‘Just press and hold the black button and it’ll re-start.’ Seems like a simple instruction, but it takes me a few seconds to gain my bearings in this unorthodox cabin. I had been briefed on the visual cacophony of unmarked buttons and dials by marque guru James Agger only minutes earlier – with a pre-warning that I would definitely stall the TVR Cerbera at some point. And then the inevitable happens… So I’m slightly red-faced, but, as soon as the riotous AJP V8 engine fires back into life, the mild embarrassment fades into the background.
Every now and again a car manufacturer builds something that blows everything else out of the water, and that’s exactly what the TVR Cerbera did in 1993 when it was first shown at the London Motor Show. TVR’s then-owner Peter Wheeler had a vision to create the fastest, maddest yet most grown-up car ever to wear his marque’s badge. It would have a fixed roof and a pair of seats in the back so you could take the kids out with you, and it would be named after the multi-headed dog of Greek mythology. You know, the one that ferociously guarded the gates of Hell.
I’m seeing the Cerbera today for the first time in quite a while, and I’d forgotten just how low, long and incredibly curvaceous these cars look. Unadorned with spoilers, wings or even door locks and handles, it’s a beautifully clean piece of styling: quite compact by modern standards, but, in much the same way a Testarossa still looks unbelievably wide, its exaggerated proportions make the Cerbera appear almost inconceivably long. That’s because it began life on the drawing board as a stretched, hardtop version of the two-seat Chimaera.
Fundamentally the basic TVR recipe remains the same, even if a few of the ingredients have been tweaked. The Cerbera’s glassfibre body was mounted to a tubular spaceframe chassis, with an extra six inches let into the wheelbase for those rear seats. That meant extra bracing, although the hardtop helped to keep things nice and rigid. But things really changed under the bonnet, where lurked something considerably more potent than the Rover V8 that had provided sterling service in other models for more than a decade.
Wheeler had been looking at more modern alternatives to the compact, lightweight Rover V8 for some time, but it was the sale of the Rover Group to BMW in 1994 that triggered the decision to forge ahead with his plan for TVR to build its own engine. This was something the Blackpool manufacturer had never attempted since it was founded by Trevor Wikinson in 1947. Wheeler approached engine designer and vehicle engineer Al Melling to design a new bespoke V8, working in conjunction with TVR’s John Ravenscroft to get it production-ready.
Melling’s expertise was in designing racing engines, and it shows in the AJP V8’s specification. It was a compact unit – Wheeler demanded that it fit in the same space as the old Rover V8 – and was based around a hugely strong but lightweight 75º alloy block. The top end featured a surprisingly unsophisticated single-camshaft, two-valves-per-cylinder layout, which helped keep size and weight down, although the flat-plane crankshaft was suitably racy.
This is one of six “every box ticked” cars built. Aside from the one-off Speed 12, it’s as good as the TVR Cerbera got.
Before the engine went anywhere near a Cerbera, it was tested in the Tuscan Challenge racing cars. Forged pistons and conrods ensured reliability, but made this an expensive engine for TVR to build. Weighing in at just 150kg and producing an ample 360bhp in 4.2-litre form, it was energy-dense enough to make a pretty clear statement to the world. Especially when powering a car that weighed less than 1200kg.
During development it became clear that the Chimaera’s suspension and brakes were not up to the task of reining in all the extra performance on tap. Four-pot AP Racing calipers were fitted up front and, although the proven double-wishbone suspension arrangement went unchanged, new dual-rate Eibach springs were specified to keep the longer Cerbera better tied down.
And by the time it was launched in 1996, it was pretty much the fastest thing this side of a McLaren F1. Autocar clocked 0-60mph in 4.0sec and, even more impressively, 0-100mph in 9.1sec, demolishing the times recorded by the Lamborghini Diablo and Porsche 911 Turbo. Even the 8.0-litre V10-powered Dodge Viper couldn’t come close. And before anyone mentions the rumours of dodgy ‘race-spec’ engines in the press cars, the magazine verified the power output as being within 1bhp of TVR’s claim on a dyno. Whether or not the regular production cars were quite so healthy is another matter…
Fit and finish on the early examples wasn’t the best, as reported in initial road tests and by customers, too. For most buyers, however, it was worth the potential pain, and previous TVR owners knew what they were getting into. The launch price of £37,000 was high for a TVR, yet it put this 180+mph supercar-slayer at similar money to a BMW M3.
As time went on, the TVR Cerbera evolved into even more of a monster. By the middle of 1997 a new 4.5-litre version had been launched, which boasted a claimed power output of 420bhp, with bigger 17in wheels the only obvious external clue. While the 4.2 was tuned for tractability, the 4.5 was a much more raw race-derived unit – with peak power and torque coming further up the rev range. Then 1999 saw the introduction of the 350bhp Speed Six, featuring the second of TVR’s in-house engines. This was the first outing for the 4.0-litre straight-six that would go on to power every model that followed, right up to the final Sagaris.
A facelift in 2000 brought Tuscan-style headlights, 18in wheels and a reprofiled windscreen and roofline. All the way along, build quality improved, as did the handling. Yet by 2002 the newer Tuscan Speed Six had become the company’s big-selling sports car, and the Cerbera had fallen by the wayside as it was costly to build. It was still the flagship model, though, so for the last year or two TVR offered a ‘Red Rose’ tuning package for the 4.5-litre, not to mention a lightweight body option, which made use of thinner glassfibre doors, bonnet and boot-lid to reduce weight by about 40kg.
That is what James Agger has brought along today, in effect the final and most developed version of the TVR Cerbera, a 2003 Lightweight-spec, 4.5-litre Red Rose – one of around six ‘every box ticked’ cars thought to have been built. Aside from the one-off Speed 12, this is as good as the Cerbera got. It’s a stunning example, too, specified from new in this eye-catching Red Bull Pearl paint finish and recently given a full mechanical refresh. Being a post-2000 model means it has the later faired-in headlights, as well as the more upright Mk2 windscreen and roofline.
I always enjoy driving a challenging car, but the TVR Cerbera throws a number of curveballs long before you get it out on the road. Thankfully I’m familiar with the entry procedure from other models, but the uninitiated might struggle to locate the microswitch on the underside of the door-mirror. Hold it, and it takes a moment for the window to drop and the latch to pop. It’s a huge door, and that makes getting in and out (even the back seats) relatively easy. Wheeler was a notoriously tall chap at 6ft 5in, which means the Cerbera is unusually accommodating. Once you’re hunkered down in the seat, you can really start to appreciate the swooping dashboard design. The two-spoke wheel looks a little odd at first, but I can’t fault the ergonomics. Sitting within the open area visible through the bottom of the wheel is a face-blasting air vent, flanked by two auxiliary gauges. Buttons on the spokes operate the wipers, headlight flasher and horn – none of which is backlit, meaning you need to memorise the positions of each during the daytime. There’s a single metal stalk for the indicators, which emit a buzzing sound when flashing.
It’s time to head out – thankfully Leicestershire is blessed with some fine roads. Although the clutch isn’t heavy, the pedal travel requires significant leg movement, as does the throttle. Blip it, and the engine’s lack of inertia is quite startling. It takes a short while to get your head around the peculiar engine note, too. Unlike most engines with a flat-plane crank, which are typically multi-valve screamers, the AJP V8 gives off a gruff, almost old-school carb-fed four-cylinder vibe. It crackles and pops on the overrun, as you would expect from a highly tuned racing engine. The BorgWarner T5 is a particularly old-school five-speed manual ’box and, although the shift action isn’t quick, it’s robust and satisfyingly precise. It makes do with five ratios when so many cars of this generation had six, but you don’t feel as though you’re missing out.
As well as the tight packaging requirements, part of the reasoning behind the 16-valve layout was that the engine would be tuned for a wide, low-down torque curve much like the TVR-Power Rover V8’s, and boy does it deliver. Even though the 4.5’s peak torque of 402lb ft comes in at 5500rpm, it pulls beautifully from 2000rpm, and as the revs build so too does the sound of the V8. It’s a real off-beat melody, and as you close in on the Red Rose’s 440bhp peak at 7250rpm it’s really wailing.
Considering that power output, the TVR Cerbera’s 235-section rear and 225 front tyres are relatively narrow, but it never struggles for grip. The BTR limited-slip diff’ ensures great traction out of tighter corners, and from what I’m told it’ll hold a slide quite nicely if you’re feeling extremely brave. The balance is superb and, although the steering is super-quick at two turns lock-to-lock, it manages not to feel nervous. This car, like most of its ilk now, is running uprated Nitron dampers, which keep body control nice and tight. It flows along lumpy surfaces without a care in the world – probably because it was set up to handle the particularly rough roads of the Trough of Bowland, TVR’s natural testing territory, not far from its Blackpool base. The brakes feel mighty as well. They have a firm pedal action with great feel, making them easy to modulate – just what you need when there’s no ABS.
At this point I must confess I’m smitten. I’ve idolised the TVR Cerbera since I watched the now-legendary Bruntingthorpe drag race on my much-replayed VHS copy of Jeremy Clarkson Unleashed on Cars as a lad. Talk to anyone about Cerberas, and this is usually why they know exactly how fast the car is! Yet I’ve come away from today with even more respect for what TVR built, gaining a better understanding of the Cerbera’s Jekyll-and-Hyde persona. It’s comfortable, relatively civilised and generally more refined than it has any right to be. There’s so much theatre surrounding the Cerbera, too, from the wild cabin to the engine that sounds like it belongs in a racing car (because it does) – and then there’s the performance. Its wild side is never far from the surface, and although that can be a little intimidating at first it’s actually quite approachable. Just remember that this is a car capable of breaching 190mph – with no driver aids to speak of. Proceed with caution.
What are they like to live with? As it happens, the AJP V8 has turned out to be a strong engine if maintained correctly, and usually gives very little trouble. It’s very particular about service schedules, though, with valve clearances that need to be checked and adjusted every 12,000 miles. When I ask about running costs, James is brutally honest: ‘You just have to accept that it’s a £3000-a-year car to run, and I think that’s where a lot of people were caught out 15-20 years ago when they were £10,000-15,000 cars [they’re now £30,000-60,000]. If you skimp on servicing, someone will end up paying the price down the line.’
The Speed Six model still seems like a bit of an unloved relative and, according to Agger, despite the factory’s desire for the dealers to push the Speed Six due to reduced production costs, the V8 was the one that most customers wanted at the time. Early engines suffered from some serious reliability issues, but most should be running rebuilt units by now. Agger comments: ‘The Speed Six is probably 10-20% cheaper than a 4.2 today, just because it doesn’t have that racing engine. As long as you get a good one, I think it’s actually a really clever buy.’
Perhaps predictably, the TVR Cerbera has seen increasing interest from buyers in the USA since hitting the 25-year-old mark, which means it can legally be imported and has helped to nudge values up. Wheeler didn’t shoulder the expense of homologating his cars for the US market, but Agger confirms that quite a few have found their way there.
Exact numbers are not known but it’s thought that the Blackpool factory only turned out around 1500 TVR Cerberas. In one respect, the company’s decision to develop its own engines was one of the reasons TVR eventually failed, but the fact that these cars ever existed at all remains a testament to British ingenuity. And this is the best of them.
Thanks to James Agger Autosport, jamesagger.com
2003 TVR Cerbera 4.5 Red Rose Lightweight specifications
Engine 4475cc V8, OHC per bank, individual throttle bodies, ECU with switchable fuel maps Power 440bhp @ 7250rpm Torque 406lb ft @ 5500rpm Transmission Five-speed BorgWarner T5 manual, rear-wheel drive, BTR LSD Steering Rack and pinion, power-assisted Suspension Front and rear: double wishbones, coil-over-damper units, anti-roll bar Brakes Discs, AP Racing calipers Weight 1190kg Top speed 193mph 0-60mph 3.9sec
