#IAA: TVR's Griffith Is What The New Supra And Z4 SHOULD Have Been All Along

The rear does look look like the FT1 concept which is not particularly a bad thing.

And the FT1 stole its back end from the TVR Sagaris.

I don't believe "you can please all of the people all of the time," therefore, I don't believe any car "should be" anything other than what it is. Each manufacturer balances thousands of competing objectives, desires, and compromises in their automotive offerings.

It is what it is. If you like it and can afford it, then go for it, and enjoy! :-)

Some of the details are appealing to me (exhaust outlet position, gear shifter, pedals) but some not so much (front end, dash). Old swoopy TVR dashboards had a real sense of occasion about them compared to this. Hopefully build quality will match performance envelop.

FUGLY! What's with the freakishly long hood and short rear deck? It does not look proportional. Someone's been looking at the MB-AMG GT too much.

Long hood and short rear = classic, time-honored proportions.

Why would the Supra and Z4 be low production - largely hand made - built in England - cars? THAT is ridiculous.

Neither the Supra nor the Z4 can afford to be in the price range the TVR is going to be in - likely closer to $150,000. (EVentually they will build cheaper version - but initially they are planning a special high content version).

If the Supra came out at $100,000 - it would BOMB- Toyota simply cannot compete at that price level.

Anyway- if the Supra and the Z4 WERE exactly like the TVR - the two would be much cheaper due to mass production - and with the TVR over $100, 000 , who would console MATT when TVR could not sell their version and again went belly up!

My worry is the new Supra will look odd/awkward, be stubby in its proportions and not have a Toyota (reliable) engine.

The idea that Japanese cars are more reliable is a MYTH that has long since ended. At one time - American car manufacturers made simple cars - with big 6 cylinder engines, manual brakes, no power steering, crank windows, and a four speed on the column - or a 3 speed on the floor - and they went forward and backwards well and you could not kill them THEN came power bakes, windows, antennas - ash trays, trunk lids, and an automatic transmission - and their reliability suffered - so PEOPLE bought Japanese cars - small cars with 4 cylinder engines - crank windows, no power steering or brakes - a 4 speed on the floor - and they went forward and backward and were again very reliable.

However - as the foreign manufacturers added the power features - they generally were behind the world doing it - their automatic transaxles generally had fewer speed longer - and their automatic features took time to be featured - and while that maintained their reliability for a while - they produced truly UNMEMORABLE cars - and were known for it - so THEY started to compete - but now they had the same reliability and computer problems all the other cars had. They are no longer any more reliable.

A Supra with a Corolla engine might be reliable- who would spend the money?
Otherwise - if they us a later high performance engine -those are not any more reliable than others.

Apparently, J.D. Power disagrees with you:

http://www.jdpower.com/press-releases/2017-vehicle-dependability-study

looking at the rear , does it not look like the Toyota FT-1

"The idea that Japanese cars are more reliable is a MYTH that has long since ended."

Tell that to any warranty claim firms, how about engineers who work for AA or RAC ? - these are break down service companies in the UK if you're not aware..

One of the guys who work for AA I know even called out the most unrealiable Lexus was the IS220d/IS200D (now lexus don't do diesel anymore), and it was true as borne out my owners comments on forums, and then he even said that even that diesel was more reliable than any other makers diesel.

So on average Japanese cars are still more reliable..

The Supra should be a $35K (base) car NOT $100K.

Everyone knows that Japanese cars are more reliable which only increases exponentially as the years pass on. TomM > really????LOL you think we are THAT dumb?

American cars are still crap and German cars are still over engineered to the point where you have to mortgage your house to fix it WHEN it does eventually break, which is conveniently at the same time the warranty runs outs.

I'd buy the TVR if they gave me a 15 year bumper to bumper.

Then you are clueless to the purpose of a TVR.

Ditto the 15 year warranty, not touching any TVR without it, or any Maserati for that matter.