The sporty TVR Tuscan Speed Six
A review of the TVR Tuscan Speed Six sports car, covering the development, important features and technical data of this classic car from classic to modern.
The Tuscan TVR
In 1997, the Cerbera was the first TVR to be equipped with the Speed Six engine, but it was the TVR Tuscan that was the first sports car designed specifically to include this unit.
In fact, its long, wide hood was very reminiscent of that ’60s and ’70s icon, the E-Type.
The TVR Tuscan Speed Six Mark 1 sports car was launched in 1999 and was equipped with a 3.6 or 4 liter Speed Six engine, developing 350 hp and 360 hp respectively.
These were followed by the “S” (400 bhp) and “Red Rose” (380 bhp) variants.
In October 2005, the Mark 2 version was introduced with minor changes to the headlights and taillights, a slight modification to the chassis to improve handling, and a modified rear wing on the S model.
At the same time, a convertible was introduced to complement the original Targa.
The Mark 2 S and Convertible were the final variants to appear and were built until 2007 when TVR ceased production.
The external appearance of all variants was largely unchanged except for the “S” model, which sported a front tray below and a small rear spoiler to further aid aerodynamics.
In terms of engine options, there were basically five available for the Mark 1 and 2 variants, ranging from a 3.6-litre to the more common 4-litre and finally the 4.2-litre R-Series.
All were equipped with multi-point fuel injection, a five-speed gearbox, and massive 11.5-inch disc brakes up front and 10.5-inch discs in the rear.
An interesting feature specific to the Tuscan was an exhaust system with the same configuration found on a motorcycle. The result was that he saved weight.
The Tuscan sports car differed from the Cerbera in that the wheelbase was shortened by 205 mm by removing the rear seats.
Also, it was built in the form of a Targa, with a roll bar placed behind the seats.
The Targa top stowed on top of the trunk, above the luggage, while the rear window could be removed and placed vertically in the trunk, in front of the luggage, to create an almost convertible experience.
The body was made of honeycomb-formed composite material instead of fiberglass, as in previous models, thus saving about 30 kg of weight.
The use of composite body panels allowed for the creation of a highly curved look, which was not possible with sheet steel or even, to some extent, fiberglass.
The cabin was upholstered in leather and legroom had been increased due to the presence of a straight-six V8 engine instead of a wide one.
Powered by a 4-litre Speed Six engine, it developed 360bhp and produced a top speed of 180mph, a 0-60mph time of 4.2 seconds and a 0-100mph time of 9.5 seconds.
It used a Borg Warner five-speed gearbox and had a good 51:49 weight distribution, front to rear.
It lacked ABS and the springs were too soft to cope with rough road, but it produced good handling capabilities on normal surfaces.
Also, at speeds above 150 mph, there was a tendency for the front end to become light and start to weave, creating a problem keeping the car in a straight line.
The TVR Toscana S
The Tuscan S sports car used a modified 4-liter Speed Six engine incorporating wilder camshafts, lighter connecting rods, and a massive 12.2:1 compression ratio.
Developing 390 bhp and weighing 30 kg less than the standard Tuscan, the “S” produced a top speed of 190 mph, a 0-60 mph time of 3.9 seconds and a 0-100 mph time of 8.9 seconds. .
The geometry of the front suspension was modified, larger brakes were installed, and the springs and dampers were improved to overcome the soft suspension of the standard variant.
The TVR Tuscany R
The creation of the Tuscan R sports car was likely the result of the failure of the Cerbera Speed 12, the 7.7-litre V12 racer that developed over 800bhp but had limited success on the track, while the street was ruled out.
Peter Wheeler, the owner of TVR, wanted to build another Supercar based on the Tuscan Racer chassis, with a wider track and a 200mm longer wheelbase, to improve cornering and increase stability at high speed.
The two versions of the Tuscan R were the T400R and T440R, powered by a 4.2-litre Speed Six engine, developing 400bhp and 440bhp respectively.
The bodywork for each was a carbon fiber composite weighing just 1,060kg, which was 400kg lighter than its competitor, the Porsche 911 GT2.
Plus, with a carbon fiber-reinforced transmission tunnel and aluminum honeycomb floor, the chassis was at least twice as firm as the standard Tuscan.
Equipped with a six-speed semi-automatic gearbox, the T440R produced a top speed of over 200 mph and a 0-60 mph time of 3.7 seconds, with a 0-100 mph time of 8.4 seconds.
Ultimately, this was TVR’s first sports car to undergo wind tunnel testing, which produced a car with a drag coefficient of just 0.32.
This marks the end of my review of the TVR Tuscan Speed Six sports car.
I will review in some detail, in future articles within this website, the entire range of TVR sports cars that were featured in the memorable era spanning from 1946 to 2000+
I hope you will join me in my Reviews.