Great Britain, great cars. The UK motor industry is respected the world over, and though many of the vehicles are actually owned by foreign manufacturers, there can be no doubting of the fantastic heritage of the British motor.
To celebrate Britain’s famous history CarSupermarket.com is launching a series looking back on some of the most famous vehicles the UK has ever seen.
TVR Chimaera
With a name taken from the Greek mythological character known to be made from the parts of different animals, it’s no surprise to learn that the TVR Chimaera was made up from the backbone chassis of the Griffith and a Rover V8 engine.
The Blackpool based company produced 6,000 of these sporty numbers in its 10-year production run and with UK car manufacturing suffering a real slump during the 1990s it was no surprise to find that the British company were popular with this punchy roadster.
TVR produced a 600 5-litre models of the Chimaera, which could be distinguished by the Griffith style wheels, and were seen as the most desirable of the vehicles.
The car had a few quirky elements, including the petrol filler being in the boot, though you might never be near a petrol station when you need one as the car never had a ‘low fuel’ warning light!
Years of manufacture: 1992-2003
Price when new: £26,720
Price now: £10,000-£20,000
Engine: 3,950cc 8cyl petrol, 275bhp
Top speed: 158mph