Does anyone here remember TVR? The last time I heard about the revived British brand, it was still struggling to launch the highly-anticipated second-generation Griffith. The sports car is still set to arrive in 2022, but word has it TVR needs $32 million to build it. If you're a TVR nut and you're still hoping for the modern Griffith to become reality, here's some footage of a Tuscan Challenge roaring at Monza to keep you entertained.
First introduced in 1967, the Tuscan is actually more famous than the Griffith. The front-engined sports car arrived to replace the Grantura and remained in production for about four years. TVR offered both V6 and V8 engines for the Tuscan, the latter being a Windsor-type mill sourced from Ford.
But it's the Tuscan Speed Six that many of you may remember better than the 1960s sports car. Revived in 1999, the Tuscan morphed into a more exotic-looking sports car powered by a selection of inline-six engines. TVR offered both convertible and Targa-top models, keeping the Speed Six in showrooms until 2006.
But the car you're about to see below is not related to the original Tuscan or the Speed Six. Even though it sports the same badge, the Tuscan Challenge is a track-only model that TVR built for a one-make series in 1989.
The British company created the racing series in order to attract public interest for a planned road-going model. The racing series became a success, but TVR eventually canceled the road-legal version of the car to focus on the forthcoming first-gen Griffith and Chimaera.
Originally powered by a Rover-sourced V8, the Tuscan Challenge was fitted with an in-house-built 4.5-liter unit known as the AJPV8 following Rover's takeover by BMW. Rated at more than 400 horsepower, the Tuscan needed a little more than three seconds to hit 60 mph (97 kph) and topped out at more than 190 mph (306 kph). Both were impressive figures for the late 1980s.
Some of these cars were eventually raced outside the Challenge series, but a few owners even went as far as to convert their Tuscans for road use. The gorgeous Tuscan Challenge below retains its original specification and it's currently managed and raced by Italian team GTM Motorsport. Here you can see it stretching its wheels during the second Peroni Racing Weekend of 2021 at Monza Circuit.
Make sure you crank up the volume because that AJP V8 engine sounds glorious.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News