TVR Tuscan R/ T 440R/T 400R/ Typhon Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos

The 2000 Tuscan was a direct hit toward the Porsche Boxster, offering a Targa Coupe body in an outrageous looking vehicle. It was recommended by the TVR to be used as a daily driver.

Some car-manufacturers are building most of their cars by themselves, in an old fashion way: by hand. That was the same recipe for the TVR Tuscan, which was based on the same platform as the TVR Cerbera, but it was longer, with a bigger trunk and a pop-out roof.

The curvy look of the bodywork left no place for any straight line. In the front, there were six bigger holes for the headlights, turn-signals and high-beam lights, and another pair of smaller holes for the parking lights. The grille, mounted very low, was designed with a bunch of round holes in it. The hood featured two big air-scoops to extract the hot air from the front radiator. A very short cabin with long, curved doors and a relatively short curved trunk completed the car design. The B-pillars were raked and the rear window was retractable.

Inside, the Tuscan featured brass instead of aluminum. The instrument cluster featured a large speedometer and a centrally mounted LCD which offered various information. A three-LED mounted on top of the instrument cluster warned the driver when to change gears. It was an interior like no other. And the sport-bucket seats were a promise of good holding while speed cornering. Forget about sophisticated infotainment systems. The Tuscan was basic and it was meant for hard driving.

The engine was designed and engineered by TVR was a straight-six. It offered up to 440 hp and it was able to go up to 198 mph (319 kph), which was supercar territory. Yet, it was priced around the same money as a Porsche Boxster.