Hyper-rare TVR T440R for sale
One of two? Maybe three? No one knows, but the chance to buy Blackpool's road-going Le Mans racer don't come often
When was the last time a car stopped you dead in your tracks? At the risk of sounding jaded by the relentless supply of multi-million-pound hypercars, it’s rare for a new model to elicit an audible ‘wow’ upon laying eyes on it. If you feel the same way, then I suggest you visit the Classic Motor Show at the NEC (you’ll have to wait until next year, sadly), because it’s full of cars that are immensely rare, achingly cool and have yet to be plastered all over social media. It really does make you feel like a kid again.
Many ‘wows’ were had, particularly those prompted by a genuine 1992 Lancia Delta WRC in full Martini gear and an Alpine A110 rally car with a PH sticker on the wings. But it was the TVR Car Club’s display that floored me. There, front and centre of the stand, was an original TVR Speed 12 prototype from 1997. A car that I could have sworn didn’t exist, but there it was, looking splendid in reflex purple, as it awaits a comprehensive restoration. And if that wasn’t enough, the car parked next to it is the one we have for sale here: a bonafide T440R.
Also known as the TuscanR, Typhon and T400R at various points during its development (we'll come back to that), the T440R followed in the Speed 12’s footsteps as TVR’s ticket to Le Mans. The company tried and failed to run the Speed 12 at the legendary 24-hour race, but the binning off of the GT1 ruleset at the turn of the millennium meant the only place left for it to compete was in the British GT championship. Not willing to let the Le Mans dream die, TVR set about building another purpose-built racer to compete against Ferrari 360s and Porsche 911s in the LMGT class for 2003. However, the FIA required that at least two variants be built for it to be allowed through the door, so one came badged as the T400R with a 4.0-litre straight-six and another as the T440R with a 4.2-litre engine.
Remarkably, the car we have here, ZNG, is believed to be the one and only T400R. Its 4.0-litre engine has long gone, however, in its place a new, 4.4-litre straight-six with power up from the original’s 400hp to 440hp, matching that of the original factory T440R. Complicated, isn’t it? But just like any TVR, just because it left the factory in a certain state wasn’t a sign that it was finished. And it’ll come as no surprise that the company slapped a supercharger on the third car and gave it the aforementioned Typhon name.
Anyway, back to the car in question. While its engine has received a few tweaks over the years, the rest of the car remains the same. The T440R was built around a tubular frame chassis with an aluminium honeycomb floor, integrated roll cage and carbon fibre bodywork. It tipped the scales at a little over a tonne and, with its CAD-developed shape resulting in a slippery 0.32cd, was said to be capable of 200mph plus. An incredible feat given it was built from the ground up in a factory akin to a blacksmith’s workshop.
Like the Speed 12, there’s an element of mystery to the T440R. Nobody really knows how many they made, nobody can properly remember which one was called what, and most accounts from former TVR employees are contradictory at best. But this one is arguably the most well-known of the lot, having been a former press car (and driven by Clarkson pre-new Top Gear) and appearing at the occasional show. The seller’s looking for £249,990, comfortably making this the most expensive TVR shy of the original Speed 12 (with another soon to follow). But there’s only one other like it, and the other hasn’t been seen in decades. So act now, because you may not get a second chance.
...never mind that the original Honda NSX had 276 bhp from its V6, and yet is a great example of how there's a lot more to a great fast car than just raw bhp figures...?
I personally don't look at a car and go "what's the BHP" but that's just me.
I don't live in a world where the same power as an early DFV or 7litre Cobra is airily didmissed as 'not that much '
...never mind that the original Honda NSX had 276 bhp from its V6, and yet is a great example of how there's a lot more to a great fast car than just raw bhp figures...?
I personally don't look at a car and go "what's the BHP" but that's just me.
These cars are quite small.
So achievable, but not by a lot. Needs another 1000bhp oto be sure
These cars are quite small.
So achievable, but not by a lot. Needs another 1000bhp oto be sure
(Photo courtesy Matthew Poxon, Goodwood TVRCC 2011 - https://flic.kr/p/abJyW8)
T14HON and TYP60N used to both be frequent regulars at Goodwood and PH events back then.
One of my photos:
The issue for me is, if you have £250,000 to spend on a car (I don't), would this ever be top of the list?
A fabulous thing, though.
(Photo courtesy Matthew Poxon, Goodwood TVRCC 2011 - https://flic.kr/p/abJyW8)
T14HON and TYP60N used to both be frequent regulars at Goodwood and PH events back then.
One of my photos:
'One of two? Maybe three? No one knows'
That's a load of b
ks from the author. This red car is the T400 prototype that did the Le Mans Evo run and the motor shows next to the Green T440. It has spent almost all its life since decorated in the De Walt racing colours and stripped of running gear.
In its first guise it was badged as a TuscanR and then T400. It has never worn any of the other badges.
The silver car has always had a T440 badge.
The earlier Green car has worn multiple badges as it was used for the motor shows until NS took it as his car.
The second Green car is the only one ordered, specced and delivered to a customer and by the time it was delivered all the previous badge names had been dropped and everything was just called a Typhon.
The Orange car is the only one that was ever actually ordered and specced as a Typhon with its full supercharger set up. But was never delivered to its customer and the company went bust before they resolved the over heating issue.
We know all about these cars bar one single mystery, which is what happened to the Brown one that did the rounds of dealers and the Brundle video. Except I'm pretty sure I know exactly what happened to it as do others. NS wanted the Green customer T440. He literally wanted that car and have the customer wait for another one to be done. Instead of doing that TVR took another one and painted and trimmed it to be identical. There was only one car in existence that this could have been done to.
There are 5 cars. This TuscanR/T440. The Silver T440, a brace of Reflex Green/Charcoal T440 spec cars badged as Typhon's and the Orange Typhon, which was originally supercharged.
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