Can TVR Save Us From The Computers?

We often talk about progress, about development and improvements in the car industry as new models are frequently released, each offering more technology and fewer CO2s than the last. But the mainstream car market seems so focused on computerising cars and simplifying driving, that it's almost forgotten about the real drivers amongst us. Either that or it doesn't care, focusing on the masses rather than the purists. 

Examples of this can be seen across the industry, with semi automatic gearboxes removing the need for that prehistoric stick poking through the chassis floor, electronic steering removing any real sense of feel from our hands, and engine noises playing through our speakers to 'add' to the sounds of ever duller engine notes. That's all fine in a car that's used to carry junior and his sister to school, but what about cars that are supposed to be used for driving, for fun? 

In comparison to their predecessors, this new breed of sports cars and hot hatches all have an element of involvement removed from them. Even though they might be quicker, cleaner and more efficient, I don't really want any of them.

What I want is to step back into time, to a time when cars were still in touch with their raw, highly engaging ancestors. Of course most car makers won't do that, with ever increasing global issues revolving around emissions and fuel. But I have found a solution, a way of experiencing that old school flavour and all involving drive modern cars have lost. The solution is, buy a TVR.

There are several reasons why you shouldn't buy one of course, but they're all rubbish and unimportant reasons. If you buy a TVR, a 5.0 litre V8 Griffith for example, you will not only experience immense neck snatching power, but also the brutal roar of the almighty lord himself each time you squeeze the throttle. That's pretty great value for money.

In the early 90s, semi automatics were a brand spanking new technology reserved only for cars like Nigel Mansell's Williams F1 racer. So TVR had only one option, to hand full responsibility of this violently powerful V8's gearing to you, the driver. With no computer to protect the gearbox, and no GPS to predict the gears for the road ahead (a feature enjoyed by today's Rolls Royce Wraith) as the driver, you are the brain, you are the tamer of this beast. Too heavy a right foot and you'll spin all 340 horses through the rear wheels, in turn sending you toward the nearest object and probably a fiery death. But what a way to go.

That's what I want, not the flaming death of course, but full control over my vehicle. I don't care how efficient and how precise today's electronics are, if I'm not in control of that vehicle, I'm not really driving it. I'm merely influencing it, as the computers still have the upper hand. It's for this reason cars like the Nissan GTR impress me, but don't excite me.

So as you can imagine I'm glad to report that TVR, the long troubled British car maker, are back. And the latest news suggests we should be greeted, or should I say violently exposed to, 2 new models, supposedly both keeping with the TVR philosophy we'd enjoyed before the company ceased production in 2006.

I really hope new owner Les Edgar honours this promise, ignoring pressure from our European neighbours to tame the horses. Forget the electronics Les, stick a proper old school gear lever in there and 500 horses to go with it. Be the savior of driving, the manufacturer for the purists. Make something scary. Pretty please.