Chimaera 500 to Cerbera

[andrew_r]

Hi all,

Tentatively considering switching from a Chimaera 500 to a Cerbera. I’ve always wanted a Cerbera but thought I’d try out a Chimaera first, which I’ve now owned for 2 fantastic years, including a two week road trip around France.

There don’t seem to be many Cerberas for sale at the moment, I was wondering if anyone is looking to move in the opposite direction and sell their Cerbera for a Chimaera before I consider my next move?

Many thanks, Andrew.

[env]

Hello,

I had a 500 and went to a Cerb... have to say I didn’t realise how much I would miss being able to put the roof down! Have you driven one, it’s quite different, especially the view out.

Env

[andrew_r]

I’ve not driven one yet but have sat in Cerberas before, including a Speed 12, but that’s a different beast altogether!

Anything else you miss other than the convertible? The RV8 does sound fantastic at any speed!

Andrew.

[Tony91]

I have both a 450 Chimaera and a 4.5 Cerbera i like them both but they are completely different beasts.
The Chim is a roof down leisurely drive and the Cerb is much more frantic car and more of a drivers car.
At my age I think I prefer the Chim but for a younger person I think they would prefer the Cerb.

[andrew_r]

What a great choice to have. If only I had room for another TVR!

[Byker28i]

Tony91 said:

I have both a 450 Chimaera and a 4.5 Cerbera i like them both but they are completely different beasts.
The Chim is a roof down leisurely drive and the Cerb is much more frantic car and more of a drivers car.

Get the Cerbera AJP properly mapped and it does away with the need to keep it above 3k revs, making it a very lazy, easy to drive, great GT car.
And as for roof down, Cerbera owners drop the windows and effectively take the sides off

[Tony91]

Byker28i said:

Get the Cerbera AJP properly mapped and it does away with the need to keep it above 3k revs, making it a very lazy, easy to drive, great GT car.
And as for roof down, Cerbera owners drop the windows and effectively take the sides off

Yes agree but with stainless manifolds and cat delete with an H pipe insert its not leisurely to drive all the pops and bangs.
No covert driving in this one

[QuiteQuietCerb]

i have been considering the opposite, trading my 4.5 cerb to a chim if interested in adeal please pm me

[8Speed]

env said:

Hello,

I had a 500 and went to a Cerb... have to say I didn’t realise how much I would miss being able to put the roof down! Have you driven one, it’s quite different, especially the view out.

Env

I didn't consider a Cerb purely because you can't remove the roof. Open top motoring in the Griffith is sublime (when the weather's not as as it is currently.

[TwinKam]

8Speed said:

env said:

Hello,

I had a 500 and went to a Cerb... have to say I didn’t realise how much I would miss being able to put the roof down! Have you driven one, it’s quite different, especially the view out.

Env

I didn't consider a Cerb purely because you can't remove the roof. Open top motoring in the Griffith is sublime (when the weather's not as as it is currently.

Funny how we're all different. Having rallied in the past, I've been upside down...
I wouldn't consider owning a soft top, and certainly not one without a full cage. With the Cerb, you get that as standard (which was the decisive factor for me) and, as previously mentioned, the 'sides' retract extensively

[Jhonno]

QuiteQuietCerb said:

i have been considering the opposite, trading my 4.5 cerb to a chim if interested in adeal please pm me

Shame to downgrade..

[QuiteQuietCerb]

Jhonno said:

Shame to downgrade..

i know just fancy a change after 14 years

[Byker28i]

Tony91 said:

Byker28i said:

Get the Cerbera AJP properly mapped and it does away with the need to keep it above 3k revs, making it a very lazy, easy to drive, great GT car.
And as for roof down, Cerbera owners drop the windows and effectively take the sides off

Yes agree but with stainless manifolds and cat delete with an H pipe insert its not leisurely to drive all the pops and bangs.
No covert driving in this one

I have all that bar the H pipe. I have some lovely pops and bangs coming down from 4k to 3k revs, but a quieter exhaust system. I've done some huge journeys in europe in mine without issue (apart from the hot days and limited aircon), but then mines deliberately setup for comfortable driving, quiet, soft suspension, etc It's effortlessly fast at making progress without noticing.

I have a MX-5 as a daily, roof down is very limited in the UK and motorway commutes...

but then it would be boring if we all liked the same. I quite like the exclusivity of the Cerbera...

Edited by Byker28i on Tuesday 5th January 14:39

[cerb4.5lee]

Tony91 said:

I have both a 450 Chimaera and a 4.5 Cerbera i like them both but they are completely different beasts.
The Chim is a roof down leisurely drive and the Cerb is much more frantic car and more of a drivers car.
At my age I think I prefer the Chim but for a younger person I think they would prefer the Cerb.

Having both is the only answer I reckon. Very nice.

[gruffalo]

I always found roof off long distance drives very wearing, in the Cerb a 500 mile a day jaunt across Europe is a joy. and the extra space in the Cerb makes it great for carting the baggage for long trip around with you. I had a 400SE before the Cerbera and the difference in engine is like night and day.

The AJP8 is a very tractable engine, see the Rear Wheel numbers for mine below, that responds beautifully when pushed hard it does't have the same sound track of the RV8 but its own unique rasp that is addictive.

All this torque is addictive:-)

[8Speed]

gruffalo said:

I always found roof off long distance drives very wearing, in the Cerb a 500 mile a day jaunt across Europe is a joy.

I've had quite a variety of open cars over the years & they've all been on trips to LM, Spa, etc.
I found that wearing earplugs (especially in my Cobra) greatly reduced the fatigue - it's the wind noise that tends to induce tiredness.

[andrew_r]

QuiteQuietCerb said:

i have been considering the opposite, trading my 4.5 cerb to a chim if interested in adeal please pm me

Great, I’ve send you a PM.
Andrew

[Mr Cerbera]

Hi Andrew
I think that CerbLife can be quite challenging so I would advise you (for what 15 years of ownership is worth) to go and try a few , of each series, before you commit.

Just my thrupenny worth.

Best of

p.s. What colour combo is your Baby ?

Edited by Mr Cerbera on Tuesday 5th January 19:53

[andrew_r]

Mr Cerbera said:

Hi Andrew
I think that CerbLife can be quite challenging so I would advise you (for what 15 years of ownership is worth) to go and try a few , of each series, before you commit.

Just my thrupenny worth.

Best of

p.s. What colour combo is your Baby ?

Edited by Mr Cerbera on Tuesday 5th January 19:53

Wise words.

I have my heart set on a AJP8, but wouldn’t rule out a speed 6 if the perfect car came along. One of my only other stipulations is that it has to be one with the original round headlights, personally I’ve never been keen on the later lights.

Here are a few shots of my 500, shining beautifully in the French and British sun!..














Andrew.

[galtezza]

After 3 chimaeras i couldnt gel with the cerbera, or the tuscan (for different reasons though)

That lazy top down motoring is hard to beat, nitrons, geo, ecu & intake sorted and it was pretty good on track to, loved them but the Cerbera was very claustrophobic.

Btw - If anyone wants to keep with the dna of chimaeras or grifith, the AMG GTC roadster we have now feels so much like a modern Chimaera, the similarity of feeling is crazy and the sound burbling along is very similar to, i fell in love with it the first time i drove one because of this and my TVR halcyon days, definitely have a drive if you get the chance.

Edited by galtezza on Wednesday 6th January 10:48