2002 TVR T350C

Highlights

• Already outrageous T350 performance enhanced by 4.3-litre upgrade
• Five-speed manual ‘box, no ABS or traction control
• Huge money spent on this car over the years – backed up with invoices
• Comprehensive service history
• Lovely condition overall

Overview

When function over style is deployed as the blueprint for a car’s design, you might imagine the end result would be a bit grating. But oddly, that’s not always the case. Take the Ferrari F40, for instance. Or the Williams FW14B that pushed function to the absolute forefront. In both cases, the end result was certainly dramatic but arguably quite beautiful, too. So perhaps it’s no surprise that the TVR T350C looks as good as it does. It’s wonderful, even after all these years.

This was a car created during the good ol’ Peter Wheeler days – TVR’s heydays. And while he may have passed the baton of design on to others (guys like Lee Hodgetts, Darren Hobbs), he was still the one to sign this T350C off. The function that laid the groundwork for its shape was, of course, aerodynamics. The lack of a central radiator inlet and that short, stubby tail augmented by a huge diffuser, was all to reduce drag or increase downforce. Yet it all works on an aesthetic level, too. Side on this is the archetypal, hairy-chested, front-engined, rear-drive sports car. It looks fast and, funnily enough, it was.

Of course it was. It had the Speed Six naturally-aspirated joy machine sunk low and as far back in the chassis as possible. The standard stats were impressive: 350hp @ 7,200rpm and 290 lb-ft @ 5,500rpm. The result was speed, and lots of it with just 1,139kg to move around. 0-62mph was gone in 4.3 seconds, and flat out the T350C wouldn’t cry enough until 175mph.

Even so, that standard car’s level of performance might be shaded by the silliness of modern machinery, but this car had the 4.3-litre upgrade in 2015. That should keep it silly even by today’s standards. Yet in its standard form, the T350C was probably more full of the fun factor than most cars from today, so just think what this one will be like. And then there’s its spec and condition. It’s in a lovely shade of metallic blue and its two-tone brown and dark blue hide is a striking accompaniment. That’s only bolstered by the fact it’s presented in such stunning condition. It really is what we would describe as a corker. And, to use the words of the great Paul Simon, still crazy after all these years.

History and documentation

• Registered 20th December 2002
• 4.3 engine upgrade carried out on 08.10.15 at 39,458 miles
• So many invoices detailing what seems like a no-expense-spared level of care, including an engine strip and rebuild in Oct 2022 at 49,860 miles at a cost just shy of £4,000 - plus an additional £2,000 for the engine removal and refit
• Records indicate that a new odometer was installed in 2007 and that when the engine was upgraded in 2015, the mileage was reset to the correct total, which should be borne in mind when interpreting the service records
• Stamped service book with services as follows: Jun 2003 at 6,582 mile, May 2004 at 9,830 miles, Oct 2005 at 16,528 miles, Oct 2006 at 21,242 miles, (odometer replaced), Oct 2007 at 4,700 miles (incorrect reading); Oct 2008 at 6,062 miles, Oct 2009 at 7,866 miles, Oct 2014 at 14,479 miles, (mileage corrected), Mar 2016 at 40,431 miles, Jul 2019 at 44,303 miles, Aug 2021 at 1,572 miles (incorrect reading)
• Invoices for services include Mar 2016 at 40,431 miles; May 2019 at 44,303 miles; Aug 2021 at 1,572 miles, Jun 2022 at 49,412 miles; Apr 2024 at 51,070 miles
• Original manual, leather case and TVR T350 brochure included
• Mileage showing at the time of photography was 51,112
• One main key and two alarm fobs
• Original TVR toolkit
• Current MOT with no advisories expires 10th April 2025
• V5 present in owner’s name
• HPI clear
• All weather car cover included, which we’re told has been used when the car’s been in storage for winter during the current ownership (since 2021)

Interior

• Striking colour scheme combining mainly brown leather for the seats and dark blue leather elsewhere
• Typical crazy (by which we mean great) TVR interior full of swoops and flowing lines and lovely aluminium detailing to the switchgear and elements such as the rear billeted boot hinges
• Simple three-spoke leather-trimmed steering wheel with no airbag
• Race-bred aluminium pedals positioned perfectly for heel-and-toe changes
• The owner says that the interior is in good condition for the car’s age, and that seems entirely fair from the pictures
• Yes, there are some general signs of use on the driver’s seat and some light scuffs in the leather here and there, but there are no obvious tears or threadbare areas even on the seat bolsters
• The carpets appear to be in good shape, too
• Suede headlining, which was replaced in 2022, also looks unmarked
• Luggage area looks almost ‘as new’ and is complete with its retractable tonneau cover
• The seller is unusually frank and honest in his appraisal, detailing even the most minor or intermittent faults – in his words, ‘Its a TVR, things work most of the time’
• Currently, that means everything works other than the fuel gauge, which takes a couple of miles to read the correct amount of fuel and occasionally the passenger side door will stay locked and the car needs locking and unlocking again to open it

Exterior

• Beautiful metallic blue paintwork adds a subtle touch to what’s undeniably an outlandish (in a great way) design – one that could only ever be a late ‘Wheeler’ TVR
• Paintwork appears to be in fine fettle for the car’s age and mileage, retaining a deep lustre
• Light paint defects are all we can see, such as a few stone chips, most noticeably in the front radiator air intakes, a light scuff on the edge of the offside rear wheel arch and the odd scratch that the owner reckons will buff out – hardly evidence of a hard life
• As with any T350, the massive rear diffuser and twin pipes sticking out make the rear end something to behold
• Those super-elegant dark-silver metallic seven-spoke 18-inch wheels look good, with just some light marks on the very edge of the offside-front rim
• Beautifully detailed engine bay including rocker cover painted in shadow chrome
• Underside looks in good nick, bar a scruff on the front splitter and rear diffuser (find one without that and we’ll buy you a pint) and some surface rust – there’s nothing structural to worry about according to the last few MOTs

Mechanical

• Originally this inline-six Speed Six motor was 3,605cc rated at 350 hp @ 7200rpm and 290 lb ft @ 5500rpm, producing 0-62mph in 4.3 seconds and 175mph flat-out
• The engine was uprated to 4.3-litre in 2015, with the accompanying invoice detailing the work that was carried out
• There’s also an invoice from 2022 detailing removal and strip and rebuild of the engine
• The owner tells us that ‘With the 4.3L engine there is a lot of torque, so it picks up well even at lower revs; it doesn't need revving out to pick up pace like a 3.6L; the throttle response is amazing, requires caution for sure’
• Five-speed manual transmission
• Rear-wheel drive, with no traction control
• AP Racing brakes with no ABS
• Gaz adjustable suspension, with the ride set at a reasonable height to make daily use possible – with some caution over large speed bumps still required
• The owner says the steering ‘is very fast and has incredible feel’
• Sports exhaust still uses cats and sounds ‘amazing, pretty loud, but not droning on the motorway’
• We’re told that the car ‘starts really well when cold’ but there’s a knack to getting it started when hot – it’s a TVR after all – that the owner will happily tell you about
• The gearbox ‘feels nice’ but it helps to select 5th before going for reverse – this is what they call character
• The only other issue we’re aware of is you need to fill up the tank slowly to stop the pump tripping out
• Set of Goodyear Eagle F1 AS5 tyres fitted in 01.06.2021 – reportedly still with good tread all round

Summary

It’s fair to say the owner of this car has gone to great lengths to describe every whim and whimsy of his car. And it’s a TVR, so you know it’s going to have a few character traits, right? The point is, none of them sound very serious, and you have the peace of mind of a stack of bills that point to the utmost care and attention being bestowed on this car. And that’s just the general maintenance, let alone the bills for the upgrades, including that 4.3-litre Speed Six engine. So go on, you know you’ve always wanted a TVR, and this sounds like one of the better cars to make that first leap…

To arrange a viewing, please request this in the Q&A section. You can click through to the seller's profile and use the 'Email Me' function to arrange a viewing privately. This seller is located in Leeds, West Yorkshire.