Griff...so have to wait for a Lotto win

[@rubengallenda8414]

Awesome video like Always for an Amazing car❤...now you have to drive the Blackpool Rocket...the Cerbera

[@chrispark9343]

I had one of these too. A fabulous car! I owned my 500HC for 18 years but had to sell it as I was moving

[@Bobblenob]

Wet road, pulling out of a garage after getting fuel, with the slightest push on the accelerator, the back decided it would prefer to be the front. Absolutely scared me to death.