American legislation and litigation deter many small manufacturers and TVR can sell all they want to make elsewhere. So TVRs no longer go to the USA, which is a shame when you look at the origins of the Griffith, the first of the new generation TVRs. Jack Griffith was the American garage-owner who first tried to squeeze a Ford V-8

into the 1600 Mk IIA TVRs that were competing in the 1962 Sebring 12-hour race. From this early attempt came the Griffith 200, a Mark III TVR using a strengthened chassis with the 4.7-litre Ford V-8 installed in either 195 or 271 bhp forms. The Griffith 400 followed in early 1964, the first of the Manx-tailed TVRs. Unfortunately these were not properly developed and affected the TVR reputation; a prolonged US dock-strike hit both companies and bankrupted TVR. Although few Griffiths were sold outside America, the replacement Tuscan V-8, the first of the new Lilley management, was a success and gave over 150 mph in 1967. Tuscan V-6s, Vixens, M-series and Taimars (including the first convertible) took the company through the 'seventies without recapturing that performance level.

The new wedge-shaped Tasmin was the design for the 'eighties, initially with Ford V-6 power which also temporarily returned the cars to the US market, by which time current owner Peter Wheeler had taken charge from 1981 .The Tasmin name was dropped when the Rover unit arrived in 1983 for the 350i convertible. By the mid-'eighties every sports car had to have real performance, so the Rover engine grew to extend the range, providing the 145 mph 390SE and later the 150 mph 420SEAC (Special Edition with Aramid Composite bodywork).

Rover power was used for a special one-make TVR-sponsored Tuscan Challenge for 1989; by the time the 36 race cars were built, TVR had uprated the engines to a dry-sumped re-cranked 4.4-litre developing 350 bhp with four down-draught Weber carburetters, and reworked the chassis to cope with the extra power. The resultant racing was, and still is, a great success, but we had to wait until 1992 for the Griffith , the road-goi version of the Tuscan racers.

When the Griffith finally arrived, it had a 4.3-litre Rover unit with 280 bhp installed in a chassi that had learnt the lessons of Tuscan racing. clad in a curvaceous body that was old and ne* the same time, together with an extremely effective quick-action soft-top. The Chimaera followed year later, a little longer for more luggage and a little softer for more comfort, will lines carrying different detailing. As this was the option of 4.0 and 4.3-litre units, the Griffith had to move up a league with a 5-litre version developing a massive 340 bhp; gearing limits the top speed of Rover-powered versions to around the acceleration of the Griffith 500 is brutally quick with 0-100 mph in just over 10 seconds - and it is less than half the price of a Ferrari 355.

However the Cerbera uses TVR's new overhead camshaft engine which will rev more freely. A little more power and better aerodynamics will lift the maximum speed towards 170 mph, although the initial acceleration will be less dramatic due to the extra weight of a 2 + 2 coupe. With an extra 11 inches in the wheelbase new family TVR should considerably broaden the marque's appeal.

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