∙Stunning example in one of the best colours

∙Extensively restored with invoices totalling over £30,000

∙Impeccably maintained regardless of cost

∙Highly sought-after ‘S’ model, one of only 80 built

When it comes to launching a brand new car, you’d think that allowing the automotive media to perform early test drives would be pretty much par for the course. 

And if the car your launching is a Vauxhall Astra or a Ford Fiesta, then that’s exactly how it works. The opinion formers form their opinions, the public read them and the car is launched. 

But in 1999, TVR took a very different approach. Sick and tired of being portrayed as a ‘cottage industry’ by motoring writers, TVR boss Peter Wheeler banned the press from driving the new Tuscan for over a year. The company’s customers came first, and there was no need for TVR to build a press car with its order books already full. 

He got a bit of stick for it back then (mostly from moaning motor noters who couldn’t get their TVR fix), but when they did finally get to drive TVR’s most independently developed car ever, they realised that the Blackpool-based company had created a sports car that wasn’t flung together from other manufacturers’ parts bins, but was a bespoke and really quite brilliant car, complete with TVR’s own straight-six engine. 

Not only that but Wheeler had played them beautifully – by not letting them near the car, he’d generated loads of column inches (mostly of journalists moaning) and had built up a level of expectation for the car, which was genuinely really good. 

Much more than a standard Tuscan with an additional 30-40hp, the Tuscan S was a development of the old Red Rose variant but with a number of significant developments. At the forefront of these was a revision of the chassis geometry with different kingpin inclination and less bump steer to specifically set the car up for the 18” wheels which came as standard on the Tuscan S. Spring and damper rates were also stiffer to complement the car’s tweaked chassis and extra power. The brakes were enlarged to 322mm at the front and 298mm at the rear. Externally, the Tuscan S was most notably distinguishable by its lower front splitter, unique rear light arrangement, and prominent rear spoiler.

The engine of the Tuscan S was further developed to produce 390 bhp at 7,000rpm and 310 ft.lbs of torque at 5,250 rpm. Additionally, it featured most of the Tuscan’s options list as standard. Among these were air conditioning, gas discharge main beam headlamps and a DAB stereo (it being the first production car to have one fitted as standard).

Today, Tuscans are among the most collectable of the pre-Smolensky era TVRs, especially in Tuscan S form. They’re rare and not often offered for sale, which makes this particular example a rare and unmissable opportunity. 

The Tuscan is offered for sale by a TVR Car Club member and true enthusiast who has owned it since 2016. Prior to that it had another long-term keeper from 2003-2016. 

It has been impeccably maintained and has a comprehensive service history, stamped as follows:

21/05/2001 at 21 miles - PDI & Customer Handover (Brooklands TVR)

13/07/2001 at 1,013 miles - 1,000 mile service (Brooklands TVR)

25/06/2002 at 5,969 miles - 6,000 mile / 12 month service (Brooklands TVR)

27/08/2003 at 10,117 miles - 12,000 mile / 24 month service (The TVR Centre)

23/08/2004 at 13,991 miles - 18,000 mile / 36 month service (The TVR Centre)

20/12/2007 at 17,748 miles - 24,000 mile / 48 month service (Trimar Sports Cars Ltd.)

03/07/2011 at 20,197 miles - 30,000 mile / 60 month service (Top Cats Racing) FULL ENGINE REBUILD

16/01/2012 at 21,104 miles - 30,000 mile / 60 month service (Top Cats Racing)

17/10/2016 at 21,898 miles - 36,000 mile / 72 month service (Covert Classic & Sports Cars)

27/06/2019 at 24,784 miles - 36,000 mile / 72 month service (Covert Classic & Sports Cars) BELTS CHANGED

The current owner has been meticulous in its upkeep, even going to such lengths as to hand-finish an authentic gold-plated Tuscan S boot badge. The original is no longer available, but rather than settle for a silver one, he had the original badge stripped of its existing coating and remnants of paint, before applying new gold plating. 

The black coloured inset was painstakingly reapplied using a fine syringe for a flawless finish. It may sound a trivial detail, but this is the level of detail that has gone into the car’s maintenance. 

The Tuscan has a substantial history file including bills and receipts for work carried out during its life and every MOT from new. 

Since 2016, it has been privately owned by an enthusiastic member of a long-established, family-run specialist car business. Whilst there are bills and receipts for a catalogue of new parts, for the most part, labour (many, many hours of it) has been provided un-billed by the vendor’s father, a reputable classic car specialist with some 50 years experience.

It has a UK V5C in the current owner’s name and will be supplied with the cherished number plate in the photos. 

Finished in Viper GTS Blue, the Tuscan S looks terrific from every angle, from its menacing six-light front to its kicked-up rear. It benefits from a recent full respray completed to the highest of standards and costing the substantial sum of £7,200. Not wanting to risk any unsightly stone chips, the front end was subsequently finished with paint protection film installed by the experts at Paint Shield in Peterborough, at a further expense of £999.60.

The car remains in fantastic order, with no signs of damage to any of the fibreglass panels.

Whilst the Tuscan is widely acknowledged as being less affected by chassis rot than earlier models, it is fair to say that this example is still quite exceptional. Nevertheless, to ensure that the chassis is presented as exceptionally as the rest of the car, countless hours were spent by the vendor removing any light surface corrosion before applying a fresh coat of paint. Though acknowledging the benefits of applying a rustproofing product, the conscious decision was made to present the car as honestly and cleanly as possible given the limited dry-weather use it sees.

The suspension arms too received the same restorative/corrective treatment as the chassis structure. Again, only the lightest surface corrosion was to be found prior to repainting.

The seven-spoke ‘Spider’ alloys are all perfect, themselves benefiting from recent refurbishment. The Goodyear Eagle F1 tyres provide further evidence of the fact that truly no expense has been spared. 

Also supplied is a new rear screen and unmarked targa roof panel, which remains unused since the aforementioned respray. Additionally there is a Cover Zone Stormforce tailored waterproof cover, ideal for those weekend getaways where – in true British fashion – rain is an inevitable possibility.

By the way, if you’ve ever wondered where the door handles are on a Tuscan S, they’re integrated into the door mirrors. Obviously. Where else would they be?

The interior of the Tuscan S looks like it has come straight out of a Jules Verne screenplay – it’s a maelstrom of strange and wonderful chrome and gold weirdness, with random controls and a bizarre mixture of digital and analogue that can only be the work of a company as free-willed as TVR.

Informed by the owner that the carpets had suffered from fading (a common plight of TVR models) the decision was made to have Central TVR supply and fit new Wessex Wool carpets throughout, both in the cabin area and boot compartment. Beautifully upholstered in blue with a magnolia trim, the carpets were returned to factory spec.

Similarly, both driver and passenger seats were subsequently re-trimmed in magnolia hide with contrasting Russian blue perforated leather inserts to redress minimal wear evident on the seat bolsters. As the internal foam structure of the driver seat bolster had shown early signs of degradation, a new foam ‘hoop’ was fitted to ensure correct form. Additionally, new seat backs were supplied as the original items had suffered some distortion with age. These too were finished in magnolia with the correct ‘Tuscan’ badge inserts, retaining the ‘OE’ look at the heart of the project.

Emblematic of the sellers fastidiousness, both handbrake and gear gaiters were replaced not once but twice, as the first set were produced with cream stitching rather than the correct contrasting blue stitching.

All switchgear functions correctly and with no known faults.

Anyone familiar with TVR’s in-house designed 4.0-litre straight-6 engine as fitted to the Tuscan will be well aware of its renown fragility. Likewise, they will appreciate the importance of finding a car with a capably rebuilt engine using the later, strengthened components.

Reassuringly, in the weighty folder of paperwork accompanying the car is an invoice to the tune of over £6,500 detailing an engine rebuild by revered specialist STR8SIX at 20,197 miles. Shortly preceding this, there’s an invoice totalling £856.69 exclusive of labour for a new clutch twin plate and slave cylinder.

Developing 390bhp at 7,000rpm, at launch TVR officially claimed a top speed of 195mph+, hitting 60mph in an astonishing 3.8 seconds. It’s entirely believable, too: it goes like a rocket ship and sounds amazing at full chat.

The car has been properly looked after throughout its life and has been maintained by specialists with no expense spared. It holds good oil pressure and maintains a steady temperature with each of the two cooling fans switching on independently at the prescribed temperatures. 

More recent work includes a new front anti-roll bar, saddle brackets, front and rear drop links, and a new suspension wishbone bolt kit, none of which out of necessity, but rather out of an obsessive strive for perfection. At a recorded 21,104 miles the car was fitted with the highly esteemed Gaz Gold Pro coilover suspension, boasting adjustability of both ride height and damping.

Filling the void behind those distinctive alloy wheels are recently-fitted genuine TVR brake discs and EBC performance pads both front and rear, the AP callipers proudly wearing the correct yellow ‘TVR’ branding.

The vendor reports that the steering, suspension and brakes are all in very good order and that the car is as exciting to drive as its looks suggest. 

It is also accompanied by an AccuMate battery charger and conditioner with cigarette lighter adapter as well as battery jump leads with an Anderson connector – ideal for a car that will only be used occasionally.

This must unquestionably be one of the finest examples of the Tuscan in existence today, benefitting from extensive restorative cosmetic and mechanical work totalling an eye-watering £30,000. To summarise the extent of the restorative works performed and to put into words the extraordinary quality of this car is all but impossible.

It’s not a car for the faint-hearted, but then that’s pretty obvious from its looks. It has the performance and macho handling to match, along with a truly beguiling exhaust note. The acceleration is blistering, and it sounds truly amazing when it opens its lungs. 

Yet to look at and admire, it’s also an amazing thing. With its low mileage, excellent maintenance record and fabulous colour scheme, this must be one of the best Tuscan S’s ever to come to market.

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