TVR Griffith 500 LHD: One day in 2005 I got a call

Story by Werner Jelk

I always have driven old cars, MGB, Austin Healey 100, 3000, Jensen Interceptor Convertible. And I always wanted a TVR Sagaris since I have seen this car the first time, but there was no possibility to buy this car in Switzerland. In 2005 my 13years old son asked me to buy not always „old“ cars, he would like to have a new sportscar.So I remembered that Rolf Kühn, owner oft the Erlengarage Basel – he is now manager of the “Pantheon, Muttenz, Switzerland“, the most important Oldtimer Center with Museum – and in 2005 he had also these phantastic sportscars called TVR. Rolf serviced all my english cars the last 20 years. I discussed with him my intention and some days later I got a call of him, I should come to the Erlengarage.

We visited Rolf and he had two cars there, a TVR Chimaera and a Griffith 500 with Left Hand Drive. Both cars were impressive but I liked the Griffith more than the TVR Chimera, the TVR Griffith is a "modern old car". "Modern", because it features an incredibly powerful engine, comfort of the actually year and "old" because it has a classic shape. Fortunately my son was at the same opinion – so there were no discussions. I loved this car very much, the power, the styling, the sound of  the 5 Liter engine. Very impressive also how easy the car was to drive in town – with the servo steering.

The only thing I hated was the air condition, it worked, but you could feel the cold air only for 5 cm leaving the vents. So in the hot summer it was not very funny. We had a lot of rides in the Swiss Alps, where the TVR Griffith 500 gave us the feeling that we did not drive a car, the feeling was as driving as a motocycle. I never had this feeling in another car.

In 2008 I sold my TVR Griffith 500 for personal reasons, which i now regret. I am missing the sound of the V8. Half a year later I didn’t support to be without a V8, then I purchased a 71 Plymouth Cuda Convertible, which I still drive today. The Cuda is great, but remember: Iit is a difference to drive a car with 1700 kilos than 1000 kg. The handling of the my Griffith 500 was really fantastic.

One day in 2008 I got another call…

It was Rolf and he told me I should come to see a special car. I went there and what I have seen was this:

Yes, this is the TVR Sagaris Prototype Nr. 2 (click here to see the complete story of the FIRST THREE TVR Sagaris), owned by Beat Eggimann of Eggimann Cars, Sissach, Switzerland.

But this will be another story…

…. to be continued…