Comments:
TVR Tuscan S (MK1) In "Rolex Blue"... will it be mine?
Coming to America in May 2026, a 2001 build with recent frame-off resto and engine rebuild/improvements. Pics are sellers, and i want this soooooooo bad!!!
If the Florida guy who owns one is reading this, pm me please.
Lightweight, no airbags, very mechanical/direct... nice power-to-weigh ratio....
...and just enough crazy to be a handful of fun for TRUE drivers. But that's normal for TVR. Only two were in U.S. for a while, but now we can import them here.
Well, won't be my first time driving on the 'wrong side' of the car. Guess i'll bring a few jars or Grey Poupon, in case someone asks at a stop light :)
That really is a stunning looking TVR Tuscan S
These TVR cars sound amazing and due to being a fibreglass body are also very fast as they weigh so little although being a fibreglass body does have advantages and disadvantages on the plus side no rusting bodywork on the minus side not so much protection if the worst happens. These are real drivers cars as are missing nearly all of the modern day drivers aids such as ABS, Airbags or traction control but that all adds to an exciting time behind the wheel as relies on the drivers skill more.
Marc
Great info Marc. Also what makes them easy(er) to repair and maintain. Due to age, all the typical known bits have been sorted / upgraded.
Well summed up …
My experience of owning a TVR was that the build quality was appalling as was any thought of basic safety.
You know that only makes me want it more. Thus would be something that had a frame-off resto, engine rebuild/improvements, etc.
Costs more, sure, but you start with a good example.
They really are not that hard to maintain and any good old school mechanic should be able to manage it.
I have to agree with Cpt Scarlet in that the earlier models were not particularly well built and they also suffered from many problems, I'm not sure TVR even knew what the word safety meant. But the later models improved on build quality a lot but at the same time you have to think for such beautiful and uncomplicated cars there must of have been a reason why they went bankrupt so many times?
I also think you are possibly attaching too much value to the restoration and I would seriously question just why a car that is claimed to have only covered 10,500 miles in 24 years would need all that engine work something seems a little off with that. I would ask to see the old MOT's which would confirm the mileage, The replacement of the smaller perishable parts such as the pipe work and rubber items due to age I can fully understand and they are not that expensive but the engine rebuild would concern me. Although no price is listed for this car looking at the others for sale and sold he seems to have very high prices, I'm not sure about the cost of shipping and import costs but find it hard to believe it results in the price doubling which is what he seems to ask from what a car in the UK would cost.
Finally I do understand the heart wants what the heart wants but from bitter experience would suggest trying to find out all you can first as I have said something just feels a bit off about this car to me. But good luck with whatever you decide.
Marc
Marc
No I never met him and sorry if my above post misled you I didn't own one but knew people who did.
But my bitter experience was sadly more than once when acting too fast and regretting it after with cars.
Marc
Marc
Getting burnt…
Never a good experience, although looking back at my journey with various cars over the years I have reached the point where I can laugh at even some the worst experiences. Did I mention the one that caught fire on the test drive ?
Best regards
Captain
Yes I remember that post, a bit like when the wheel fell off the car I was test driving round a corner.
Marc
Front wheel on a Lotus Elan but that was a humorous event and not costly as unsurprisingly I passed on buying it.
But such is the folly of youth that there were others that I bought in haste and indeed repented long and hard at leisure,
Marc
Marc
We should talk some more about this …
It could be a kind of automotive therapy for addicts 😂
HUGE thx Marc.
Many, many thanks. Guess the 'real news' for me is that TVR was now able to be imported into the U.S. No rush for a car, plenty of time and MANY thanks for your kindness and help. MUCH appreciated.
That's some invaluable direct experience. My impression as well - and I didn't own one.
Just saw them during Pebble Beach Concours and Monterey Car Week. As a small car company, I doubt they had the time and the money for thorough crash testing.
Go for it 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
It may be a journey filled with pain (or maybe not - a Chimaera went from Norway all the way to Tierra del Fuego without issues) but likewise with glory. And that inline six sounds glorious 🦾🦾🦾
Yes indeed. i miss my old, personally highly modded for track use Euro-spec Ferrari 308GTS QV.
Not just because of the hundreds (thousands) of hours modding it for track use, and of course heavy use driving her on road course tracks, but that she was very straightforward to fix (usually). Heavy sterring when slow, of course, but at speed she was brilliant-feeling. Brake pedal feel, using MOTUL 600, was excellent. That's kinda my hope with the TVR, but it has been soooo very long that i need to once again get eyes and hands on one to ensure this won't be a bottomless pit of mechanical h#ll.
Many moons ago
Back in my motorcycle days I remember being stuck in a traffic jam behind one and I was amazed of its rear end, it was a model where the lights are at the bottom of the rear bumper, pure art!
Other than that a good friend of mine ran out of gas in one due to a broken gas gauge, some things never change!