TVR CARS UNOFFICIAL BLOG

Pic of the day: German TVR Sagaris with left hand drive

tvrblog@0-100.it (Alvise-Marco Seno) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:45:00 +0000

This image was taken in 2007 in Germany. Here is a stunning TVR Sagaris, a very rare model because it has the Left Hand Drive. Its city plate was partially erased but we can see the first letter: "M" for Munchen.

Do you have any image about a LHD Sagaris? Send it to us!

TVR T400R: the complete story - EPISODE 2

tvrblog@0-100.it (Alvise-Marco Seno) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Season 2003
Two more cars on the track. Stanton and Race Sports Salisbury were back with a renewed attack, this time with a pair of brand new T400Rs – target Le Mans!

The opening task was to take one of the new DeWalt liveried cars to Sebring – and impress the ACO and finish the race. Despite suffering huge cockpit temperatures (a result of a misjudged decision to leave the car’s fixed windows in place on a very steamy day) the car had just one problem, a faulty battery at the very end of the race, and it finished a hugely impressive sixth in class.

Back in the British Championship The Rollcentre Racing's T400R was sold to an ex-Tuscan Challenge racer, Gareth Evans, and was now in the care of Burt Taylor’s Countdown Developments.

Eclipse Motor Sport's T400R had to start the season against two Mosler MT900Rs of Rollcentre and Balfe Motorsport. But in Mid-season it scored a famous win at Silverstone (along with Ben McLoughlin) to win the historic British Empire Trophy. That race also produced a result which is now unlikely ever to be matched, with the Peninsula and CDL cars following the Eclipse T400R home for a TVR clean sweep of the podium.

At Castle Combe all five cars then in existence started the race. The 1-2 was a clean sweep for the DeWalt pair, returning home after a disappointing Le Mans which saw one car eliminated early in the race and the second finally succumbing after a huge effort by Michael Caine. By now there was another significant T400R fact to note. Richard Stanton had piloted all five cars so far built in race action – starting out with the first chassis, sampling the Rollcentre car at Suzuka and completing the 2002 season aboard the Eclipse car, before coming back with his De Walt liveried pair.

Back to the race action: the Eclipse T400R won at Oulton Park. The final round of the 2003 championship was at Brands Hatch and there were three cars still in with the chance of a championship win. The Eclipse TVR was the outsider: both Moslers would have to fall by the wayside if the Blackpool rocket was to score a famous win. But the the DeWalt cars were back, now passed from Richard Stanton to Bob Berridge, and it was Berridge who played the first decisive role. Lap two, Turn One, Paddock Hill Bend and there was decisive contact. When the dust settled it was game over for the Balfe Mosler.

Eclipse meanwhile was flying high and looked set to make life exceedingly difficult for the Rollcentre Mosler but a Marcos Mantis chose the wrong gap to go for and the subsequent tap sent the T400R into the barriers.

2003 Season: the results
British GT Championship
Eclipse – 2 wins, 1 second place and 4 third places
De Walt Racing Race Sports – 1 win, 1 second place and 2 third places
Peninsula – 1 second place
CDL 1 third place

Sebring 12 hours
Dewalt 6th in class

Le Mans 24 Hours
De Walt 2 x DNF

Season 2004
Eclipse’s car scored a win at Oulton Park and a second time in a Britcar GT Open race at Donington Park.

There was however a new chapter: RSR Racing took to the track a pair of brand new, copper-painted T400Rs funded by Lawrence Tomlinson and pedaled by the team owner and the evergreen Nigel Greensall. The DeWalt cars were now in the hands of Gareth Evans, under the banner of Chamberlain Synergy Racing. The cars appeared at Sebring once again in a beautiful purple livery and in a new ‘wide-track’ guise. Both arrived to the finish and some time after, in June, the scored a very interesting result at Le Mans 24 Hours: 8th and 9th in their class.

At Donington Park for another FIA GT round one car each from the Chamberlain Synergy and RSR squads were at the show. The TVRs also made their presence felt in the LMES with both the purple cars and the (now once again yellow and black) Racesports car both scoring good finishes. There was the potential for more however, but an Audi R8 destroyed one of the purple cars at the Bus Stop at Spa.

2004 season: the results
British GT Championship Eclipse – 1 win, 2 third places
RSR – 2 second places

Sebring 12 Hours
Chamberlain Synergy - 12th and 16th in class

Le Mans 24 Hours
Chamberlain Synergy - 8th and 9th in class

Donington Park FIA GT
RSR 6th in class
Synergy 11th in class

LMES Best results
6th – Chamberlain Synergy
7th - Racesports

2005: the last season
Lawrence Tomlinson had bought the two purple cars and these, plus his two ex RSR cars, would form the rolling stock for the ‘new for 2005’ Team LNT – all in narrow track guise. The newly purple and orange liveried TVRs would perform a joint British GT and LMES season.

It started with a two car entry for Sebring which sadly saw a catalogue of misfortune ruin the team’s opening weekend. In the British Championship the cars were super quick, but the Scuderia Ecosse Ferraris were just a wee bit quicker and it was with a sense of frustration that the team withdrew from the series mid season, after falling foul of the notoriously tough (especially for cars with a side exhaust outlet) noise restrictions at Castle Combe. LMES was good for them with an impressive and historic 1-2 finish in the opening 1000km race of the European season at Spa Francorchamps. They followed this up with a podium finish in the GT2 class at the Tourist Trophy meeting of the FIA GT Championship at Silverstone.

Meanwhile though came the lowest low – a quite unfathomable decision not to invite either of the Team LNT cars to join the entry for the Le Mans 24 Hours.
The Peninsula TVR squad meanwhile was pressing on, in the very first of the T400R chassis, with a full LMES season of its own and it was the Peninsula / racesports name that came out when the ACO opened the golden envelope containing the entry list for the 24 Hours. Despite a troubled race the Hartshorne / Stanton / Piers Johnson trio finished the race and only failed to post a classified finish by just a couple of laps. In the LMES, they raced steadily and efficiently and posted a pair of sixth places plus a pair of sevenths.

2005 season: the results. British GT Championship Team LNT 2 second places, 1 third place. Sebring 12 Hours: Team LNT 9th and 10th in class (Unclassifed). Spa 1000kms: Team LNT – First and second. Le Mans 24 hours: Race Sports 7th in class (Unclassified). Silverstone FIA GT: LNT Third in class. LMES: Race Sports 2 sixth places, 2 seventh places

Where are the now the TVR T400rs?
Rollcentre: is still with Bert Taylor.
Eclipse Motorsport: is still with the team.
Ex-DeWalt, ex-Chamberlain Synergy, ex Bob Berridge / Gareth Evans: now reside with Team LNT, alongside the ex RSR pair.
Chassis no.1: remains in the ownership of John Hartshorne.

Source: Dailysportscar

TVR T400 R: the complete story - EPISODE 1

tvrblog@0-100.it (Alvise-Marco Seno) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Following the success of the Tuscan Challenge and encouraged from teams and pilots, TVR decided to jump to the high tops of international motorism with a car that would have been ready and competitive for a long and very difficult race such as the Le Mans 24 Hours: the TVR T400R.
In the period between 2001 and 2004 seven units were built with the British GT Championship as the launch pad for the project and the Le Mans 24 Hours as a prime objective.

Season 2001
Race Sports Salisbury (De Walt sponsored) headed by Richard Stanton was the first team which joyned the car to the debut in races taking a class win at Castle Combe (Stanton and Steve Hyde). Rollcentre Racing team purchased the second Tuscan R replacing the much loved and admired Cerbera Speed 6, which had marked Martin Short’s team’s debut in GT racing.

Season 2001: the results
British GT Championship
- Barclays DeWalt – 1 win, 2 second places, 2 third places and 1 pole position
- Rollcentre Racing – 2 wins, 1 second place, 3 pole positions

Season 2002
At the beginning of 2002 Blackpool factory delivered directly on the track the third car in public at the British GT Championship Media Day: a TVR T400R for Eclipse Motor sport. But at that very same event in Silverstone it had just lost a significant sponsor. The solution was obvious – a new Orange Car and a new Orange website. It was a match made in heaven and the car raced for almost the entire season with all-over dailysportscar branding.

It won at Knockhill but was disqualified for a technical infringement. The best of the (then) trio though was still the Rollcentre Racing car: four wins and three second places were to take the Short / Pullan pair to the brink of the title at the last round at Donington Park, before mechanical woes brought an emotional end to a quite stunning season.

In the same period the Rollcentre Racing car took in the T400R’s first ever international race start with a popular (with Japanese fans) and successful run in the Suzuka 1000kms, producing a class podium. Meanwhile, John Hartshorne and Piers Johnson became the owners of the first chassis (of Race Sports Salisbury) and raced it with Peninsula TVR banners. They took a couple of early fourth places in class (image below).

Season 2002: the results
British GT Championship
- Rollcentre Racing: 4 wins, 3 second places, 1 third place, 2 pole positions
- Eclipse Motor Sport: 1 win (but dsq), 1 third place
- Race Sports Salisabury: 3 third places

Suzuka 1000kms
- Rollcentre Racing: second in class

To be continued to EPISODE 2

TVR Project 7/12, TVR Cerbera Speed 12, TVR Speed 12 - EPISODE 4

tvrblog@0-100.it (Alvise-Marco Seno) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:00:00 +0000

In EPISODE 3 we reported the TVR Cerbera Speed 12, a new project which was created from the pristine TVR Speed12. In the same time the race version of the car was developed (supposedly two cars were built) TVR created only one car strictly road legal.

According to sources, the car came to life with grey paint and W312 BFV plate.

Some time after the W312 BFV TVR Cerbera Speed 12 road version received a new plate: W312 BHG. The body was repainted red.

Nowadays the TVR Cerbera Speed12 has been updated again with a new plate: W112 BHG. The paint remained the same. In the back an enormous wing was added. TVR Unofficial Blog already reviewed the car HERE. This very special TVR, the only one in existance is currently on display at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu and stands between at Ferrari F40 and Ford GT40.

TVR Project 7/12, TVR Cerbera Speed 12, TVR Speed 12 - EPISODE 3

tvrblog@0-100.it (Alvise-Marco Seno) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:00:00 +0000

In EPISODE 2 the TVR Speed 12 with GT1 standards made its first apperances with white paint (maybe the same unit painted violet).
GT regulations caused the TVR Speed 12 to be scrapped. However, a new GT2 racer was concocted using the same engine, but few other parts. The basic design was of a Cerbera, only lower, wider, and with more aggressive styling. It was known as the TVR Cerbera Speed 12.

From now, according to sources, the were two paths: the road version and the race version.

TVR Cerbera Speed12: the race version
Unfortunately, it's impossible to say if the car pictured above became a race car or if it was used for the road legal version. Pictures below show probably the first car built and still without stickers:

Another image shows a Cerbera Speed 12 maybe without paint: looking at the bodyshell it seems it's nude carbon fiber. We don't know if this is the blue car pictured above or it's a second car which was built in the meanwhile.

Probably a short time after these images, the car with blue paint received its race numbers ans stickers:

Image below show something more: at least two units of the TVR Cerbera Speed 12 were built. There is a white car and the car with number 27 but painted black.

Following images show n.27 with violet paint. It raced in British GT Championship in 2002:

To be continued on EPISODE 4 for the TVR Cerbera Speed 12 Road Version.

TVR Project 7/12, TVR Cerbera Speed 12, TVR Speed 12 - EPISODE 2

tvrblog@0-100.it (Alvise-Marco Seno) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:00:00 +0000

In EPISODE 1 TVR started the TVR Project 7/12 with (according to experts) two mock-ups. The first violet car had many parts made with woods. The second violet mok-up received a further development with many mechanical parts but still without engine (see the last image of TVR Project 7/12, TVR Cerbera Speed 12, TVR Speed 12 - EPISODE 1).

The first working car: the TVR Cerbera Speed 12 or TVR Cerbera Racer
The violet car with airscoop on the roof became this:

This is the first TVR Cerbera Speed12 (or TVR Cerbera Racer), a race car which was ready for GT1 regulations. The car appeared also on Top Gear with Jeremy Clarkson:

An unlucky destiny
Problems during its development, changing GT1 class regulations and the eventual decision that it was simply incapable of being used as a road car ended the idea, forcing TVR executives to abandon its development.
The original installation of the V12 engine caused some engineering challenges. The exhausts were routed down the middle of the car along the transmission tunnel, again as seen with the road cars. This, coupled with the transmission tunnel being a load-bearing part of the structure created two problems. Firstly it forced the driver's seat closer to the side of the car due to the size of the tunnel. This isn't desirable in a race car when side impacts are likely. Secondly the immense amount of heat generated by the exhausts made the cabin unbearably hot in race conditions.
The vehicle's engine was a 7.7 Litre 48-valve V12 with dry sump lubrication and constructed of steel not aluminium or cast-iron that poduced 800-HP and 650 LB·FT @ 5750 rpm and that yeilded a top speed of 245 miles per hour. The car weighed in at 2,205 LBS and the transmission was a 6-speed Hollinger manual gearbox. The car's body was carbon fibre over a tubular steel chassis.

To be continued to EPISODE 3

TVR Project 7/12, TVR Cerbera Speed 12, TVR Speed 12 - EPISODE 1

tvrblog@0-100.it (Alvise-Marco Seno) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:00:00 +0000

TVR Project 7/12... TVR Speed12... TVR Cerbera speed12. The subject is quite complicated. TVR developed its project for a big race TVR with several modifications which actually generated some different "vehicles": mock-ups, race versions, street versions. Here is a brief portrait of all cars that were created.

TVR Project 7/12: the concept and the first mock-up
During '90s TVR decided to build the fastest road car in the world and to start a race-program for English GT Championship. The first result of these studies was a mok up which was introduced in 1995 and progressively it was updated until 2000.
The car should have competed with the likes of the Porsche 911 GT1, McLaren F1 GTR, Lister Storm and lots of other competitors. TVR used modified Rover engines for quite a long time but at that time Peter Wheeler decided to design or comission engines for themselves.
Engine: The heart of the 7/12 would have been a 660 bhp V12-engine, an incredible 830 Nm maximum torque. Al Melling was charged with the project of this mighty unit. Its main features were aluminium alloy block and heads, and a single overhead cam per bankwith two valves per cylinder. The entire engine weighed only 160 kg.
Chassis: the 7/12 is based on an all-new spaceframe backbone chassis, which hintsat the Cerbera GT race car. It would include a full FIA roll cage, whichwill stiffen the body. The look was dictated by the GT racing rules. It also had to be road-legal, which meant that all the rigorous tests (like crash) had to be passed and a few road-homolagated examples would have been built. But just as with the Porsche 911GT1 racing was the key.

Following images: early mock-up with wood internal parts.

Following images: the mock-up pictured above was completed for first official shows.

The TVR Project 7/12 was shown for the first time at the British Motor Show in October 1996 (picture below). The factory hoped to enter it in the 24 hours at LeMans 1997:

After the show the car went back to Blackpool for further developments. The first mockup of the TVR Project 7/12 was then laied aside in poor conditions in order to built the working cars:

TVR Project 7/12: a second mock-up
A second mock-up was completed with its own mechanical parts but still without engine.

Following image: on the left there is a later violet mockup (maybe the car pictured above, the "second" mockup) but on the right there is a third car: it has an airscoop on the roof and by its stickers and race numbers we can assume it were being prepared to join the racetrack.

To be continued to EPISODE 2

Swordfish's TVR Tuscan MK1 will join Pistonheads show

tvrblog@0-100.it (Alvise-Marco Seno) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Next NEC in Birmigham will host the PistonHeads Show. A major part of this event is the display of readers' cars. among them there will be a very famous TVR Tuscan Mk1: it's the John Travolta's TVR Tuscan he used in Swordfish.

The Chameleon Blue Tuscan started life as one of six cars used in the movie – a couple were crashed, one had holes blown out of it and this one ended up in the hands of Pascal – who is understandably pleased with his decision to buy. Now the car is owned by Belgian enthusiast Pascal Buyens. He was asked to sell the car to a US based charity but he refused! Good Job!

FFF Speed6
Mr Buyens joyned his car but he soon had to face the common problems which affected a Speed 6 engine: The crankshaft bearings on the original Straight Six went after owning it for a few months. They went into the sump, and then got thrown into the engine, resulting in a total wreck". He took the car to Racing Green TVR but he did not opt for a rebuild. He choosed the ‘Finger Follower Free’ (FFF) engine they developed. It's surely a great solution if you need a very realiable TVR. In addition he added a supercharger: "I wanted the car to be even more bonkers in terms of horsepower, while retaining the ‘soul’ of the original Speed Six as much as possible".

source: Pisthonheads

Pic of the day: TVR Tuscan Mk1, the scratch

tvrblog@0-100.it (Alvise-Marco Seno) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

We don't know exactely the correct translation from Italian into English. In Italy we call it the "scratch method". The effect is superb: an incredible sense of dynamism. This TVR Tuscan Mk1 is giving all its sense of power and motion.

Performance Car Magazine: they talk about TVR T350

tvrblog@0-100.it (Alvise-Marco Seno) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Issue n.21, November 2009 of Performance Car English magazine makes a very interesting comparison. Supermini or Supercar? Three of 2009s hottest of hatches (Seat Ibiza Cupra, Abarth Grande Punto and Mini Cooper S) go face-to-face with some of the finest sports cars of modern times: Maserati Spider, Porsche 993 and the TVR T350. Question is, how brave are you feeling?

We, of course, don't have any doubt!

tvrblog@0-100.it (Alvise-Marco Seno) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:53:00 +0000

This weekend we'll be in Padova for Automotodepoca 2009, in pavillion n.4 (AUTODIGEST magazine - TUTTOPORSCHE magazine, next to a blu Porsche 997 GT3 Cup. We didn't succeed in finding a TVR, pity). Automotodepoca is the best Italian show for Italian motoring enthusiasts (new cars, classic cars, clubs, registers, memorabilia, spare parts...). If you like, make us a visit, we'll try to take some time for us TVR enthusiasts.

Diecast Magazine on Automodello's TVR Griffith Series 200

tvrblog@0-100.it (Alvise-Marco Seno) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

GRIFFITH CAR FANS!
If you aren't receiving your monthly issue of The Diecast Magazine then you have to get down to you local Barnes & Noble bookstore or equivalent book retailer and get the latest issue of the mag. It has a GREAT story on the Automodello issue of the Griffith Series 200. The front page (copy of front page attached) shows the "EXCLUSIVE" unveiling of the car. This is one of the most researched issues of any 1:43 model and with the help of an interview with no one else but Jack Griffith himself, will bring you to the day when this little British-American Ford-powered hybrid was the fastest car on the streets of the USA.

Even if you aren't a scale model collector you will want to take a look at this very special model. Jack Griffith brought it to life, Mike Mooney brought the history of the car to life and Raffi Minasian, Jim Cowen and the entire Diecasm and Automodello team takes the next quantum leap to give you a chance to own the first issue of this historic car.

Make sure to reserve your copy of this fantastic model. If you log onto http://www.automodello.com/ and look around their virtual showroom for your particular car you will be ready to place your order. This is a first for the Griffith community and will give you a leg up on the scale model collecting community.

Video: Martin Brundle does the TVR T440R (or TVR Typhoon?)

tvrblog@0-100.it (Alvise-Marco Seno) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Ex F1 pilot Martin Brundle is at the wheel of the ultra rare PL03 BXY TVR T440R / Typhon, a sort of "Super" TVR Tuscan with supercharged engine. Sound of the engine (pump up the volume!) is incredible, images are great. Enjoy!

TVR with Speed-6: maximum care when purchasing

tvrblog@0-100.it (Alvise-Marco Seno) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Tuscan, Tamora, T350, Sagaris... every suggestion and advice on purchasing focuses on the most important part of the car and the most critical: the Speed-6 engine. Surely we're repetitious but this is not enough if you're in front of a huge expense due to lack of accuracy in evaluating the car.

Beware of sloopy houses
The first and, in our opinion, important fact is that the SP6 engine is "almost" a race engine so it needs more care than a normal mass built one. Most low milage failures now are down to the owner or previous owners care. Some people buy a TVR on a shoestring budget and do not warm it up as it should be done. It's so important that, according to some owners, when buying it should be wise to analyise the owner and his home as well as the car (if buying private). If he/she doesn't look after themself or their home then the car will have suffered the same fate! Also recent service history is a must, a plus is that it has just had a 12K service.

Take the chance!
If something is required get it done at the 1st opportunity rather than leave it until later. Preventative maintenance is absolute key on these cars! Some simple actions are fundamental: make sure you look after it by checking oil and water once a week, and warm it up correctly and take it back to the dealer/garage every time a bit of trim needs gluing on, or a window needs adjusting.

Beware of cars sitting
Age and mileage are less relevant (very low miles can be worse than very high miles). Some other skilled fellows advises to beware of cars sitting around for a long time: every buyer has to ask why when some sell straight away. If they are 'test driven' once every few weeks then left out in the rain these people would wager they will be more troublesome than a private sale garage queen.

An expert with you
It's important to get a good TVR independent to look over whatever car you are planning on buying.

Drive you TVR!
Last important advice every TVR owner will tell every beginner is rather easy: drive your car very often!! That's for your happiness but also because every TVR, not exactely a German-quality car, cannot be stand still. Average owners consider a TVR a good product but all those very little problems haven't to be neglected.

TVR buyer's guide: Tvr Tuscan Mk1 or TVR Tuscan Mk2

tvrblog@0-100.it (Alvise-Marco Seno) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Which is the best among them? Which of them has the best value-for-money? Which of them has the best reliability? Maybe in the comparison between a TVR Tuscan Mk1 and a TVR Tuscan Mk2 the Speed-6 engine is the most important aspect every TVR enthusiast should consider before purchasing.

Of course, there are some mechanical and styling differences: front grille and lights, tail and lights, cockpit (in particoular the instrumentation cluster). But the pwertrain of the car should be examined in the best way (and, of course, by a known TVR Specialist). Here are some advices:

1) In terms of period of building, a later engine doesn't give you more warranty than an older one, but, as enthusiasts say "it's the "how has it been looked after" that counts most". Owners suggest that it should have received an "engine rebuild" at least but there are those owners (even if they're few) who are running with the same engine without this strong inspection. Of course, the maintenance of the engine has to be perfectly documented.
There are some critical components which should be inspected with great care and among them everybody will quote the finger followers (we showed the ones of a TVR Tuscan S MK1 under maintenance at UK Garage of Bovisio Masciago, north of Milan. Remember: UK Garage IS NOT in Bergamo). There is also some precious and specific advice that allow to determine specific engines families: "I think in terms of reliability (engine) there is no difference if you consider a Mk1 S built as from summer 2003 or later". Anyway, a later engine 'should have' some more chance in terms of reliability.

2) Assuming the engine is "ok", every potential buyer has to understand how does he feel at the wheel. Two fundamental aspects have to be considered: steering and suspensions.
TVR Tuscan MK1 and TVR Tuscan MK2 drive differently as they have different ratio steering racks. The mk1 had a quicker rack.
Original TVR Tuscan Mk1 was fitted with Harvey-Bailey shock absorbers and it was those (plus poor setup) that gave the MK1 such a bad handling reputation. MK2s are fitted with Eibach springs and Bilstein dampers but there aren't similar comments on the better hnadling of a TVR Tuscan MK2. A tuscan Mk1 is more likely to have had it's suspension upgraded with Nitron dampers or the like which are far superior to the standard MkII dampers, so there's a good chance that it'll handle better than a standard MkII.

TVR Artemis

tvrblog@0-100.it (Alvise-Marco Seno) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Dutch designer Niels van Roij created the TVR Artemis as his graduation project at the Design Academy of Eindhoven. He designed both exterior and internal cockpit.
He was inspired by what it calls the typical TVR DNA: its feminine curves. That's why he called it TVR Artemis. Artemis is the Hellenic goddess of hunt, childbirth, virginity and fertility.

This futuristic project of another possibly future TVR (recently we talked about the TVR Sonitus) has its most important feature in the engine: four in-wheel electric motors powered by fuel-cells that turn hydrogen into electricity.

This solution offers low weight, because of the lack of heavy engine and fluids, and a quick acceleration because electro motors deliver instant power. In the engine bay a spoiler system can be found, providing downforce. The air coming in at the front of the car is being directed over this spoiler. It also feeds the fuel cells and the in-hub motors for cooling

Source: http://www.nielsvanroij.nl/

A new tag: TVR buyer's guide

tvrblog@0-100.it (Alvise-Marco Seno) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Buying a TVR is not a joke. English people are lucky because UK hosts nearly all TVR production. European enthusiasts have so few chances as there are not so many TVRs. But everybody should know every critical aspect of a TVR. And of course we should buy the best car for avoid bad surprises. So we assembleed all posts with little suggestions we collected from owners and experts and created a new tag/section (on the right column of TVR Unofficial Blog): TVR BUYER'S GUIDE.

The TVR Network - why not also in Europe?

tvrblog@0-100.it (Alvise-Marco Seno) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 08:46:00 +0000

The UK's TVR network (http://www.tvr-network.com) is a great idea because the family of TVR Specialists (those ones with the BEST experience with TVRs) is a reality! From now on every TVR enthusiast will be able to locate easily its garage for every TVR that needs servicing or reparing.

BUT: everybody knows that at least 90% of TVR production was sold in Great Britain. So why not giving a little help also to the European TVR owners and legion of merit to those european garages (in Germany, Holland, France, Switzerland, Austria and Italy) which were official dealers and/or have at present the right skillness to cuddle TVRs? This could encourage TVR passion to survive everywhere in the Continent.

pic of the day: TVR T440R race car ready for sponsors

tvrblog@0-100.it (Alvise-Marco Seno) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

When a racecar is fill up with sponsors' stickers its image changes completely in comparison with a street car. But when its body is pure and your sight can softly caress its shapes there's a strange atmosphere: a Ferrari 250 SWB or a Mercedes 300 SL raced without any sponsor and then they could run on public roads. Forgotten ages!
This TVR T400R suggests the same sensation: from Blcakpool factory to home and, on next weekend, from home to the circuit for the race with the same car.

For Italians: TVR Tuscan MK2 on Omniauto.it

tvrblog@0-100.it (Alvise-Marco Seno) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:37:00 +0000

Thanks to UK GARAGE's manager Alessandro Breveglieri (UK GARAGE is in Bovisio Masciago, north of Milan), we managed an exaustive article on the TVR Tuscan MK2 for Italian magazine Omniauto.it:

WARNING: we remind you that UK GARAGE company in Bovisio Masciago town (http://www.ukracing.it) is the ONLY ONE Italian garage where you can find (if any TVR enthusiast wants to come and visit Italy) all the assistance and skillness you need for TVRs (the staff has all contacts for spare parts with English official dealers). thanks to its reputation UK Garage in Bovisio Masciago is official dealer for other British brands. Actually UK Garage has been credited as Italian official garage for Gumpert brand. Pay attention to other companies which use the name of Uk Garage. For any clarification feel free to contact us or Uk Garage (info@ukracing.it)

TVR oversteerings

tvrblog@0-100.it (Alvise-Marco Seno) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

The dance of the tail of a TVR is one of the most exciting moments in the life with her (and with every supercar). Because this offers the most brutal aspect of TVR's nature: its savageness is completely evident. At present there's surely a paradox among common supercars: an enormous power (and in most situations an enormous weight) with too many security systems. Security is fundamental but if it ruins the driving pleasure of the car, the essence itself of the car fails. And this means that you cannot know exactely the car's soul.

TVR embodies the pure essence of a sporcars. Is free, is here for you and you can taste all of its brutal soul. But you surely know that you must have respect because it's the typical car that doesn't forgive you: either you can drive it, or... you can drive it!

A very pristine TVR Tuscan or even a prototype?

tvrblog@0-100.it (Alvise-Marco Seno) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Maybe a complex performance test. But maybe this could be even a prototype of the TVR Tuscan as suggested by the sticky tape on the front grille (are we wrong? Tell us the truth!). We already covered the mystical subject "Prototypes" talking about two pre-production prototypes of the TVR Sagaris: one is the dark grey car (which is said was dismantled) and one is a orange-red car, which is still in existance and owned by an English enthusiast, a representative of the fair-sex

Pic of the day: the gang on the green

tvrblog@0-100.it (Alvise-Marco Seno) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Here's the maximum you could expect: a TVR Typhon, a TVR Tuscan MK2, a TVR Sagaris and a TVR T350. Which is the best? Really a difficult question.

TVR folies (real or presumed)

tvrblog@0-100.it (Alvise-Marco Seno) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Who would dare creating such a thing? Maybe no one has really transformed a TVR into a Taimar Limo or a TVR Cerbera Shooting Brake (even if this is a common tradition in England as seen on Aston Martins and Jaguars).

TVR Griffith 500 SE

tvrblog@0-100.it (Alvise-Marco Seno) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:00:00 +0000

The TVR Griffith 500 SE was the last model of the Griffith family. In 2000 TVR announced that the production of the Griffith was going to an end. To celebrate this model, TVR management decided to create the last 100 cars marked as TVR Griffith 500 SE.

Although they were almost totally similar to the standard Griffith 500's, the SEs had some differences:

- TVR Chimaera dashboard
- TVR Cerbera seats.
- Different rear lights
- Different door mirrors,
- Higher powered headlights
- Clear indicator lenses
- A numbered plaque in the glove box and the build number and a Special Edition Badge on its boot
- A unique signature in the boot under the carpet
- Some of them came also with 16 inch wheels and each car comes with.

Under the bonnet there was again the brutal SOHC V8 engine, 4.997 cc, 340 hp, more than 430 Nm, 5 gears transmission, rear traction, from 0 to 60 mph in some more than 4", and max speed of nearly 170 mph. The SE was long 3.892 mm with a 2.286 mm long wheelbase. All the SE were built between 2000 and 2002, with the last registered in 2003.

For complete informations, the SE's Bible is at http://www.griffith500se.co.uk/