From The Classifieds: 2001 TVR Cerbera Speed Six

From The Classifieds: 2001 TVR Cerbera

Post-war England was flying by 1946; literally, when Heathrow was given over to civil authorities to conduct commercial flights from January 1.

With a sky full of optimism a Blackpool native decided to found a vehicle engineering business. The name? Trevcar Motors. The founder? Trevor Wilkinson.

Despite this decidedly uncreative naming effort, Wilkinson’s company – renamed the next year to the equally simplistic ‘TVR Engineering’ – would become an icon for its fearless interpretation of performance over the next six decades.

Humbly beginning with the Ford-powered ‘TVR One’ (creative, Wilkinson), TVR evolved through the 1950s building lightweight, fibreglass-bodied sports cars, but it was 1958’s Grantura that brought the TVR name to road and racetrack prominence.

Ongoing financial pressures saw founder Wilkinson depart and ‘TVR Cars’ emerge into the 1960s with progressively modernised interpretations of the Grantura space frame chassis.

These evolved into the famed TVR Griffith of 1963, a Shelby Cobra alternative powered by a 4.7-litre Ford V8 that truly set the TVR template.

Under the ownership of Martin Lilley from 1965, TVR became more prominent on British racetracks, especially when driven with exuberance by the late Gerry Marshall.

On the road the lightweight, powerful machines gained cult status for their speed and relative accessibility, at least in a financial sense (try climbing into a 1960s TVR if you’re over six feet…).

TVR’s longest-serving owner Peter Wheeler took over the company in 1981. During his quarter-century at the helm, TVR’s designs morphed from wee into wedge, growing in size and stature throughout the supercar-hungry 1980s.

There was performance to match the brash looks, with a wide range of throaty Rover-based V8 engines available under the edgy fibreglass skins, but it was the 1990s that perhaps best combined TVR’s individual madness with some method.

Wheeler reintroduced a sleekness to the styling that hadn’t been seen since the 1960s, resurrecting famous TVR nameplates such as the Griffith and Tuscan in the process. After years of ever-more modified Rover V8 power, he also brought engine design in-house, creating the impressive AJP8 V8 and ‘Speed Six’ engines.

To further reinforce TVR’s confidence, the devastating TVR Speed 12 was announced as an endurance racer. It also spawned a concept road car, known as the Cerbera Speed 12.

This incredible beast – made famous by its appearance in Sony’s Gran Turismo – was powered by a gargantuan 7.7-litre naturally-aspirated V12, yet weighed only 1100kg. Performance was predictably devastating; with a claimed top speed of 385km/h… once the rear wheels stopped spinning.

The story goes that Wheeler drove a prototype home one night and declared it too wild for production…

From the turn of the century, TVR’s fortunes faded. They kept their lightweight ethos, distinctive styling, challenging ergonomics and proud focus on being driver-aid free as other supercar makers advanced, refined and gapped the quirky British marque.

The T350C, Tamora and outlandish Sagaris were adored by British enthusiast press but failed to translate elsewhere. Once more at the point of financial ruin, the brand was purchased in 2004 by an early-20s Russian banking entrepreneur called Nikolai Smolensky.

To call Smolensky’s reign disastrous would almost be too kind, and the company went into receivership in 2006.

More than a decade later, and after several false sparks and half-baked rumours, it now appears as though TVR’s ashes have finally been rekindled. With esteemed names such as Gordon Murray and Cosworth involved in the now Les Edgar-owned company, you wouldn’t bet against TVR’s brand resurrection igniting the British car industry once more, when the reborn Griffith is unveiled at September’s Goodwood Revival race meeting.

Here’s one we prepared earlier
TVR’s were never officially sold in Australia, and they remain a rare sight on our roads despite the odd personal import.

This lovely 2001 TVR Cerbera Speed Six is one such car, the owner advertising it as one of possibly two in Australia.

Famous for its link to the Cerbera Speed 12 (two modified Speed Six engines shared a common crankshaft to create the Speed 12’s massive power unit), the Cerbera was a strong performer in its own right with its 4.0-litre atmo six-pot generating 260kW and 448Nm of torque.

Pulling only 1130kg, the front-engine, rear-drive Cerbera could hustle to 96km/h in 4.4sec.

With an indicated 40,000km on its clock from new, the current (second) owner has owned the car since 2004 and imported it personally from the United Kingdom in 2009.

Offered for a firm $55,000, the owner claims the TVR was never driven in the rain in the UK, and it also received comprehensive rust proofing. It also has a complete service history from marque specialists, both from the UK and Australia.

Finished in original Crystal Verdi green with half-leather interior and niceties such as power steering, air-conditioning and limited-slip differential, the Cerbera appears well looked after.

Not quite standard, the TVR also features some key upgrades, including a new clutch and hydraulics, as well as a Jaguar throttle body conversion and sports exhaust system. Fully-adjustable shock absorbers, upgraded front brakes, a swag of aluminium parts and 18-inch alloys fill the description.

A comprehensive list of spares furthers its case, while the advertisement finishes with a reference to the TVR’s slight widow-making tendencies:

'NB — These cars are light and powerful with no driver aids. They demand respect, skill and care. Therefore, no Hoons, P-platers or tyre kickers will be given a demonstration.'

See previous carsales From the Classifieds