1999 TVR Chimaera

Highlights

• Superb and extensive service history

• Gorgeous Pearl GTS Viper Blue paintwork

• Excellent condition, inside and out

• Recent new clutch and suspension

• Well preserved chassis with new outriggers

Overview

There are many things that we petrolheads will disagree on: the best model of Skyline, whether 2CVs should be deified or fired into the sea, the precise moment when the Fast & Furious franchise jumped the shark. But one thing we can all agree on is that V8s are generally very good things, and that most vehicles are improved by the application of an octuplet of cylinders and the accompanying sound and fury that brings.

So taking a spiced up variant of Rover’s venerable and trustworthy V8, wrapping it in a very attractive, lightweight body, and shoving a manual transmission in the middle looks to be straight out of page one, paragraph one of the Car Enthusiast’s Guide To Life. And so it proves to be with this really quite marvellous example of TVR’s vaguely unhinged but definitely life-affirming Chimaera.

Quite rightly regarded as one of TVR’s finest cars, the Chimaera combines barrel-chested power and an exciting lack of driver aids with a surprising level of comfort, practicality and prettiness. Yes, we said practical. And it is. There’s heaps of space behind the seats, there’s a boot that’s big enough for actual things, a targa panel roof for enjoying the sunshine without running your barnet and a truly lovely combination of soft leather and wood veneer in the cabin. It even offers good long distance cruising ability. It’s all rather sensible. Okay, yes, it does possess a V8 capable of pushing the air out of your lungs in pretty much any gear, but we’d argue that’s a bonus.

Yet, unlike so many sports cars, this is no trailer queen. It’s been meticulously maintained by owners who have clearly cherished it, but haven’t been afraid to actually drive it. Servicing and major works have been completed religiously by experts and specialists, while the merest glance at the shimmering paintwork and gleaming underside demonstrates that this is that rarest of things: a sports car that’s been driven and used regularly, but lavished with care and attention.

We adore the blue over magnolia colour scheme, we’re staggered by the service record and – in all honesty – we can’t remember the last time we saw a Chimaera that was quite this right. It ticks every box for us, and we imagine it will for many of you too…

History and documentation

• Registered 1st April 1999

• Current owner since March 2023 (car purchased from Fernhurst), 9 former keepers

• 71,372 miles from new, confirmed by the service and MOT records

• Service stamps from 1999 to 2017, then invoices from 2018 to 2022 as follows: Apr 1999 @ 809 miles, Jun 2000 @ 6,581 miles, Aug 2001 @ 11,449 miles, Sep 2002 @ 18,818 miles, Apr 2003 @ 20,676 miles, Apr 2005 @ 28,788 miles, Sep 2006 @ 35,656 miles, Jun 2007 @ 38,865 miles, Feb 2008 @ 39,693 miles, Apr 2009 @ 45,093 miles, Jul 2010 @ 48,386 miles, Jun 2011 @ 49,533 miles, Mar 2012 @ 49,740 miles, Oct 2013 @ 51,721 miles, Oct 2014 @ 53,987 miles, Jan 2016 @ 57,296 miles, Apr 2017 @ 62,461 miles, Mar 2023 @ 68,587 miles

• Oil change and new ignition parts in March 2024

• Full document pack

• Extensive folder full of invoices and maintenance history, including a record of all work undertaken on the car since its PDI

• Current MOT with no advisories expires 31 March 2025, but the car will be supplied with a fresh MOT

• No MOT advisories since 2020

• V5 present in owner’s name

• HPI clear, checked in February 2025

• The private registration will be removed before sale and the vehicle returned to its original registration (T681KGP)

Interior

• Classically handsome and restrained magnolia leather upholstery, with blue leather to the upper dashboard pad

• All of the leather presents in excellent condition for its age, with a gentle level of natural patination to the seats

• Striking blue carpets with magnolia leather binding complement the exterior colour well, and all look to be in fine order

• The dashboard benefits from glossy wood veneer inserts, which all look to be free from cracking and warping

• The addition of Leven alloy switchgear gives the cabin a more premium feel

• All of the internal trim, switchgear and instrumentation shows well, with a little wear from age and use, but overall a surprisingly fine level of preservation

• Billet aluminium gear shifter and handbrake lever

• Polished chrome sill guards, bearing the ‘Chimaera’ legend

• Electrically operated windows and door mirrors

• Upgraded Alpine stereo system with DAB, new speakers and a Bluetooth module (professionally installed in 2022)

• Generous storage space behind the seats

• The good sized boot is trimmed with dark grey carpet and contains a spacesaver spare wheel, as well as the original tool kit

• We’re assured by the vendor that everything in the cabin functions as it should, with no issues or faults to report

Exterior

• Gorgeous Pearl GTS Viper Blue paintwork, which has been very well preserved, appears to be free from notable swirling and wears a deep glossy shine

• There are a handful of minor imperfections and chips in the paint, as you;d expect from a vehicle of this age, but nothing that would concern us

• The GFRP bodyshell presents very well, with no warping, cracking or damage we could see

• All of the panels look to be well aligned

• The external trim and badging is present and correct, with some light, natural wear in places

• All of the light lenses, as well as the glass elements, appear to be free from any notable damage or clouding, and the headlights have been upgraded to Mk3 items

• Like all Chimaeras, the car benefits from a fabric roof with removable targa-style centre section, which can be stored in its custom bag

• The roof appears to be in excellent condition, with no tears or fading we could discern

• The wheels are the usual five-spoke Chimaera items, and are in great condition, thanks to having been refurbished in 2023

• The wheels are shod in Toyo tyres (225/50 ZR16) to the rear and Falken tyres (205/55 ZR15) to the front – all appear to be in good order, with no significant wear and no damage we could see

• Underneath, everything looks straight and very clean – the owner tells us that the chassis and underside has been regularly treated with WaxOyl to keep it in top condition

• The outriggers were replaced by a TVR specialist in 2019 at c.66,000 miles

Mechanical

• 3,950cc naturally aspirated V8 engine

• Rear-wheel drive

• 5-speed Borg Warner T5 manual transmission

• Factory performance figures: 0-60 in 4.7 seconds, 152mph, 240bhp, 270lb-ft

• Kerb weight: 1,060Kg

• Very clean engine bay, with no evidence of leaks or other issues we could identify

• Many of the hoses have been replaced with high-grade blue silicon items

• A new clutch was fitted at c.58,000 miles

• January 2022: new rear brake discs and pads were fitted, as well as a new battery

• Half sleeved exhaust

• September 2024: new front and rear suspension from Ben Lang fitted, as well as rear ARB drop links and a new front NS ball joint

• We’re assured that the car has no known mechanical faults or issues, and that it starts, idles and drives just as it should
  
  

Summary

There is no finer way to experience the British countryside than in an open-top V8 sports car. And the Chimaera is pretty much the ideal car for the job. Ever so slightly raffish, brutally efficient, but far more practical and accomplished than you may think, it’s the thinking man’s TVR.

This is a stellar example too - finished in a very desirable specification and with a service and maintenance record second to none. We adore the attention it’s had over the years, and it really is wearing its years with grace and style. 

And from a purely fiscal perspective, we have a feeling that TVRs of this era could well be one of the next big things. Whatever the case, whoever buys this stunning slice of Blackpudlian brute force is going to have an absolute whale of a time…

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 St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex.