RE: TVR Tamora | Spotted

RE: TVR Tamora | Spotted

Wednesday 28th October 2020

TVR Tamora | Spotted

Look familiar? It ought to be - this particular Tamora is the former TVR press car...



Searching for a contemporary review of a car you’re interested in is standard practice, but finding a review of the exact machine you’ve come across is probably not. However, in the case of the yellow Tamora advertised in PH’s classifieds, that’s exactly what we have - it’s TVR’s ex-press demonstrator. One that was driven and photographed by much of the UK media when it wore the company’s TVR 100 private reg plate. That’s not up for any debate; whether that’s a good thing or not, though, is another matter… 

Some may argue that a press car will have been thrashed to within an inch of its life all too regularly by the Matt Birds of this industry, but others will see it as a car that’s been cherished and exquisitely maintained during its time on the TVR fleet. For its first year of life at least, we can assume it was regularly serviced and kept flawless, what with its responsibility being to uphold TVR’s honour as its junior sports car and impress the cynical British media. 


From what we can see – and what the seller tells us – this car has had it good. Its Halcyon Midas Pearl paintwork is certainly gleaming in the pictures, and there’s mention of a full service history. The car has also had a recent professional detailing and been ceramic coated, so it seems the latest custodian has cared greatly for it – which bodes well for the maintenance of its most significant (and potentially costly) parts. Namely, that 3.6-litre straight-six and its Tuscan-derived tubular steel chassis. 

In fact – and as you’ll likely know – most of what lies beneath the Tamora’s curvaceous fibreglass body is Tuscan-derived; engine and suspension, too. But while the Tuscan went head-to-head with the market’s biggest sports cars, the Tamora targeted the likes of Porsche’s Boxster and Mercedes’s SLK32 AMG. That meant it essentially picked up where the Griffith left off in 2002, building on its daily usability and affordability for the 21st century.


This was all relatively speaking, of course, with the Tamora’s Speed Six motor – TVR’s brutish in-house alloy lump – initially being unreliable until it was updated in 2003, signalling alarm bells for our early run, ex-press machine. But we’d like to think TVR applied its improvements to the former fleet machine; no doubt that’s something to check, but the fact it’s apparently still running healthy is at least promising. 

Despite using a 3.6-litre motor, the Tamora’s construction enables it to weigh in at just 1,060kg; as such, the 0-62mph dash takes just 4.2 seconds and top speed is 175mph. This is serious performance, which will only feel more intense with the wind in your hair and nothing to save your blushes. Its pared-back nature ensured the Tamora stood out against its rivals back in the noughties – and leaves it looking more exciting than those old rivals as a used prospect for a buyer in 2020.


It wants to be, too, as £33,000 is an awful lot more than any of those rivals from the turn of the 21st century. But that just goes to show in what high regard the late TVRs are now held, and this is one of the more special. For the TVR faithful (and where else will they be but here?), a machine that’s featured in magazines and on TV during the Tamora’s production run has to be a particularly notable one. Not only do you have an exciting piece of Blackpool engineering, you’ve a key part of its history, a car you can have hanging on your wall and parked in the garage at the same time.


TVR TAMORA | SPECIFICATION
Engine:
3,605cc, straight-six
Transmission: 5-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 355@7,200rpm
Torque (lb ft): 290@5,500rpm
MPG: N/A
CO2: N/A
First registered: 2002
Recorded mileage: 38,000
Price new: £36,500
Yours for: £32,995

Click here to see the original ad.

Author
Discussion

thelostboy

Original Poster:

4,671 posts

231 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
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Hasn't aged well to these eyes.

Now, that Mustard Yellow (I'm guessing) Exige S1 behind it I want to see more of!

sxmwht

1,807 posts

65 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
quotequote all
The rear of these is 'kin awful. Who put those tiny lights on it?

samoht

6,226 posts

152 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
quotequote all

Looks great to me! Rear is slightly heavy-set, but no worse than the Ferrari Califino, and the rest of it looks really good, taut and muscular.

I understand that the early, more numerous and accessible TVRs such as the Griffith have been said to lack something in the way of chassis stiffness, limiting the ultimate handling acuity that they can achieve. I've also heard that the very rare and expensive last-of-the-line TVRs before the company's sad demise, such as the Typhon, were very much stiffer and more than adequate in this regard. It would be interesting to hear whether the Tamora and T350C fall more into the former or the latter camp.

gazzathehutt

70 posts

114 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
quotequote all
This Tamora was part of my £100k garage published back in March April. It was on for £35,995 at the time. Love it even more at the lower price!

toast boy

1,242 posts

232 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
quotequote all
sxmwht said:
The rear of these is 'kin awful. Who put those tiny lights on it?
I always felt the rear let these down. Having said that, given the skill of some of the fibreglass guys you could change that relatively easily and put some larger lights in to balance out the back a bit.

Still poorly styled compared to almost any other TVR though.

MrGeoff

694 posts

178 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
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That diffuser looks like someone stuck a boot spoiler on the front part of the rear end.

TR4man

5,312 posts

180 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
quotequote all
I believe Tamoras are great driving cars and the best of the T cars.

However, I’ve never been tempted by one as I find the looks somewhat “interesting”.


Dr G

15,374 posts

248 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
quotequote all
I liked the Tamora in period and steering wheel aside still think it's the best looking modern Trev.

Is that the Earls Court speed 12 hiding in the background?

so called

9,123 posts

215 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
quotequote all
Had a test drive in a Tamora back in 2009 and thought it the best TVR I had/have driven.
I've always assumed that the T350 would be a similar drive.
Much preferred the Tuscan for looks though.

cerb4.5lee

33,176 posts

186 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
quotequote all
The looks of these have always been a bit marmite to be fair, and most do agree on that. I do like a TVR in yellow though. cool

This was still a quick TVR for an entry level model though. driving

ate one too

2,914 posts

152 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
quotequote all
Looks like a bowl of Birds custard (with a number plate) from the rear ...

Scrimper

154 posts

171 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
quotequote all
I am lucky enough to have a Tamora and regard it as one of the best analogue driver’s cars out there. More fun and confidence inspiring than some much more expensive and exotic alternatives. I think it came runner up in Evo’s car of the decade when new and still think it a a very underrated car. I was also skeptical of the rear styling but it has grown on me and think it gets lost a bit with the darker paint colours.
I still still find excuses to go out drive it, a feeling sadly lacking for many other cars.

Zumbruk

7,848 posts

266 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
quotequote all
The ugly foster child of the TVR lineup. Has it had an engine rebuild from a reputable firm? If not, I wouldn't touch it with yours.

Mouse Rat

1,876 posts

98 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
quotequote all
samoht said:
Looks great to me! Rear is slightly heavy-set, but no worse than the Ferrari Califino, and the rest of it looks really good, taut and muscular.

I understand that the early, more numerous and accessible TVRs such as the Griffith have been said to lack something in the way of chassis stiffness, limiting the ultimate handling acuity that they can achieve. I've also heard that the very rare and expensive last-of-the-line TVRs before the company's sad demise, such as the Typhon, were very much stiffer and more than adequate in this regard. It would be interesting to hear whether the Tamora and T350C fall more into the former or the latter camp.
The chassis on the T cars are stiffer. The Tam and T350 are excellent dynamically. But its the engine that dominates. The Speed 6 is seismic .

Daniel1

2,931 posts

204 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
quotequote all
I'm tempted by one of these. My shortlist has both one of these and the mk1 tuscan on it. By all accounts its a sweeter drive than the Tuscan but I'm struggling to get the looks. The tuscan looks like a 00's supercar, this has the hint of self styled kit car.

Maybe its like me and looks better in person.

Flanners

205 posts

136 months

Thursday 29th October 2020
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I agree looks like an ill designed kit car, age has not helped matters. £36K jeez.............

redroadster

1,822 posts

238 months

Thursday 29th October 2020
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Only tvrs u can buy old uns, no factory no hope.

V8 FOU

2,988 posts

153 months

Thursday 29th October 2020
quotequote all
Wasn't there a rumour of a new TVR? Or did I imagine that.....

cerb4.5lee

33,176 posts

186 months

Thursday 29th October 2020
quotequote all
V8 FOU said:
Wasn't there a rumour of a new TVR? Or did I imagine that.....
I think that it was a dream that turned into a nightmare.

Chubbyross

4,613 posts

91 months

Thursday 29th October 2020
quotequote all
Not bad but it looks like it’s had buttock enhancements. I couldn’t live with that read end. And this is coming from a 911 owner.