Highlights
- Long term enthusiast owned car with full TVR service history
- One of just 356 Tamoras built
- Just serviced by TVR specialists
- One of the most tactile, nimble and stylish British sports cars of the last 20 years
- £5,000 engine rebuild by Str8six TVR in 2009 which increased capacity to 4litres
- Standard cars offer 345bhp and scintillating performance - this is faster
The Appeal
The initials TVR conjure up cars designed for drivers with the minimum of interference between right foot, left foot and engine and chassis. Traditionally powered by proprietary engines such as Rover’s V8, in the late 90s the firm invested in its own race-bred powerplant.
To match the new engine TVR developed two new cars, of which the Tamora was the smaller. Just 356 Tamoras left the factory in the four years from 2002 and these rare final factory cars are particularly sought after.
In the long term ownership of its TVR enthusiast seller, this carefully maintained Tamora is a low mileage, carefully upgraded car that is in very good condition. The Tamora had few direct competitors when new and with so few built this is surely a very rare, very tempting opportunity to buy a highly desirable British-built 911-tamer.
The History and Paperwork
- First registered 10th August 2002
- Chassis records confirm that this is a 2002, first variant, UK market Tamora with the Speed-6 3.6litre engine from the factory
- MOT to 7th December 2023 with no advisories
- Has covered less than 400 miles since the last MOT
- Sparing, careful use since 2019 covering just 2,400 miles
- Full TVR service history by specialists such as Str8six and TVR101
- Regular service intervals of 6,000 and 12,000 miles adhered to
- Thick history file that includes:
- Springs and dampers rebuilt using GAZ Gold suspension struts in 2021
- £1,446 spent at Str8six in 2020 on servicing and brake work
- Engine rebuild in 2009 costing £5,000 at 24,991 miles
- Serviced in March 2023 at a cost of £882.25
- Owned by the seller for 10 years and bought from Str8six TVR specialists
- Factory handbooks
- Alarm paperwork included
When buying a low volume, hand-crafted sports car like this any buyer will likely want the reassurance of a good service history and evidence of care and attention. This Tamora ticks both those boxes with a considerable flourish.
It has been owned by the seller for 10 years. He acquired it from renowned TVR specialists Str8six, who have subsequently been responsible for most of the maintenance work. The seller states - and the MOT records confirm - that it has been used very sparingly, living its life off-road under a well ventilated car port, and avoiding wet or salty roads whenever possible.
Prior to the seller buying the car it received a full engine rebuild by Str8six at a cost of £5,000. The car has covered less than 20,000 miles since. The work involved boring out the Speed Six 3,605cc engine to 4litres and there is a full breakdown of the work in the history file. The standard 3.6litre engine develops around 345bhp so this is likely to be higher with the larger capacity.
Over the last couple of years the car has been treated to a suspension rebuild using GAZ Gold suspension struts. £1,446 was spent at Str8six in 2020 on servicing and brake work and in March 2023 the car was fully serviced at a cost of just under £900.
The Interior
- Beautifully highly styled TVR interior with an array of ‘surprise and delight; features like the aluminium switches and hidden door handles
- Two-tone blue and cream interior with leather trimmed dashboard
- Simple, stylish main dials with classic ‘reverse rake’ rev counter
- Quality Alpine sound system
- Milled aluminium switchgear in good order with the painted recessed areas crisp and legible
- All electronics are reported to be working correctly
- Re-trimmed by previous owner to good standard and complements exterior
- Minimal signs of wear to the stylish high-backed, two-tone sports seats
- Specialist alarm system fitted TVR specialist Carl Baker
- LCD dashboard replaced with black on white arrangement to improve visibility
- Carpets in good condition including boot area
- Power steering
As TVRs evolved through the 90s into the 00s they leaned more and more heavily into bespoke ‘surprise and delight’ features. Out went wood veneers and borrowed switchgear from other British car makers, in came milled aluminium switches and interiors driven by design.
This beautiful two-tone interior of this Tamora is testament to the effort put into making these cars look as good as they went. It is a lovely and distinctly TVR place to be with swathes of hand-stitched leather and a drizzle of hand-made aluminium switches. Even the white-backed dials are distinctive, with the rev counter counter-rotating with the speedo.
The various owners of this car have invested in improving and maintaining its interior. The previous owner retrimmed the stylish seats, dashboard, centre console and door cards and they show barely any signs of wear. The switches even retain the factory paint in their recesses. This being a hand-built TVR there is some adhesive visible around the gear stick but it can only be seen when looking up very close.
To improve the visibility of the LCD dashboard display the owner has replaced it with a black on white set up. An alarm has also been fitted by TVR specialist Carl Baker.
The Exterior
- Smooth, simple bodywork recalls classic TVRs but is also very much its own shape
- Small, light and athletic stance with clever detailing like the rear lights
- Disguised door handles help keep the aesthetics simple
- Attractive Venetian dark blue metallic
- Good panel gaps all round
- Some very light stone chips on the front but nothing significant to note
- Motorsport-inspired SP12 wheels that are lighter than the standard factory items
- Targa roof in very good condition with good depth of colour
- Rear screen replaced in 2017
- Roof storage bag included
- New Toyo front tyres fitted in September 2021
The Tamora shares its running gear with the larger Speed Six but was designed to be a smaller, lighter and more nimble car in the vein of the earlier Chimaera and Griffith. It cleverly offers a visual link to those earlier cars, particularly the Griffith, whilst also being distinctly its own car.
The simple shape is neatly unadorned - even the door handles are hidden - but there are clever details like the rear lights to remind you that this is, after all, a TVR and a car for which convention was for other auto companies.
The attractive Venetian dark metallic blue of this car is a rare choice for a Tamora but one that works particularly well with the shape, as the photographs show. It is in very good condition - evidence of those careful owners - with only minor imperfections to note. The front of the car has a number of stone chips, there is a paint bubble on the rear of the nearside quarter panel and a similar imperfection near the boot lid, but not significant for a 21 year old car.
The fabric roof is in similar condition, showing good depth of colour and condition. The roof panel is clear and undamaged having been replaced in 2017.
The car sits on lightweight SP12 wheels with TVR centre caps. They are in very good condition and equipped with quality Toyo rubber.
The underside appears to be in similar condition. There is some wear at points in the underseal that may be worth attending to but it looks solid with no visible issues. The MOT contained no structural advisories.
The Mechanics
- Full service history by TVR specialists, mainly Str8six
- Engine rebuilt in 2009 by Str8six and bored out to 4litres
- Engine rebuild invoice totalling just under £5,000
- Car has covered less than 20,000 miles since the engine work was completed
- Springs and dampers rebuilt in 2021 at cost of over £700
- Factory specification 3.6litre Speed Six engine developed around 345bhp, so this car is likely to have more power
- Brake pads and discs replaced by Str8six in 2020 at a cost of over £400
- Full service in March 2023 by TVR101 at cost of £882.25
- GAZ Gold suspension overhaul and rebuild
- Additional ACT rear exhaust back box can offer a sportier sound, this is not currently fitted but can be provided with the car
- In true TVR style there is no ABS or traction control
The Tamora - and its Speed Six cousin - were the first TVRs to feature the firm’s own engines. Developed from an engine intended for race cars, these hand-built, very powerful six cylinder engines meant that for the Tamora every inch of the car was TVR-honed.
The servicing and maintenance history of this car reflects well on its owners, particularly the current long term seller. The invoices covering engine, suspension and other work clearly indicate the sort of fastidiousness any new owner would hope to see in a specialist car such as this.
Tamoras were fitted with 3.6litre displacement engines but this car had an engine rebuild in 2009 that pushed the capacity to 4litres., It therefore likely runs at higher power than the 345bhp offered by the factory standard cars. The work was done by Str8six TVR specialists and they have carried out most of the maintenance on the car since - they even sold the car to the seller 10 years ago. The history file records ongoing scheduled servicing at the required intervals.
Alongside the engine work the car has had the suspension rebuilt, including fitting GAZ gold suspension struts, and the brake discs and pads replaced.
The car was serviced in March 2023 by TVR101 at a cost of just under £900 and has covered less than 400 miles since the last MOT. The MOT runs to December 2023 with no advisories.
Summary
In the realm of light, nimble classic British sports cars the Tamora sits at the end of a very long lineage. Equipped with a TVR designed and built engine and the minimum of driver aids it offers a simple, engaging driving experience to match the handsome, unadorned looks.
Just 356 Tamoras left the factory and this one dials up the rarity with its bored-out 4litre engine. The abundant history file attests to careful ownership, which the cosmetic condition - particularly that beautiful interior - clearly reflects. Highly capable and very engaging, this Tamora will surely reward the lucky buyer over every mile it is driven.
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