A Teenage Dream's So Hard To Beat - TVR Cerbera 4.2
Discussion
Thanks to a fortuitous set of financial circumstances (mortgage paid off, made redundant at the back end of last year, and found a new job pretty sharpish - meaning the redundancy payout I got can be spent on a 'want', not a 'need') I have recently found myself in a position to tick off a big bucket list item for me.
If we rewind back to the late 90s ... lads had their hair cut with a bowl and curtain fringes ... girl power was trying to work out what a zig-a-zig-ah was ... and a small group of mentalists were building bonkers cars in Blackpool. It was in this environment that a teenage me visited the Earls Court Motor Show where one car stood out as being hopelessly exotic and quite frankly batshizzle crazy ... the TVR Cerbera. It was long and low and swoopy, and powered by a wonderfully exotic sounding (on paper - I think I'd have passed out if they'd actually fired it up on the TVR stand!) race derived V8. I was smitten. I'd always been interested in cars - for as long as I could remember - but this was the first car outside of the unobtainable poster cars of the 1980s and 1990s that I felt so strongly about.
If we then fast forward through the years of sensible financial decisions and fun-but-frugal cars, we arrive at the very recent past where I suddenly had about £30k burning a hole in my pocket and an unticked bucket list item staring me in the face. I faced a fundamental question ... after all these years of being sensible, am I stupid enough to buy a car with a reputation for either not working, or trying to kill you?
And this would be a very crap Readers' Cars thread if the answer was 'no'!
I started closely watching the market and trying to understand more about the detail of these cars - to try and avoid buying a lemon (how these words may come back and haunt me!) - back in September when my (and most of my team's) redundancy was confirmed, but I resisted actually going to view cars until I accepted a new job offer in January.
The first car I went to see was at a specialist dealer down towards Bristol, and was a lovely car. Driving it was everything I hoped it would be ... raw, loud, unfiltered and faster than runny poop off a teflon coated shovel! The only downside was that I wasn't a big fan of the interior colour (it was very subtle, and something I only noticed once the car was out in sunlight) ... and as this was a complete 'heart' purchase, I just couldn't bring myself to go for it. But it did cement the thought that a Cerbera is a car I would love ... I just needed to find the right one.
So the search continued.
The next car I saw was a 4.2 in a striking shade of Starmist Ocean Haze. I fell in love and after a short test drive and a very easy negotiation with the seller, we had agreed a price. The car was already booked into a TVR specialist for a few bits and bobs. And so I paid a deposit and we agreed I would collect it once back from the specialist. That day is this Saturday and I am beyond excited!!!
Literally like a 5 year old kid on Xmas Eve!
The car is only on 22k. It was purchased by the current owner about 10 years ago on 13k after being off the road for many years. He recommissioned it and has been doing about 1000 miles a year in it since. It looks wonderful and seems to be mechanically, structurally and electrically sound (again ... more famous last words). Broadly a standard car, bar the sports tail pipes.
I'm starting this now as I'm also starting my new job on Monday, so not sure how much spare time I'll have to write stuff for the next couple of weeks while I get used to being back at work again!
I'll leave you with a couple of pictures from the seller, but will try and give a few more details and my thoughts on the car, as soon as I can.
If we rewind back to the late 90s ... lads had their hair cut with a bowl and curtain fringes ... girl power was trying to work out what a zig-a-zig-ah was ... and a small group of mentalists were building bonkers cars in Blackpool. It was in this environment that a teenage me visited the Earls Court Motor Show where one car stood out as being hopelessly exotic and quite frankly batshizzle crazy ... the TVR Cerbera. It was long and low and swoopy, and powered by a wonderfully exotic sounding (on paper - I think I'd have passed out if they'd actually fired it up on the TVR stand!) race derived V8. I was smitten. I'd always been interested in cars - for as long as I could remember - but this was the first car outside of the unobtainable poster cars of the 1980s and 1990s that I felt so strongly about.
If we then fast forward through the years of sensible financial decisions and fun-but-frugal cars, we arrive at the very recent past where I suddenly had about £30k burning a hole in my pocket and an unticked bucket list item staring me in the face. I faced a fundamental question ... after all these years of being sensible, am I stupid enough to buy a car with a reputation for either not working, or trying to kill you?
And this would be a very crap Readers' Cars thread if the answer was 'no'!I started closely watching the market and trying to understand more about the detail of these cars - to try and avoid buying a lemon (how these words may come back and haunt me!) - back in September when my (and most of my team's) redundancy was confirmed, but I resisted actually going to view cars until I accepted a new job offer in January.
The first car I went to see was at a specialist dealer down towards Bristol, and was a lovely car. Driving it was everything I hoped it would be ... raw, loud, unfiltered and faster than runny poop off a teflon coated shovel! The only downside was that I wasn't a big fan of the interior colour (it was very subtle, and something I only noticed once the car was out in sunlight) ... and as this was a complete 'heart' purchase, I just couldn't bring myself to go for it. But it did cement the thought that a Cerbera is a car I would love ... I just needed to find the right one.
So the search continued.
The next car I saw was a 4.2 in a striking shade of Starmist Ocean Haze. I fell in love and after a short test drive and a very easy negotiation with the seller, we had agreed a price. The car was already booked into a TVR specialist for a few bits and bobs. And so I paid a deposit and we agreed I would collect it once back from the specialist. That day is this Saturday and I am beyond excited!!!
Literally like a 5 year old kid on Xmas Eve!The car is only on 22k. It was purchased by the current owner about 10 years ago on 13k after being off the road for many years. He recommissioned it and has been doing about 1000 miles a year in it since. It looks wonderful and seems to be mechanically, structurally and electrically sound (again ... more famous last words). Broadly a standard car, bar the sports tail pipes.
I'm starting this now as I'm also starting my new job on Monday, so not sure how much spare time I'll have to write stuff for the next couple of weeks while I get used to being back at work again!
I'll leave you with a couple of pictures from the seller, but will try and give a few more details and my thoughts on the car, as soon as I can.
. I hope you have many happy Miles OP. You're a man after my own heart.
Having lived not too far from the factory in Blackpool, one of these was always my bucket list car, but life has since got in the way and I don't think it will ever happen for me now. I remember being taken out as a kid for a ride in one and it's stuck with me ever since - the noise and sense of occasion was simply unmatched.
That's a stunning colour and looks in great condition. Please update this once you've driven it home.
Having lived not too far from the factory in Blackpool, one of these was always my bucket list car, but life has since got in the way and I don't think it will ever happen for me now. I remember being taken out as a kid for a ride in one and it's stuck with me ever since - the noise and sense of occasion was simply unmatched.
That's a stunning colour and looks in great condition. Please update this once you've driven it home.
t!These are awesome. I’ve had a few TVRs and have come very close to buying one of these (also tried my first at the same specialist near Bristol). Still a bucket list car for me to own. The backseats really appeal as it makes the car a lot more useable if you have kids!
Ocean haze is super - I think it’s the same colour as on the Griffith that Clarkson drove round Europe.
Enjoy and please keep updating!
Ocean haze is super - I think it’s the same colour as on the Griffith that Clarkson drove round Europe.
Enjoy and please keep updating!
I don’t normally like green cars, but it seems to suit the Cerb.
The walnut dash looks a bit incongruous, but presumably easy enough to change (assuming you agree)
Having ticked off three bucket-list cars in my long and chequered car history (and suffered considerably for the privilege) I salute you for going for it - you WILL regret it at various points in your ownership, but in those fleeting moments when you find yourself on the right road, in the right conditions, it will be magical.
Enjoy…
The walnut dash looks a bit incongruous, but presumably easy enough to change (assuming you agree)
Having ticked off three bucket-list cars in my long and chequered car history (and suffered considerably for the privilege) I salute you for going for it - you WILL regret it at various points in your ownership, but in those fleeting moments when you find yourself on the right road, in the right conditions, it will be magical.
Enjoy…
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