TVR model range — historical overview

A potted history of TVR’s production cars from the classic era through the Peter Wheeler years and the modern revival. Figures and dates below are drawn from publicly available enthusiast sources and should be cross-checked against marque registers before being quoted as gospel.

The company

TVR was founded in 1947 in Blackpool and grew into one of the largest specialist sports car makers in the world, building lightweight fibreglass-bodied cars on tubular steel chassis. Ownership passed from founder Trevor Wilkinson through several hands, with Peter Wheeler’s tenure (1982–2004) producing the cars most enthusiasts associate with the brand today.

Classic era (1958–1979)

These early cars established the TVR formula: a glassfibre body bonded to a steel backbone or tubular chassis, powered by a bought-in engine.

Model	Years	Engine(s)	Notes
Grantura	1958–1967	Coventry Climax, MG, Ford	First production TVR
Griffith 200/400	1963–1967	Ford V8	US-market car, named after Jack Griffith
Vixen (S1–S4)	1967–1973	1.6 Ford Kent	Lightweight coupe
Tuscan V8	1967–1971	Ford V8	Approximately 174 built
3000M / 2500M / 2000M	1972–1979	Ford Essex V6 (and others)	Popular in club racing
Taimar	1976–1983	Ford Essex V6	Fixed-head version of the 3000M

Wedge era (1980–1991)

The Tasmin and its derivatives ushered in the angular “Wedge” styling and a much wider engine choice.

Model	Years	Engine(s)
Tasmin / 280i	1980–1986	2.8 Ford Cologne V6
350i / 390 / 400 / 420 / 450 SE / SEAC	1983–1991	Rover V8 in various capacities

S Series (1986–1994)

A return to curvier, more traditional TVR styling on a tubular chassis. The S Series famously shares brake components with mainstream Ford models — the brake servo is from a Ford Fiesta Mk3 operating a Saab master cylinder (see the brake servo cross-reference page).

Model	Years	Approx. built	Engine
S1	1986–1988	197	2.0 Ford Pinto
S2	1988–1989	662	2.9 Ford Cologne V6
S3	1989–1993	730	2.9 Ford Cologne V6
S3C	1993–1994	411	2.9 Ford Cologne V6 (catalysed)
V8S	1991–1994	—	4.0 Rover V8
S4C	1993–1994	79	V8S-derived

Peter Wheeler era (1990–2006)

The cars most people picture when they hear “TVR”. The Griffith and Chimaera used the Rover V8; the Cerbera was the first TVR with engines designed in-house (the AJP8 and the Speed Six), and the Speed Six then powered the Tuscan, Tamora, T350, Sagaris and Typhon.

Model	Years	Approx. built	Engine(s)
Griffith	1990–2002	2,351	Rover V8 4.0 / 4.3 / 4.5 / 5.0
Chimaera	1992–2003	5,256	Rover V8 4.0 / 4.0 HC / 4.3 / 4.5 / 5.0
Cerbera	1996–2006	~1,490	AJP8 (4.2 / 4.5), Speed Six 4.0
Tuscan Speed Six	1999–2006	—	Speed Six 3.6 / 4.0
Tamora	2002–2006	—	Speed Six 3.6
T350	2002–2006	—	Speed Six 3.6 / 4.0
Sagaris	2005–2006	213	Speed Six 4.0 (~406 bhp)
Typhon	2003–2004	very few	Supercharged Speed Six

The Chimaera is the highest-production TVR by a comfortable margin.

After Wheeler (2004 onwards)

Peter Wheeler sold TVR to Nikolay Smolensky in 2004. Production at Bristol Avenue effectively ended in 2006 and several attempts to restart manufacturing came to little.

A revived TVR announced a new Griffith in 2017, styled by Gordon Murray and powered by a Cosworth-developed “Coyote” Ford V8. As of writing the car has not entered series production.