1997 TVR Cerbera 4.2

Highlights

• 360bhp naturally-aspirated 4.2-litre V8
• Stunning pearlescent white paintwork
• Unique two-tone green leather upholstery
• Comprehensive service record, MOT to March 2027
• 38,044 miles on the clock, verified

Overview

Some combinations just work. Apple crumble and custard. Roast potatoes and gravy. A freshly bathed Labrador and a muddy puddle. There’s an inevitability to it, because it’s just right.

In the same way, when it comes to TVRs – lightweight, quintessentially British sportscars with more than a touch of muscle madness – the almost inevitable conclusion is “well that needs a V8”. 

The Cerbera (pronounced “Sir-bur-uh”, for the avoidance of doubt) is classical TVR, all long bonnet, crazy interior design and a hairy-chested refusal to countenance driver aids. It also just happens to be the first TVR model to be fitted with the ‘Speed Eight’ engine, an absolute beast of a thing replete with motorsport grade engineering and renowned for being utterly unburstable. So that’s a GFRP bodied coupe that weighs a smidge over a tonne, is stuffed with a 360bhp V8 and absolutely no electronic nannies whatsoever. A proper TVR then. Excellent.

This particular example is even more special too, as the original owner chose to spend some serious money on speccing something truly unique. From the pearlescent white paintwork to the two-tone green leather upholstery and the optional air-conditioning, you won’t find another example quite like this.

It’s clearly been kept in lovely condition too, with a handful of mechanical upgrades, such as to the suspension and brakes. The service history is comprehensive and entirely consists of work carried out by TVR themselves or independent specialists. Add this to the fresh MOT and you have a brilliant daft British sports/muscle car that you can confidently enjoy all right through this spring and summer.

If you’re after a unique vehicle that has the ability to really make a statement, as well as being really quite ridiculously potent, then you simply have to consider this.

History and documentation

• Registered 1 July 1997
• Present owner since February 2009, 3 previous owners
• Current mileage 38,044 miles, verified by the service and MOT records
• Current MOT expires 8 March 2027
• Stamped service book and invoices from specialists with services as follows: August 1997 @ 947 miles; February 1998 @ 5,844 miles; February 1999 @ 12,522 miles; January 2000 @ 16,081 miles; October 2001 @ 19,105 miles; October 2002 @ 20,787 miles; October 2003 @ 23,045 miles; October 2004 @ (unreadable); November 2005 @ 25,991 miles; November 2006 @ 27,145 miles; November 2007 @ 28,382 miles; June 2010 @ 31,255 miles; June 2011 @ 31,887 miles; June 2012 @ 34,157 miles; June 2013 @ 35,938 miles; February 2025 @ 37,755 miles
• The car was used very little from 2013 to 2020, then was SORN for a handful of years from 2020 to 2025, but has since been returned to the road and used for the last year
• Full document pack
• Collection of invoices for servicing and maintenance
• Original order sheet and letters from the factory
• Tracker fitted
• Two keys
• V5 present in owner’s name
• HPI clear

Interior

• Striking Fern Green and Irish Mist two-tone leather upholstery, which looks to be in excellent condition for its age, with a little light patina and creasing
• There’s a little more patination to the leather on the driver’s side of the transmission tunnel (completely normal for these), and some wear is showing on the outer bolster of the driver’s seat
• Antelope wool carpets throughout, which show well and appear to be free from threading or notable wear
• Grey fabric headlining looks to be secure and in excellent order, with no sagging, tears or staining we could identify
• 2+2 layout offers real practicality – the front passenger seat slides further forwards to enable easier ingress/egress and also to allow more legroom for the rear passenger side occupant
• Electrically operated side windows and door mirrors
• Pioneer CD/radio system
• Air-conditioning (factory option)
• Factory option mint green instrument dials
• Multi-function steering wheel
• Cerbera branded door sill plates
• We love the Cerbera’s split instrument panel, which places all of the dials in front of the driver – an unusual yet practical idea
• Generous boot space, trimmed with dark grey carpet
• All of the internal switchgear and trim appears to be in good order, with no significant wear or damage apparent
• The vendor tells us that all of the cabin’s features and functions operate just as they should

Exterior

• Rare factory option pearlescent white paintwork (also known as “Flip Flop Yellow”)
• The paintwork all looks to be original and is in nice condition, with some light marks, blemishes and chips commensurate with the car’s age and mileage
• GFRP bodyshell and panels over a steel chassis
• The bodywork itself all shows well, with no warping, chipping, cracking or notable panel misalignment that we could discern
• Carbon fibre window frame trims
• All of the badging and external trim appears to be present and correct, with no cracking or damage
• The glass elements and light lenses appear to be clean and clear, with no obvious chips, cracks or misting on show
• The underside of the vehicle has been WaxOyl treated
• Original 6-spoke 16-inch alloy wheels, which appear to have never been refurbished – they show in good order with a few minor marks
• The tyres are Uniroyal (with one Avon), 225/50 all round, and look to have good tread depth and no sidewall damage we could see

Mechanical

• Alloy 4,185cc naturally-aspirated V8
• 75-degree V with forged pistons and con-rods, plus solid-billet camshafts
• 5-speed manual transmission (Borg Warner T5)
• Rear-wheel drive
• Factory performance figures: 360bhp, 320lb-ft, 0-60mph in 4.2 seconds, 180mph
• Upgraded Nitron suspension kit fitted in 2004
• Rear suspension has been polybushed
• Braided steel brake hoses fitted all round
• AP Racing clutch kit fitted October 2012 @ 35,257 – the car has only covered about 3,000 miles since
• As you can imagine, that deliciously burbly V8 sounds incredible, both at idle and at full chat
• We’re assured that the car starts, runs and drives with no issues, and that there are no known mechanical problems

Summary

If you’re a fan of British sports cars – or just sports cars in general – then the TVR itch is one you need to scratch. They drive like nothing else on the road. The feedback and sensations are visceral, and in this Cerbera that Speed Eight powertrain is all-consuming.

We love the Cerbera, it’s a tremendously well-proportioned and handsome machine, inside and out. As with all TVRs, there’s an amount of quirkiness, but it’s good quirkiness, and many of the design decisions (such as the split binnacle) are touches of genius.

With its unique specification, great service history and lovely condition inside and out, there’s much to recommend here. At some point, you need a TVR in your life, and this may just be the perfect scratch for that itch…

This car is with our concierge partner Autoclicker in Congleton, Cheshire. To arrange a viewing, please contact them on 01565 758 302.