There is a distinct method of thinking amongst some inventors in the United Kingdom; if you have a shed and enough time, you can create anything. This ethos resulted in a number of cottage industry carmakers springing up over the last 100 years like Bowler Offroad, Gilbern, and AC Cars, which created the awesome 3000 ME sports coupe.
Included within this list is the mighty TVR, a company that, despite having swapped hands several times, has delivered one great car after the other. Vehicles that set themselves apart from their few competitors by being wilder, faster, and more unusual. With 2022 set to be a new beginning for TVR as the company reestablishes itself and offers up its first car under new ownership, it seems prudent to look back at past offerings.
Like a bizarre menagerie of tarmac-hungry monsters, TVR has a ripe back catalog to choose from, but it is the Chimaera, the company's most successful sports car, that impresses the most. A basic, brawny gasoline-loving machine that leaves a lasting impression, here are 10 things everyone forgot about the TVR Chimaera.
10 A Car Named TreVoR
Having bought an old wheelwright's workshop in Blackpool, Trevor Wilkinson set himself on the path to building what would become one of Britain's most respected manufacturers of high-end sports cars.
Knowing that not many people, if any, would want to admit to driving a British made Trevor, it made much more sense to shorten it to a far more car-like TVR, a badge that has become synonymous with performance.
9 The Glorious Griffith
Under the helm of the new owner, Peter Wheeler, the TVR Griffith was released in 1991 and featured a lightweight fiberglass body, beneath which, a choice of varying displacement V8 engines was offered.
When fitted with the 5.0-liter engine, drivers would be in command of a tire wilting 340 hp in a car that was capable of hitting 60 mph in 4.2 seconds before romping on to 100 mph in a little over 14 seconds.
8 The TVR Chimaera
Mechanically identical to the Griffith, the Chimaera was built in much greater numbers and meant for touring, featuring a longer chassis with softer suspension and much better interior space on offer.
With just 5 inches of ground clearance, the Chimaera was low, lithe, and very fast serving up no-nonsense thrills in a distinct muscle car package, it bucked the trend of offering tech-laden sports cars and offered a back to basics approach.
7 Powerful Engine Choices
Based on the well known and highly respected Rover V8, the Chimaera engines were heavily revised and, along with an increase in displacement, generated far more horsepower and torque.
In 5.0-liter guise, the engine would output a burly 240 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque, allowing the nimble sports car to hit 60 mph in a startling 4.1 seconds before storming on to a ballistic 175 mph.
6 Suspension And Braking
Not as precise or sharp as the Griffith, the more laid-back suspension setup installed on the Chimaera became far more popular with drivers and bestowed the car with a dual personality of both a competent racer and comfortable tourer.
Having anywhere from 240 hp all the way through to a tire-smoking 340 hp meant that the brakes fitted to the Chimaera needed to be servo-assisted and split front rear with independent systems.
5 Unique Styling Touches
Whether it be the four individual rear lights or the hand-stitched logo inset in the soft leather headrests, the Chimaera is laden with impressive little details that elevate the whole experience of TVR ownership even further.
Whilst buyers were able to choose whatever interior color or material they wanted when laying out the car's final specification, stereo choices remained basic as listening to music was almost impossible due to the engine, wind, and tire noise.
4 Scarce Optional Extras
Not being loaded with technology or luxury toys underlined the Chimaera's credentials as a hardcore muscle car, with even power-assisted steering being an optional tick box expense for those who were buying from the factory as new.
In addition, only a very limited number of extras could be chosen and equipped to the Chimaera, such as heated seats, a trunk-mounted CD changer, plush wool carpets, air-conditioning, and trendy gold badging that would add an individual touch.
3 A Total Beast
With a heavy clutch and a throttle that's more like an on-off switch, the Chimaera snarls and shouts, making low-speed progress an ankle fatiguing progress. This is not a monster that is happy to sit in traffic or amongst cramped city streets.
Like a crazed bucking bronco, the Chimaera will happily swap ends if too much throttle is applied. It will turn from burbling cruiser to snarling monster and look to bury its head in the nearest hedge or ditch, just out of pure spite.
2 Rumors About Reliability
Built very much with a 'that will do' approach to fit and finish, it wasn't that odd to see glue runs on interior items, for electrical systems to not work properly, or for newly finished cars to not start once delivered to dealerships.
Despite all of these horror stories though, one owner decided to drive 20,000 miles in his Chimaera, between the two farthest spaced bars on the planet, proving that you can't always believe the rumors and bad reports.
1 Serious Cult Appeal
The TVR Chimaera could be described by those in the know as the UK's own home-grown remedy to its own lack of muscle cars. On an isle where fuel and car taxes are notoriously high, the TVR Chimaera is an erect middle finger to the very establishment that wishes to tame it.
Yet, despite its poor reputation for lackluster build quality and the impending hospital visit that may become the result of being too zealous with the throttle, it's a likable machine that has found a plethora of devout fans.