Goodwood, Leicestershire – Recently resuscitated British carmaker TVR, renowned for building hairy-chested sports-cars that were a little rough around the edges, will reveal its first new model under the current management at the Goodwood Revival from 8-10 September.
Code-named T37, the as-yet-unnamed coupé has been designed in collaboration with legendary Formula One designer Gordon Murray, and will be built using his versatile iStream construction method on a mixed aluminium and carbon-fibre platform.
Powered by a Cosworth-tuned 358kW, five-litre Ford V8 driving the rear wheels via a six-speed s manual gearbox, it's been described by purists as 'God's own sports-car'.
It'll be offered with either fibreglass or carbon-fibre body panels and, quoting a dry weight of just 1200kg with the light stuff, TVR chairman Les Edgar is laying claim to a 0-100 launch time of less than four seconds and a top speed of more than 320km/h.
A special launch edition model, comprising only the first 500 cars, will be offered at less than £90 000 (R1.5 million) each; a few of the cars have been specifically allocated for display and (they hope) sale at the period motorsport event, with the remaining cars to be made available immediately afterwards.
Gordon Murray's design sketch shows mixed aluminium and carbon-fibre platform; styling is not final. Picture: Gordon Murray Design
The new TVR is the first model ever to make its world debut at the Goodwood Revival, a nostalgia festival that focuses on British motorsport’s golden age during the 1950s and 60s – to the extent that showgoers are expected to wear period clothing, and most of them do.
But given that 2017 is TVR’s 70th anniversary year, and its cars have always eschewed driver aids and paddle shifts in favour of heavy clutches and powerslides, it won’t be altogether out of place.
It’ll be on display in the ‘Earl’s Court’ building at the Revival, as the star of a display featuring a number of older, heritage TVRs, in celebration of the British marque’s 70th anniversary.