TVR 350i
Overview
ManufacturerTVR
Also calledTVR Tasmin 350i
TVR 350SX
Production1983.08–1989
949 produced
DesignerOliver Winterbottom
Body and chassis
ClassSports car
Body style2-dr coupé
2-dr convertible
LayoutFR layout
PlatformTVR Wedge
RelatedTVR 390SE
Powertrain
Engine3.5 L Rover V8
Transmission5-spd MT
Chronology
PredecessorTVR Tasmin 280i

The TVR 350i is a sports car built by British company TVR from 1983 until 1989. In 1982 TVR's then new owner Peter Wheeler found himself wanting more power than the Cologne V6-equipped Tasmin 280i could offer. Thus, based on the existing car the TVR Tasmin 350i appeared in August 1983.[1] Using the same chassis and body (with some minor changes), a 3.5-litre Rover V8 was installed. After a year, the "Tasmin" part of the name was dropped and the car became plain TVR 350i.[2]

Development

The 190 hp (142 kW) V8 propelled the 350i to 130 mph (209 km/h), while 60 mph came up in 6.3 seconds. The Rover-engined 350i provided the added benefit of being marketable in Arab countries, where there was a certain political resistance to buying Ford products because of Ford's close dealings with Israel.[2] The 350i also provided the basis for the 390SE first seen at the Birmingham Motor Show in October 1984,[1] as well as the extreme 420/450 SEAC and other future developments.

TVR 350i coupé

A modified form of the 350i's chassis, itself a stretched version of the chassis used for the old M-series, also underpinned the S-series as well as the later Griffith. There was a short run of non-factory Sprintex supercharged 350SX (and the bigger hearted 400SX) made by the Northern TVR Centre in the mid-1980s. Nine and two of the respective versions are thought to have been built. Power is not certain, but 260 bhp (194 kW) for the 350SX is commonly cited.[3]

By 1989, after the introduction of the 400/450SE and 420/450 SEAC, the lineup was rationalized and the by now least powerful 350i was dropped.[2] Over 1,000 350i's were built. The end of the run was marked by the limited edition (25 examples only) 3.9-litre TVR 350SE of 1990-91.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to TVR 350.
  1. 1 2 James M. Flammang (1994). Standard Catalog of Imported Cars, 1946-1990. Iola, WI: Krause Publications, Inc. p. 619. ISBN 0-87341-158-7.
  2. 1 2 3 Mike Lawrence (1991). A to Z of Sports Cars. Bideford, Devon: Bay View Books. p. 313. ISBN 1-870979-81-8.
  3. ↑ "TVR Wedge Specials". Pistonheads.com. Retrieved 14 December 2010.
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