2004 TVR Tuscan

This 3.6-litre TVR Tuscan Targa is finished in Cascade Violet, with is surely THE colour to have? Wonderfully of the period – it was first registered in 2004 - its everchanging shimmering hue enhances the Tuscan’s otherworldly looks.

There’s more good news with a cream leather interior, the highly appropriate personalized registration number ‘GF54 TVR’, and just 22,000 miles on the clock.

It’s also got the desirable targa roof and has been in the seller’s hands for the past seven years after he bought it from Tony Gilbert Cars Ltd. back in 2017.

It’s not an exaggeration to say the Cascade Violet paintwork shimmers in an otherworldly way. Of course, the recent work by Topcats Racing, who refurbished two wheels and treated the Tuscan to a frontend respray and general refresh in late 2021, will have helped as will the paint protection film that was applied shortly afterwards. 

Oh, and the seller doesn’t use it in the wet, something that will have added another layer of protection to an already well curated sportscar.

This all builds on fibreglass panels that are as free of scratches, dinks, and other damage as the lamp lenses, window glass, and badges.

And just take a look at the hue the exhaust tailpipes have taken on; utterly gorgeous, their heat-induced oxidation has turned them a complimentary iridescent rainbow of purple through to blue that perfectly matches the coachwork.

The useful targa top comes on and off with ease, sealing tightly when it’s in place and sporting a good headlining internally.

The 18-inch, seven-spoke alloy wheels are not only in fine fettle, they’re also fitted with matching Falken Azenis tyres, albeit ones that were fitted back in 2013 and are probably due to be changed by now on the grounds of their age if nothing else.

And yet, as we will never get tired of telling you, experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

It all adds up to a very well presented car indeed with only a scuff to each of the front splitters and some sticky goo on the upper corner of the windscreen to sort out.

The theatre continues inside; never one to miss an opportunity to make an impression, TVR put as much effort into the cockpit as they did the coachwork. 

The hide-covered seats are as supportive as you could ask for, easily up to the job of wrangling a pair of floppy humans while the chassis and engine do their best to warp the laws of physics.

They’re comfortable too, and once TVR had nailed the ergonomics they dialled in a hefty dose of bravura just because, well, that’s kinda their thing.

This means that while the small but thick-rimmed steering wheel falls perfectly to hand the clever design also gives the driver ready access to the controls for indicators, lights, wipers, windscreen washer fluid, and foglamps. 

And a strategically placed air vent.

A crescent-moon of warning lights sit above the central hub and below the small but beautifully thought-out instrument display that we’ll talk about more in the next section. 

The leather-covered trim panels are organic in design, flowing over the dashboard and centre console in a way no other car manufacturer would dare.

The stubby gear lever is topped with a beautiful round metal gearknob, and its design matches that of the handbrake. More alloy is used for switches in the dashboard, the foot pedals, the drilled dashboard frames, and the steering wheel adjuster.

The door cards, dashboard, and carpets are all good, and the seats show little more than light creasing with one small area of colour loss on the driver’s seat. There are also a couple of small rubbing marks in the paint on both door shuts.

As for real faults, the sort of thing you’re going to need to deal with, the indicator module works however the stalk does need refitting to the unit in order to function correctly. The hazard button on the end of the stalk is work as it should.

The driver’s window can also be recalcitrant. It should lower automatically when you open the door and rise when you close it but it sometimes doesn’t. The seller says it always works on the switch though.

The 3.6-litre Speed Six fires into life with the usual beguiling combination of fuss-free engineering and drama-filled aesthetics. 

The dashboard flashes red LEDS at you before presenting you with information on ambient, engine oil and coolant temperatures, oil pressure, fuel level, and battery charge – and it does so while assaulting your senses with the usual TVR cocktail of unburnt hydrocarbons and a symphony of engine and exhaust. 

It's carefully calibrated theatre – and before you reject this one on the basis it’s the ‘small’ engine can we remind you that it still develops 345bhp and 287lb.ft of torque, which is enough to propel it to a top speed of 180mph after passing 62mph in 4.2 seconds?

The owner tells us that in a typically understated way that it “drives well”, going on to laugh that “the new owner will love it!”

The engine bay reveals Easter eggs by way of beautifully welded aluminium tanks, clean and unencumbered inner wings, and the sort of attention to detail you’ll find reassuring you should you ever find yourself covering three miles in every minute.

Car Care of Kensington Waxoyl’d the underside in October 2019 and while it still looks decent, there are a few small areas where surface rust is starting to take hold and a prudent owner would sort these out before they become unsightly.

The underside also shows a few light scuffs, something that’s almost inevitable given the TVR’s stance.

The Tuscan’s MoT certificate is valid until September 2024 and it, like the previous four, was issued with no advisories.

Car Care of Kensington fettled the cooling system by way of a £537 bill in May 2022 and Techniques of Stotfold replaced the starter motor relay and speedometer transponder in July 2021 while Topcats Racing serviced it and fitted a new clutch two months later. 

The service history booklet documents the following work:

• 22.06.2005 and 1,353 miles – service by TVR Power
• 21.03.2006 and 2,868 miles – service by TVR Power
• 21.06.2012 and 11,475 miles – service by TVR Power
• 05.09.2013 and 12,924 miles – service by TVR Power including tappet adjustment
• 14.03.2015 and 15,756 miles – service by Topcats Racing
• 24.10.2017 and 17,378 miles – service by Tony Gilbert Cars
• 22.06.2019 and 20,248 miles – service by Elmwood Vehicles including all new filters and an engine flush

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and it comes with two key fobs in addition to the book pack and wallet.

The history file, which has a satisfying heft to it, comprises a large number of old invoices and expired MoT certificates.

We’ve all dreamed of owning a TVR, haven’t we? And yet, as is the case with so many of our automotive fantasies, the cold light of day usually stops us in our tracks with the deadly duo of prudence and cowardice.

But when you talk to TVR owners they’re always full of praise – and many wish they’d done it sooner.

Regret is the very worst of all emotions.

So, when a car like this comes along, one that’s had the right money spent with the right people, you might think the time has come to finally pull the trigger.

Freshly fettled and coming to the market from long-term ownership, this is a TVR Tuscan that appeals to the head and the heart.

With a modest reserve and a sensible guide price of between £25000 and £35000, you may well look back at this decade and wish you’d had one last hurrah behind the wheel of a British icon.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment.  To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.