Griffith [2] (United States)

Griffith was an American automobile manufacturer founded by Jack Griffith in Hicksville, New York, during the early 1960s. The company operated from 1963 to 1965 and was inspired by the success of the Shelby Cobra. Griffith, a Ford dealer, modified a TVR Grantura Mk3 by replacing its original 1600cc MGA engine with a 4700cc Ford V8, resulting in a high-performance vehicle.

The first model produced by Griffith was the Griffith 200, which offered engine options of 195 horsepower and 271 horsepower. In 1964, the design of the car was updated, leading to the introduction of the Griffith 400, which featured a shorter tail and larger rear windows. Approximately 300 units of both the Griffith 200 and Griffith 400 were manufactured before the company ceased production in 1965.

After the initial production of Griffith vehicles, the brand's legacy continued with the TVR Tuscan, which was based on the Griffith design. In 1966, Griffith attempted to launch a new model, which was built in Italy by Frank Reisner's Intermeccanica. This vehicle was a steel-bodied coupe or convertible, styled by Bob Cumberford and Franco Scaglione, and was initially intended to feature a Ford engine. However, due to supply issues, the project switched to Chrysler V8 engines, which ultimately proved too heavy and negatively impacted handling. Approximately 90 units of this model were produced before the project was discontinued, and it was later rebranded as the Omega.