TVR is an iconic name in the realm of British motoring. The automaker has ridden a wave of strong ups and terrible downs. Along the way, the boutique sports car maker cranked out a number of sports car, and, despite some quality control issues, folks still clamor for a TVR. The brand is in the process of a rebirth in Wales, but it remains forbidden fruit for us here in the States. There is a way, however, to live out your TVR dreams and that's with a new kit car from a separate company called Grex Automotive.
The TVR models built under the company's period of Russian ownership in the early 2000s were essentially factory-built kit cars, likely with quality worse than a typical top-tier DIY mechanic. So ordering a GT kit car from Grex is basically as good as what once passed for the real thing, and potentially even better. The new Griffith, however, looks and sounds superb.
Grex Automotive is reviving the Sagaris sports car as the Sagaris GT. Originally offered by TVR back in 2005, the Sagaris was a wild thrill ride devoid of most modern safety features. It had no traction control, ABS, or even front airbags. TVR believed that if a driver were going to go off the track, it was going to be truly spectacular. The new kit also lacks those safety features.
Grex Automotive Sagaris GT kit car
With the Grex kit, buyers can build the Sagaris GT as time and budget allow. It comes in 14 stages, and the first four must be purchased together. After that, customers can buy the additional stages when ready. Grex warns that buying in this manner will result in large shipping costs over time compared to the one-time cost of buying the kit as a whole. Those interested in purchasing the entire lot at once will be on the hook for around $58,070.
Stages 1 through 4 comprise the chassis and body. Right now, the engine bay is designed to accept mounts for LS-based V-8 engines from GM. Grex says that other engine mount setups can be offered at an additional cost. The chassis can be delivered with a right-hand- or left-hand-drive-design at no further cost.
After the first four stages, the rest of the stages include the steering parts, braking system, fuel system, shocks and springs, cooling, lights, all of the electrical components, window glass, wheels, and finally the interior. It's up to the buyer to supply the engine and gearbox, and we'd say the LS3 is a good place to start.
Interested buyers need to act quickly. Grex is building just 10 kits for 2019. And yes, U.S. buyers can get in on the act. Don't worry if the panels don't fully align; that's just part of the full old-school TVR experience and it should help fool the folks at the local Cars and Coffee event.
