AutoCar this week

Author
Discussion

hatchn

Original Poster:

352 posts

291 months

Wednesday 3rd April 2002
quotequote all
This weeks Autocar has a Road test of the Tamora in it.
They call it “The Best TVR Ever” amongst lots of other nice things.
All in all a very good write up. Only the price stops it from getting a
5 star rating.

They quote performance figures of:

0 - 60 4.2 Sec
0 - 100 9.1 Sec
60 – 0 2.7 Sec

Standing Qtr Mile 12.5 Sec / 119mph

Not bad at all

kevinday

12,287 posts

287 months

Wednesday 3rd April 2002
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Doh, How can the price stop it getting 5 stars, can anyone name another car with the same performance and useability for that little money?????

ultra violent

2,827 posts

276 months

Wednesday 3rd April 2002
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That's a blinding 0-100 time

pbrettle

3,280 posts

290 months

Wednesday 3rd April 2002
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Normally they drop a star for not having ABS, Stability control and other such electronic gizmos... Well that is what the other magazines do.

Still, for £36K what else can you get that will hit 100 in under 10 seconds? You need to shell out double that for similar performance...

Time for a trip to the newsagents then...

Cheers,

Paul

leatheradams

3,166 posts

280 months

Wednesday 3rd April 2002
quotequote all
I just nipped to the newsagents to read the test...

The residuals and reliability were marked low also. It states that the stigma attached to TVR reliability would put people off.

They test three supercars before that and guess how many safety aids the Pagani Zonda has?

Yep, the same as the Tamora...

pbrettle

3,280 posts

290 months

Wednesday 3rd April 2002
quotequote all
And the Zonda won the EVO car of the year too. Maybe I will take it back - journos do have a little more sense than I originally thought...

Cheers,

Paul

plfrench

2,915 posts

275 months

Wednesday 3rd April 2002
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Have a read of the Tamora vs. 106 GTi on page 52, they really do like this car don't they!!!

cockers

632 posts

288 months

Tuesday 9th April 2002
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quote:

Have a read of the Tamora vs. 106 GTi on page 52, they really do like this car don't they!!!



I must admit to being a bit peeved to see the 106 get such a pasting, as I've always enjoyed those giant killer type stories. Thing is, ever since I've had my Chimaera, I've realised that it's based more on fantasy than reality.

Much as I love my 106 GTI, it's simply not as capable as the TVR, even on tight and twisty roads - not nearly as much grip, steering comparatively slow and back end a bit too frisky (to counteract inherent understeer of FWD, I guess). Also, the TVR is plenty capable of riding out surface imperfections without me feeling the need to slow down significantly, which is the usual argument raised when these things are discussed.

From what I've read, the Tamora is a major step forward on my Chimaera, so I wasn't surprised at the outcome of that story.

Still, I'm not aware that I've ever had the Chimaera up on three wheels, whereas I seem to have that pleasure just about every day in the 106, so that's one to the little 'un, I suppose!

Anyway, back to the Tamora. I would hope to be landing myself one of these in a couple of years, so could anyone let me know how the service schedules compare with my Chimaera? In particular, are they still 6k intervals and is it necessary (a la Tuscan and Cerbera) to get the tappets adjusted every other service. Also, any indications of cost?

PS - 18" is the way forward.

JonRB

76,105 posts

279 months

Tuesday 9th April 2002
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quote:
Still, I'm not aware that I've ever had the Chimaera up on three wheels, whereas I seem to have that pleasure just about every day in the 106, so that's one to the little 'un, I suppose!
In what respect? Is the ability to corner on 3 wheels considered to be an advantage in some way?
If 3 wheel cornering is your thing, why not get a Grinall Scorpion?



www.grinnallcars.com/scorpion.html

cockers

632 posts

288 months

Tuesday 9th April 2002
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quote:

In what respect? Is the ability to corner on 3 wheels considered to be an advantage in some way?



It is what is technically referred to as "having a laugh".

The look on other people's faces makes it all worthwhile, as they seem to think I am about to launch myself into the scenery.

Anyway, it saves wear on the rear tyres

JonRB

76,105 posts

279 months

Tuesday 9th April 2002
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Oops, sorry Paul.

ross

219 posts

291 months

Tuesday 9th April 2002
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i had a 106gti and a chimera, now upgraded to scooby and cerbera. Whilst i liked the giant killing stories, the 106 was nowhere near the chimera in terms of grip or pace over reasonable roads, it was however easier to drive on the (much lower) limit, on crappy roads and in the wet, and great fun.

for which, incidentally, read cerbera/scooby...

cockers

632 posts

288 months

Tuesday 9th April 2002
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quote:

Oops, sorry Paul.



As a Corrado owner, I should hope so too!

I remember seeing Top Gear once, when they featured a blackberry coloured Corrado VR6 being hammered around an airfield. Can recall vividly the sight of it right on the edge of its grip, refusing to submit to understeer, with the inside rear wheel hanging amusingly in the air (a good six or seven inches)!

Anyway, I appear to have hijacked a thread here.

Anyone got any answers to my Tamora questions?

JonRB

76,105 posts

279 months

Tuesday 9th April 2002
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I must confess to have never pushed the Corrado hard enough to cock that wheel, not even on track. I guess that's how I manage to get 15,000 miles out of a set of tyres.
But, as you say, this is kind of hijacking the thread a bit.

flasher

9,238 posts

291 months

Tuesday 9th April 2002
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Cockers

I'm about 1400 miles off the first big 6,000 mile service so I'll post up what it costs etc. and if TMS are as good at servicing as they are at sales/customer care......

After a trip to Blackpool my ECU is back and I should have the car back soon

One thing I have noticed is that where some of the older S6 engines went out of tune before 6,000 miles this one is still running sweetly, lets hope that's a good sign......

tvradict

3,829 posts

281 months

Tuesday 9th April 2002
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Flash,

Why was your ECU at Blackpool?!?!?!

nubbin

6,809 posts

285 months

Tuesday 9th April 2002
quotequote all
Re Tamora - service intervals are the same, with the added bonus of paying through the nose for valve clearance adjustment if needed.

I've just put my 16" wheels back on mine, because I think it will be more comfy on the long journey to IOM. They are better in 2 respects - first, small bump absorption is better (higher profiles) and the handling is more secure, in the sense that the steering seems sharper and a touch more accurate. But it looks a bit dumpy, now I'm used to the big wheels!

flasher

9,238 posts

291 months

Tuesday 9th April 2002
quotequote all
quote:

Flash,

Why was your ECU at Blackpool?!?!?!



because it malfunctioned and wouldn't turn off the dash display, even with the ignition off. The factory were keen to have a look as this particular fault hadn't occured before. read the "only TMS can do this..." thread under Tamora and you will see why I'm not too depressed, a nice new Cerby is keeping my garage floor occupied until my baby comes home.....

gb61390

1,879 posts

289 months

Tuesday 9th April 2002
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Bloody hell Nubbin! My 18" wheels are TMS as we speak ready to be fitted and now you tell me you're back on your 16"s!

Who did you get to swap the wheels or have you done it yourself? Is it just a simple case of wheel-off/wheel-on or is it more complicated, eg, spacers, etc.

When my ECU was back at the factory they confirmed that the mileometer was reading 7% too many miles! I thought it was more but I guess they know best? Anyway they've rewound my mileometer so that the total is now correct.

Cheers....... Andrew

>> Edited by gb61390 on Tuesday 9th April 16:30

flasher

9,238 posts

291 months

Tuesday 9th April 2002
quotequote all
Yeah Nubbin, fill us in mate, because I will swap mine for track days etc. is it an easy job changing them over???