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TVR Tuscan


Smash Boy
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Anyone here ever drive/own one??

 

I've known of this car for many years, but never looked at it carefully until I saw a video of it yesterday.

 

Very exotic in every way with how you open the doors, the location of brake/reverse lights and turning signals, and a bunch of other quirks (battery located by right front wheel).

 

Of course the best part is how light it is (~2400-2500 lbs)....just can't get that light anymore in a car with a real naturally aspirated engine (straight 6 with 360-440 hp).

 

They're importable in Canada now......wish the US could get this car, even in RHD.

 

Would love to hear impressions.

 

My gut tells me I'd like this more than a good # of Italian exotics, and this might factor in why:

 

TVR's design philosophy holds that such features do not improve either the performance or safety of their vehicles and thus they are not so equipped. TVR rejects the notion that these features, along with airbags, are "safety devices" and believes that, based on testing and experience, their cars are safer without these things than with them

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Quirky car. Definitely a conversation piece but it's made like a kit car and reliability is also in high doubt. Somewhat cool but not cool enough or reliable enough to motivate me to get one.

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Still remember when John Travolta drove one in Swordfish. Cool looking car, but never did hear much about them. I know years ago there was a TVR Griffith conv here in Cincinnati that was RHD and I would always see driving around.

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Yup Swordfish is what I remember! Love them they are so unique!

 

That car looked so cool but I hear they're complete hunks of shit. If the Brits themselves complain about the quality you know it's really bad.

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Quirky car. Definitely a conversation piece but it's made like a kit car and reliability is also in high doubt. Somewhat cool but not cool enough or reliable enough to motivate me to get one.

 

That car looked so cool but I hear they're complete hunks of shit. If the Brits themselves complain about the quality you know it's really bad.

 

:crybaby2:

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:crybaby2:

 

If you are looking for an interesting way to commit suicide, pick one up.

 

Frames rust like swiss cheese, a rebuilt engine by a trusted company is a must, they ALL have problems. Electronics that make Lucas look like Toyota. Creepy handling, no abs, airbags or traction control. Marginal brakes. Cramped cockpit with schizophrenic ergonomics, scratch that, ergonomics is a term that can't be applied to a TVR.

 

It's a winning combination of awful on every level. The car has no redeeming features except if you like the way they look. I'd rather own a Mondial.

 

If you can believe it, the Tuscan is considered one of the "better" TVRs. I guess all things are relative.

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If you are looking for an interesting way to commit suicide, pick one up.

 

Frames rust like swiss cheese, a rebuilt engine by a trusted company is a must, they ALL have problems. Electronics that make Lucas look like Toyota. Creepy handling, no abs, airbags or traction control. Marginal brakes. Cramped cockpit with schizophrenic ergonomics, scratch that, ergonomics is a term that can't be applied to a TVR.

 

It's a winning combination of awful on every level. The car has no redeeming features except if you like the way they look. I'd rather own a Mondial.

 

If you can believe it, the Tuscan is considered one of the "better" TVRs. I guess all things are relative.

 

All of this at the expense of 2500 lbs/440 hp??

 

:crybaby2: :crybaby2:

 

Meanwhile...

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All of this at the expense of 2500 lbs/440 hp??

 

You really believe a 4.2L NA straight 6 from TVR in 2003 produced 440hp???

 

Porsche NA flat 6's only starting producing those type of numbers a few years ago.

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You really believe a 4.2L NA straight 6 from TVR in 2003 produced 440hp???

 

Porsche NA flat 6's only starting producing those type of numbers a few years ago.

 

How about 360 hp? 86 hp/liter isn't too crazy for 2003 so long as the torque wasn't that high, comparable to Ferrari 360 numbers.

 

Regardless, throw everything out regarding hp.....and there's nothing that weighs that little without going really small like Elise, 4C....or far back like F40, McLaren F1...

 

That's the appeal. This car at 3100 lbs doesn't get a thread started.

 

We'll probably never see that type of weight again in an exotic of that size.

 

A lot less safety regs to deal with back then explains it all, but it's legal.

 

 

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You should look at the TVR Sagaris if you are really interested. I think it was TVR's last model, so probably the most well-sorted. Looks very aggressive and for sure looks like an exotic car. There are some companies in Britain that sort the cars out and tune them up a bit. The name Racing Green comes to mind.

 

If you want a good laugh research the TVR Cerbera Speed 12. Was built to beat the McLaren F1, and probably would have if they had built a full street version. The car basically had two of TVR's inline 6's welded together. The car broke the company's 1000hp dyno during testing. The CEO drove the car home from work one day and said it was wayyyyy too fast for the street and they cancelled the production car.

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I quite like the styling of these things but to my knowledge they are a mechanical disaster. However lets be real, if you buy one you buy it cause you like how it looks and you like the quirks and you arent going to be driving it every day anyway so what does it matter? There is one for sale here in Ontario, has been listed since last summer. Probably a hard sell, not many people actually go looking for one and even fewer would actually go out and buy it:

 

http://www.autotrader.ca/a/TVR/Tuscan/COLL...amp;orup=1_15_1

 

I've been tempted a few times but have resisted the urge to go and look because I think if I do then it will come home with me.

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I quite like the styling of these things but to my knowledge they are a mechanical disaster. However lets be real, if you buy one you buy it cause you like how it looks and you like the quirks and you arent going to be driving it every day anyway so what does it matter? There is one for sale here in Ontario, has been listed since last summer. Probably a hard sell, not many people actually go looking for one and even fewer would actually go out and buy it:

 

http://www.autotrader.ca/a/TVR/Tuscan/COLL...amp;orup=1_15_1

 

I've been tempted a few times but have resisted the urge to go and look because I think if I do then it will come home with me.

 

Seriously, dont be tempted, it will be a big mistake, you will hate the car.

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Love what the ad says:

"If you know what this car is, you know what their reputation is."

 

I do and that's why I wouldn't get near it. Honestly, I wouldn't buy it for half of what they are asking. As far as reliability goes, with that kind of mileage, I'd be surprised if it even made it out of the driveway!

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Love what the ad says:

"If you know what this car is, you know what their reputation is."

 

I do and that's why I wouldn't get near it. Honestly, I wouldn't buy it for half of what they are asking. As far as reliability goes, with that kind of mileage, I'd be surprised if it even made it out of the driveway!

 

 

I think the comparatively high mileage in this particular car shows that either the car was well taken care of and its problems were dealt with and sorted, or this particular TVR was one of the more well built examples to roll off the production line.

 

I still think the Sagaris is the TVR to own if you really do want to go down the TVR rabbit hole. Either way the car is undoubtedly a blast to drive when running properly and if the quoted power figures are indeed accurate I'm sure the car could keep up with some of the new exotics considering how light it is.

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I think the comparatively high mileage in this particular car shows that either the car was well taken care of and its problems were dealt with and sorted, or this particular TVR was one of the more well built examples to roll off the production line.

 

Are you willing to take that gamble? I'm not because the odds are against you by a wide margin and if it's indeed a pile of crap, good luck on re-selling it. You couldn't give that thing away!

 

I still think the Sagaris is the TVR to own if you really do want to go down the TVR rabbit hole. Either way the car is undoubtedly a blast to drive when running properly and if the quoted power figures are indeed accurate I'm sure the car could keep up with some of the new exotics considering how light it is.

 

And how often would those occur...if ever? It's not how light it is; it's how they make it light.

 

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"down the TVR rabbit hole"

 

Exactly, go buy a Lotus instead. It's the least worst option, if you need to buy an English sports car built in a shed.

 

A good friend's younger brother in England has an Ultima with some sort of crazy Chevy engine. That's a death trap too. Voted Brexit. Natural selection rounding out the errors?

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"down the TVR rabbit hole"

 

Exactly, go buy a Lotus instead. It's the least worst option, if you need to buy an English sports car built in a shed.

 

A good friend's younger brother in England has an Ultima with some sort of crazy Chevy engine. That's a death trap too. Voted Brexit. Natural selection rounding out the errors?

 

How about a Caterham 7 as a weekend toy? Would that be ok, or is riding a large Harley naked a more practical and safer option? :lol2:

 

Lack of British pride in this thread is surprising.

 

Everything from the '50s is a death trap compared to cars bashed in this thread.

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"down the TVR rabbit hole"

 

Exactly, go buy a Lotus instead. It's the least worst option, if you need to buy an English sports car built in a shed.

 

A good friend's younger brother in England has an Ultima with some sort of crazy Chevy engine. That's a death trap too. Voted Brexit. Natural selection rounding out the errors?

 

I remember taking an Lotus Esprit turbo for a test drive when they first came out and the shifter knob came loose and broke away from the shifter . Talk about a deal breaker lol

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I remember taking an Lotus Esprit turbo for a test drive when they first came out and the shifter knob came loose and broke away from the shifter . Talk about a deal breaker lol

 

LOL. I didn't say it was a good idea, just the least worst option.

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