Chimaera 400
Ted samples the entry level Chimaera
Price rises, specification changes, Red Rose packs, bigger wheels, hard ride, soft ride... There's little doubt that the Tuscan Speed 6 has stolen the limelight since its launch. Even prior to launch the excitement of the most radically styled TVR ever, left the Griffith and Chimaera struggling for a look in. Speculation was that the launch of the Tuscan would mark the death of the Rover engined cars. Luckily that hasn't been the case.
The range of cars on offer now from TVR is admirable for a low volume manufacturer. It would be easy to have consigned the moulds for the Chimaera and Griffith to the scrap yard, but for one thing - they are still stunning cars, that have aged little in terms of styling or their capabilities despite first rolling off the production lines back in 1992/3.
Compromise
Mention the word compromise in the context of sports cars and it's usually accompanied by explanations of shortcomings in one department or another. The Chimaera however, still represents one of the best compromises on the road today.
The entry level Chimaera until last year was the four litre model. It was still the more painful side of £30,000 but it remains one of the best cars TVR have ever built. The four litre engine was the perfect introduction to the world of TVR. Tame enough not to overwhelm the TVR virgin, yet powerful enough to have plenty of fun with. Most importantly of all, it sounds fantastic. Let's hope TVR don't lose sight of the fact that most people fall in love with the sound of those V8's first.
Music
It's no wonder that TVRs are driven fast. Of course the power is there to be enjoyed but as much as anything the aural pleasure to be had from playing that V8 is to blame. Given an open stretch of road the urge to press the pedal into the carpet is irresistible. The low pitched resonating music from the exhausts is so addictive. Passers by goad you to rev the engine and other drivers lower their windows to enjoy the V8 too.
Luggage space is usually the first compromise if you want fun from a fast road car. The capacious boot of the Chimaera shows that this needn't be the case. Even with the single piece roof in the boot, there's plenty of room for luggage and we're not talking about bizzarely shaped custom made bags. Inside the car, there's a variety of places to stash your nik-naks and the large rear shelf for further bags if necessary.
Recipe
As with most modern TVRs the dashboard is a lesson to the purveyors of plastic that a stylish interior is always possible from simple age old British recipe. Take the full set of simple analogue dials, apply them across a sweeping piece of tree trunk and dress with fine aluminium controls. It hasn't taken a budget of millions to develop a VW style pleasing feel to the controls either. Most of the buttons and controls operate smoothly and feel solid. Best of all it has a heating system that's particularly good in cold weather. This was a car that must have been designed in the winter. Whilst drivers of earlier 'S' models suffer with one cold hand from the inadequete heating systems, the Chimaera driver enjoys a full roasting of hot air, just right for those mad roofless frosty mornings.
It has the usual smatterings of quirkiness with the doors opened by the extra 'gear knob' on the centre tunnel (good for convincing people it's a diff lock for the four wheel drive), no door handles on the outside and electric window buttons that are out of sight. Sadly the cars come with plastic indicator stalks as standard but once these had been replaced with the stainless steel variety the interior is perfect. The height adjustable steering wheel is equally welcome.
Solid
TVR is still tarnished with questions over built quality but the Chimaera is showing the benefits of a long production life. A modern Chimaera is a very solid feeling car without the squeeks or rattles that you might expect of a relatively cheap hand built car.
You might think that this comfortable, spacious two seater is just a tourer but the chassis is once again a good compromise. It's no Lotus Elise, but then it wasn't intended to be. The Chimaera has a firm but compliant ride. Many Chimaera owners upgrade from an S and are initially disappointed with the softer ride and the relative lack of feedback compared to the talkative S.
However it's just a different car, talking in softer tones. There's good feedback through the steering but you wouldn't describe it as sharp. The chassis feels rigid and provided you're not silly with your right foot the handling is predictable. Push too hard and it will skip a little before breaking away with rear traction the first victim. It soaks up the bumps well but sparks can fly from the low slung chassis on some of Britains 'B' road specials. It is a car that you can drive very quickly cross country or around a track. You might lose out in bends to the 'corner on rails' brigade, the acceleration possible out of bends provides just as much fun and challenge.
Friendly
That acceleration is provided by a powerful yet friendly engine. It should come as no surprise that you see so many Chimaeras in London. The four litre V8 is a doddle to drive in traffic. It has a slightly dull and easy feel to it at low revs, not really threatening any trouble until around 3,500rpm. From there it pulls strongly with its mid range is tremendous fun for blasting past unsuspecting tin-tops.
Down sides? The roof can obstruct rear visibility when folded back, even with judicious fiddling and of course the radio reception is poor as in many TVRs. But then who listens to the radio when you've got that eight piece ensemble under the bonnet?
The Future?
Will the Chimaera stay in production for much longer? New models from TVR and the eventual demise of the Rover V8 will dictate its future. A future we won't try to second guess.
Get a roof cover or you'll find that in winter all the carpets will go mouldy!
Also, there is a bit of a flat spot lower down in the rev range (2000rpm 'ish) as this engine hasn't had its engine management looked by TVR. They just bored it out and plonked it in. However, this can be cheaply rectified.
Also, engaging reverse gear is a very cog grating affair unless you engage 5th first and then slip it down into reverse.
There is no red line but one is told that the max limit is 6250 rpm.
In practice, my mechanically sympathetic ears can hear the top end rattling in protest at around 5500rpm so I usually change up at this point.
The torque is such however that it doesn't really restrict the actual acceleration to any degree.
It wakes up at 3500rpm and lifts its skirts at 4000rpm.
Just driving between 4000 and 5000rpm is an easy, stress free and rapid experience.
4500rpm gives around 120mph.
Other than that, the article's more or less spot on.
I have not noticed any flat spot on mine - pulls nicely all through the range from about 1500rpm.
I think the SD1 gearboxed cars are less prone to the gearbox graunch then the later cars but any gear then reverse will work - don't ask me why though.
My rev coumnter has a yellow marked are from 5750 to 6250 where it turns red. The rev limiter does kick in at just more than 6300 (I have found it a couple of times !), I obviously don't have your sympathetic ear.
And I agree that they do go well
Still, I think yours is a hotted up version (the HC)?? which pumps out more power and has obviously been breathed on. And I think we are talking 40 odd bhp here which is quite an uplift.
Where did you apply the silicon stuff on the roof by the way? I know several people who have had leaks in the Tivvies.
Justin Hill said:Deep clean the roof first. If you can get all the muck out of the weave it will look very much better and more even. I used washing up liquid and a nail brush and scrubbed hard. This dislodged the muck and also the water proofing. I then drenched the roof with a hose pipe and scrubbed it until all the suds stopped. If there's any soap left the sealer won't bond. Then left it to dry completely
Where did you apply the silicon stuff on the roof by the way? I know several people who have had leaks in the Tivvies.
Brush on fabsil liquid liberally and quickly. Brush it on in lines and don't let the previous line dry before you paint the next. Best to mask off the window and bodywork on the rear section. Do the roof off the car.
I did mine 3 years ago and haven't needed to do any proofing since.
Don't use spray on water proofing. The fabric needs to be soaked in liquid silicon.
Top man tvrbob.
When (if) the summer happens, I'll do it then. Mind you, for the last 2 years I've had a garage! And being an unashamedly summer car, the necessity for water proofing has somewhat waned.
The first few years of ownership did however involve driving around in a stinking mouldy car.
But did it detract from the driving experience?
Naaaaaaaaaaaaaah.
The graunching on reverse is because the T5 box that replaced the SD1 unit has no synchro on reverse - it's not meant to have. Select any other gear before reverse and it won't happen.
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