Why a Cerbera?
Discussion
When you were looking for a TVR, did anyone here who now owns a Cerbera debate whether to get a Tuscan? Please keep your posts objective as possible.
TVR ownership is imminent but I am having a really hard time deciding between a Cerbera or a Tuscan, evern after driving both.
Cerbera pro's:
jaw dropping looks
solid great sounding engine
Cerbera con's:
letterbox view and slightly clostrophobic cabin
no roofless action
long doors could be a problem in garage
Tuscan pro's:
Targa top option
better cabin than Cerb
shorter doors, easier garage access
Tuscan con's:
engine horror stories worry me
Look MAY date more than Cerbera's curves
AIMHO I strongly add.
Both are great to drive, and I can't separate them in that dept.
Both also scare me with worrying stories on this great forum.
In short, why choose a Cerbera over a Tuscan?
Thanks
Cad
TVR ownership is imminent but I am having a really hard time deciding between a Cerbera or a Tuscan, evern after driving both.
Cerbera pro's:
jaw dropping looks
solid great sounding engine
Cerbera con's:
letterbox view and slightly clostrophobic cabin
no roofless action
long doors could be a problem in garage
Tuscan pro's:
Targa top option
better cabin than Cerb
shorter doors, easier garage access
Tuscan con's:
engine horror stories worry me
Look MAY date more than Cerbera's curves
AIMHO I strongly add.
Both are great to drive, and I can't separate them in that dept.
Both also scare me with worrying stories on this great forum.
In short, why choose a Cerbera over a Tuscan?
Thanks
Cad
cerealsurfer said:
Cerb comes in V8..... nuf said really.
Oh and...
Tuscan prices going down.... Cerb prices going up. Says it all.
what he said......... plus its one of the most beautiful cars ever built.
I personally don't care much for the Tuscan. Probably my least favourite TVR ever.
Bud
if i was in the position to buy either a Cerbera or a Tuscan i would have no hesitation at all in choosing a Cerb for a number of reasons.
i think the design of the Cerb inside and out is better its not too OTT and it isn't too simple it is one of the most beautiful coupes ever built and the interior is a work of art.
the AJP speed 8 unit is one of the greatest road engines ever made and they (usually) aren't as troublesome as the speed six. and it sounds great too.
the cabin is great i find it very roomy and it is one of the only sports cars i can stretch my legs out in. the last Tuscan i sat in was a bit cramped in the footwell and i coldn't get used to the drivers position. the Cerb's driving position is great it feels like and looks like a jet fighter!
its more practical than a Tusc you can fit a small child in the rear seats and the boot is more commodious too it is a proper GT
i really like the Tuscan its a great car and great TVR but the Cerbera is THE TVR.
you know it makes sense!
i think the design of the Cerb inside and out is better its not too OTT and it isn't too simple it is one of the most beautiful coupes ever built and the interior is a work of art.
the AJP speed 8 unit is one of the greatest road engines ever made and they (usually) aren't as troublesome as the speed six. and it sounds great too.
the cabin is great i find it very roomy and it is one of the only sports cars i can stretch my legs out in. the last Tuscan i sat in was a bit cramped in the footwell and i coldn't get used to the drivers position. the Cerb's driving position is great it feels like and looks like a jet fighter!
its more practical than a Tusc you can fit a small child in the rear seats and the boot is more commodious too it is a proper GT
i really like the Tuscan its a great car and great TVR but the Cerbera is THE TVR.
you know it makes sense!
If you're buying new, then go for the Tuscan 2, obviously.
Unless you're serious intro tracking, then the Sagaris is a lap eater and a half.
If you're going used, then a Cerbera is a good bet, but a sorted Tuscan at a low price and then get the craft rebuild should be heavenly.
The benefit of the Tuscan is the extremely modern styling, it wont show any signs of dating in the styling department for years to come, so if you're a keeper, then that is the way to go IMO, plus there is a lot on options with that engine now, thankfully outfits like craft are providing many upgrade paths for enthusiasts.
The best way you could honestly decide, is to try and get to drive a "fine" example of each (!!!), and let your heart do the choosing, its your money, buy what YOU desire and feel comfortable with, not what others recommend, unless you're the passive sort and need re-assurance, in which case maybe a german alternative should be on your list?
Also quite a few have jumped ship to the speed 6 babies, and havent looked back, plenty of them over on the speed 6 model forums...
Some even jumped to Noble....
The one thing which lets the cerbera down in my opinion, is that she is effectively a classic or quickly becoming one, the styling although timeless, along the lines of the DB7 etc., she does show her age when parked up alongside the new TVR's.... engine wise, yes, very solid, electrics wise, not any better or worse than the others, handling wise, is better than the older tuscans, but a stock cerbera wont get close to the newer models, but what she fails in the other departments, she makes up for in pure grunt, and the only other flat-v8's you've got out there are either fezza's or the Lotus V8s....
If you're buying a fashion icon and are on a budget, then both the tuscan and the cerbera can be had for pennies these days...
Running costs dont vary much between the two.... the V8 is very quick to snap at you with its very quick revving engine and torque snaps at you very suddenly, the speed 6 is a little easier to handle, smoother more refined and has been claimed by others to be very traffic friendly.... I wouldnt personally know because I've never had the luxury of sitting in a jam behind a speed 6 wheel....
Also servicing costs should generally be cheaper, 2 less cylinders to work with and being a straight-6 etc...
My biased view would say get a Cerbie, my realistic view would say dont knock the the speed 6's, they have outsold the Cerbera by a huge margin in a shorter period.... and some are 3rd/4th speed 6 owners, theres something there which does sit well.... what it is would be difficult to explain in a post... the P&J love/attachment is another key player in your selection... but thats the difference between an owner and an enthusiast, the owner buys, drives, and sells, the enthusiast sticks through thick & thin... if you're a keeper then go for it, if you're not a keeper then be prepared to lose a little bit of cash (or more) and not get what you payed for her when the time comes to part....
A few not-very well thought out words, but there you go...
Unless you're serious intro tracking, then the Sagaris is a lap eater and a half.
If you're going used, then a Cerbera is a good bet, but a sorted Tuscan at a low price and then get the craft rebuild should be heavenly.
The benefit of the Tuscan is the extremely modern styling, it wont show any signs of dating in the styling department for years to come, so if you're a keeper, then that is the way to go IMO, plus there is a lot on options with that engine now, thankfully outfits like craft are providing many upgrade paths for enthusiasts.
The best way you could honestly decide, is to try and get to drive a "fine" example of each (!!!), and let your heart do the choosing, its your money, buy what YOU desire and feel comfortable with, not what others recommend, unless you're the passive sort and need re-assurance, in which case maybe a german alternative should be on your list?
Also quite a few have jumped ship to the speed 6 babies, and havent looked back, plenty of them over on the speed 6 model forums...
Some even jumped to Noble....
The one thing which lets the cerbera down in my opinion, is that she is effectively a classic or quickly becoming one, the styling although timeless, along the lines of the DB7 etc., she does show her age when parked up alongside the new TVR's.... engine wise, yes, very solid, electrics wise, not any better or worse than the others, handling wise, is better than the older tuscans, but a stock cerbera wont get close to the newer models, but what she fails in the other departments, she makes up for in pure grunt, and the only other flat-v8's you've got out there are either fezza's or the Lotus V8s....
If you're buying a fashion icon and are on a budget, then both the tuscan and the cerbera can be had for pennies these days...
Running costs dont vary much between the two.... the V8 is very quick to snap at you with its very quick revving engine and torque snaps at you very suddenly, the speed 6 is a little easier to handle, smoother more refined and has been claimed by others to be very traffic friendly.... I wouldnt personally know because I've never had the luxury of sitting in a jam behind a speed 6 wheel....
Also servicing costs should generally be cheaper, 2 less cylinders to work with and being a straight-6 etc...
My biased view would say get a Cerbie, my realistic view would say dont knock the the speed 6's, they have outsold the Cerbera by a huge margin in a shorter period.... and some are 3rd/4th speed 6 owners, theres something there which does sit well.... what it is would be difficult to explain in a post... the P&J love/attachment is another key player in your selection... but thats the difference between an owner and an enthusiast, the owner buys, drives, and sells, the enthusiast sticks through thick & thin... if you're a keeper then go for it, if you're not a keeper then be prepared to lose a little bit of cash (or more) and not get what you payed for her when the time comes to part....
A few not-very well thought out words, but there you go...
I can't often be arsed with 'roof off action'. In the ordinary scheme of things, I'd have chopped my Cerbera (bought new in '98) for the Tuscan in 2001 but it so obviously wasn't the superior car, I held on to the Cerbera. I ran both together for four years (Red Rose Tuscan 4.0 and Cerbera 4.5).
Much as I loved the Tuscan it just never got under my skin the way a Cerbera does. Many of the reasons are wholly subjective - the Cerbera is just TOTALLY my kind of car. The Cerbera is a real intercontinental missile - big distances in unfeasibly short times are easy in a Cerbera. Also (despite the recent rash of Cerberas spitting themselves off the road) I've found it to be the more predictable handler. The interior is as good as it gets IMHO and the whole 'sense of occasion' of the chuck keys in centre; drop hands on legs and thumb on the starter button is magical. Can't explain why, it just is. The Cerbera is also the faster car, no doubt whatsoever. In any discipline you care to choose - straight line or track (I back-to-backed my Tuscan & Cerbera on the track many times.)
The Mk1 Tuscan is a pretty edgy car, great fun if you're in the mood but something of a widowmaker if you're clumsy. The Tuscan was hard work over long distances because the steering rack was so quick - felt like I was constantly making small steering inputs to keep it pointing in the right direction. The Tuscan was the greater challenge to master - I mean really master. I had the finger follower problem at 6K then it ran fine for the next three years. I love the look of Tuscans - I think a slightly lowered Mk1 (not the 'S' with the rear light stack) with a Newlum T440R style grille is close to fine art. But still, the Cerbera was the one that I couldn't imagine being without.
Jumping into a Cerbera is like slipping on my favourite shoes. Now I've got two.
Lots of the above doesn't relate to the Mk2 Tuscan, a more 'grown up' Tuscan. A wonderful car that's super to do distance in ...but I guess if you're choosing Cerbera/Tuscan, then it's in a different price bracket. FWIW the Tuscan Convertible is the best TVR to date.
See also: www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=232716&f=6&h=0
Much as I loved the Tuscan it just never got under my skin the way a Cerbera does. Many of the reasons are wholly subjective - the Cerbera is just TOTALLY my kind of car. The Cerbera is a real intercontinental missile - big distances in unfeasibly short times are easy in a Cerbera. Also (despite the recent rash of Cerberas spitting themselves off the road) I've found it to be the more predictable handler. The interior is as good as it gets IMHO and the whole 'sense of occasion' of the chuck keys in centre; drop hands on legs and thumb on the starter button is magical. Can't explain why, it just is. The Cerbera is also the faster car, no doubt whatsoever. In any discipline you care to choose - straight line or track (I back-to-backed my Tuscan & Cerbera on the track many times.)
The Mk1 Tuscan is a pretty edgy car, great fun if you're in the mood but something of a widowmaker if you're clumsy. The Tuscan was hard work over long distances because the steering rack was so quick - felt like I was constantly making small steering inputs to keep it pointing in the right direction. The Tuscan was the greater challenge to master - I mean really master. I had the finger follower problem at 6K then it ran fine for the next three years. I love the look of Tuscans - I think a slightly lowered Mk1 (not the 'S' with the rear light stack) with a Newlum T440R style grille is close to fine art. But still, the Cerbera was the one that I couldn't imagine being without.
Jumping into a Cerbera is like slipping on my favourite shoes. Now I've got two.
Lots of the above doesn't relate to the Mk2 Tuscan, a more 'grown up' Tuscan. A wonderful car that's super to do distance in ...but I guess if you're choosing Cerbera/Tuscan, then it's in a different price bracket. FWIW the Tuscan Convertible is the best TVR to date.
See also: www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=232716&f=6&h=0
The Tuscan was out of my price range at the time.
I'm putting my Cerb on the market if/when it gets to Italy & back
& I would consider a Tuscan as I think they're a bit more modern looking. The old Cerb is a more classic, "MGB headlights" look.
I'd prefer to have one that's had a recent rebuild though (last three years) or I might get a later 4.5 Cerb.
I'm putting my Cerb on the market if/when it gets to Italy & back
& I would consider a Tuscan as I think they're a bit more modern looking. The old Cerb is a more classic, "MGB headlights" look. I'd prefer to have one that's had a recent rebuild though (last three years) or I might get a later 4.5 Cerb.
I had Tuscan S before my Cerb. I had the car from new for a year and it proved very reliable if a little fragile, I looked at a Tuscan S Mk II but wasn't impressed. The Cerb is (mine is an 03) much better put together, my wife described it as a proper car and less of a toy, its certainly quicker, handles better, has perfect steering and bags of torque. The biggest thing for me is not have the constant paranoia every time the speed six makes an unusual noise, Im sure I started to imagine them eventually! to top it off, the money I lost on my Tuscan was dreadful. If you buy a low mileage, late lightweight, you will do considerable better in the depreciation stakes than any Tuscan, with late cars appearing to have appreciated slightly. Best of luck with your purchase.
One of the problems is, you list your pros and cons on subjects mainly of taste. Which differs with everyone.
On a practical side:
Although I'm small I, too, felt a little too encroached-upon in my first few Cerbs but it is strange how acceptable and - sorry for the cliché -how "at one" I now feel inside her. It is also the only car I can remember which I drive with the driver's window usually open - even in this weather ! I just don't feel battered by the wind at all !
Costs are never predictable. You may get a gem (like me !) or a brick so there's no point second guessing it. These pages are filled with dreams and nightmares, a fact I'm sure you're already aware of.
I feel that owners are strongly drawn to their choice. If neither car has taken you by its own inimitable style I'm feeling that perhaps something more Teutonic will give you more sleep - both before and after a purchase.
Having said that - get a Cerb and be very happy with at least one decision in your life.
On a practical side:
Although I'm small I, too, felt a little too encroached-upon in my first few Cerbs but it is strange how acceptable and - sorry for the cliché -how "at one" I now feel inside her. It is also the only car I can remember which I drive with the driver's window usually open - even in this weather ! I just don't feel battered by the wind at all !
Costs are never predictable. You may get a gem (like me !) or a brick so there's no point second guessing it. These pages are filled with dreams and nightmares, a fact I'm sure you're already aware of.
I feel that owners are strongly drawn to their choice. If neither car has taken you by its own inimitable style I'm feeling that perhaps something more Teutonic will give you more sleep - both before and after a purchase.
Having said that - get a Cerb and be very happy with at least one decision in your life.
Mr.Cerbera said:
On a practical side:
Although I'm small I, too, felt a little too encroached-upon in my first few Cerbs but it is strange how acceptable and - sorry for the cliché -how "at one" I now feel inside her.
I actually set out to buy a Cerb before my Griff & Tuscan, looked at a nice 99 4.2 at Peter Smiths and I found it too cramped for me and I couldnt see out the side (im big in all directions) window without ducking down and had a letter box veiw out the front. When I tried my 03 modle with the revised roll cage and roof line I had no problem at all, the later seats make the car more roomy too. I still think the roof line looks sleeker on the pre-lightweight cars though.
keithyboy said:
. . . I still think the roof line looks sleeker on the pre-lightweight cars though.
Anyone care to post a couple of pictures to enable a comparison? - just out of curiosity
Looking at it now, I dont think the external roof line has altered, but looks rounder due to the new A pillars, certainly seems more spacious inside.
>> Edited by nsparey on Thursday 9th February 23:30
>> Edited by nsparey on Thursday 9th February 23:30
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