Wild thing!

RobAMerc

Saturdays weather was cracking and I decided to drop the roof and head off out into the sun. I am considering changing my e46 320ci cabrio for something a bit special. So I arranged to see two cars I thought may be worth an initial test drive a 1992 964 Carrera 4 cabrio (every boys dream to own one at some stage I believe) and a 2001 TVR Tuscan

I firstly drove the 964 and was absolutely delighted with it, fast, responsive, fun, and the noise - oh lord the noise ! I was seriously impressed - it felt more modern than the 911 SC I had driven before, and still felt so well screwed together - the Germans do build them!. The steering was precise the brakes felt strong and progressive and the ride was excellent too.

Next was the TVR - my test drive in the Tuscan started with the sales man telling me he was nervous going out in it because it was a bit "wild". (For those who dont know TVR believe their cars are safer without A/b, ABS, or any sort of traction control)
I took little notice (sales talk!) although it certainly sound wild as it ticked over popping and banging in the yard with the two carbon fibre exhausts looking like gun barrels pointing out the back. As we headed out onto the road (him at the helm) the sales guy proceeded to floor it at about 10mph in first - holy sh*t! It felt like an explosion went off in the seat of my pants and we started hurtling towards traffic (going in same direction like it was in hyper reverse.) I mean I have been in some quick cars Ferraris, Porsches, Evo's, Integrale's, but this thing is on a different level altogether. I was truly glad when he pulled in a few miles down the road. But it was my turn so fear swelled again. I started cautiously out on to the road and
noted the throttle had a long travel (safety feature?) and very quick steering (catching that larey ass?) so I felt a bit assured I could tame the madness
if the TVR tried to tear my head off. Actually at a reasonable pace its fairly civil - but as you trundle along every squeak and bum seems to be the car whispering "I'm gonna get you" in your ear. Feeling more assured I gave it some welly - about 60 mph in third. Unreal!, the tyres struggled for grip, the back end started squirming all over the place and we took off down the road at a ferocious pace - This thing is truly wild.

I cannot imagine what driving this on a mildly damp Irish day never mind a cross country trek back to Dublin on a winters night in Ireland might be like, or pottering about town in the wet - you'd stall at every roundabout afraid to give it some poke ( and to make it worse its not a very torquey engine)

I know its not meant for that - so unfortunately its not for me as I would need something thats at least somewhat usable all year round, but for someone who needs a third or fourth car in the family solely for use on the perfect dry summer days - what a beast.

Anyone else driven anything like this ?

MercMad

Sounds like you had a fun day !

I must say I love 911's too, and thats what I would go for, never driven a TVR !

I had a blast a while back in an SL55 AMG. I set it up that we pulled out onto a quiet back road, I stopped the car, and then planted my right foot all the way !

HOOOOOOOoooooooooooOOOOOOOley crap !

That car shot down the road, the ESP light flashing, but it was dry and there was loads of grip, but the noise from the supercharged V8 was fantastic, and it grabbed gears so fast.............................there was twisty bity at the end, a slight right then a left and I was thankful that the brakes and suspension could reel me in with no trouble at all !

I've driven several 911's and fast Mercs but rarely been able to just throttle it !

RobAMerc

Those SL55's are amazing - my neighbour in Sydney used to have one. Didn't seem your typical car guy at all - very eh hhem - effeminate if you get me - but he was nuts about motors and only too happy to chew the fat about cars, and was seriously knowledgeable.

I never got a spin in the SL but the sound was amazing - V8s rock.

Funny, his buddy had an SL65 - seems no matter what you got someone else has something better!

The TVR is the ultimate big boys toy - i imagine its bought by the type of lads who also considered a chest wig at some point. Totally unusable otherwise.

milltown

I had a short spin many years ago in my boss's TVR 3000S. A scary animal of a yoke it was. No finesse to the chassis at all, just a 3 litre Ford V6, a bit of steel and fibreglass and a leaf sprung (iirc) live beam axle on the back. You could feel the axle tramping around corners in second and third, which didn't exactly do much to help traction.

TVR really do make hairy chested cars for the suicidal rich.