1995 TVR Chimaera |

Closed Auction- Unsold

1995 TVR Chimaera

This auction has now closed - click 'Register Similar' below to get notified when we consign a similar vehicle.

Mileage~55,495
TransmissionManual
Engine4.0L
LocationLittlethorpe

AUCTION CLOSED

1995 TVR Chimaera

Introduction

Andrew Taylor

Professional Consigner

Designed as the long-distance tourer of the range, the Chimaera manages to blend raw TVR power with surprising civility and usability.

The Chimaera was originally conceived to replace the TVR Griffith but, more by accident than design, delivered a personality somewhat distinct from the Griffith with more room and a slightly softer demeanour. Given this, TVR soon found that there was appetite from their customers for the two cars so they continued to sell alongside each other.

A slightly milder persona wasn't at the expense of the raw TVR performance, however. The Rover V8 derived power-plant under the curvaceous body was good for ~240BHP in this 400 model. In a car weighing a little over 1,000KG this still delivered a 0-60mph time of around 4 seconds and a top speed approaching 150MPH.

This particular example is coming to market from ~1.5 years ownership, in which time it has undergone a full respray in the pearlescent "Liquid Yellow" colour. The mileage is sitting at ~55,500 on the clock, and a comprehensively stamped service book, couple this to the condition of the chassis where outriggers were replaced shortly before the current ownership and you have a very fine example of TVRs work.

This auction listing was written from information supplied by Andrew after meeting Lee the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

I've had a number of TVRs now so I know what I'm looking for. This car had great bones and I am proud to have been able to bring it up to its current standard in my ownership.

Lee is a self-confessed petrol-head, has developed a soft spot for TVRs in recent years. He has a history of finding cars that need a bit of specialist attention and knowledge to bring them up to a lovely standard. This car appealed to him as it was so mechanically well-sorted but it needed some attention to its bodywork and paintwork.

During his ownership Lee has been able to commission a full respray for this car as well as attending to a number of other small niggles that meant that the car wasn't reaching its full potential. Having enjoyed improving the standard of this TVR, and with a significant number of other automotive projects in hand, Lee is now looking for the next enthusiastic owner to take on this magnificent British sports car. He will be happy to answer any questions on the car in the comments section below.

Lee

Vehicle Owner

Ask Questions

CONTACT OWNER

Exterior
Interior
Mechanics
History
All Images

EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

What immediately impresses about this Chimaera is both the vibrancy and the quality of the pearlescent liquid yellow paintwork, it's a hard to ignore... in a good way.

Wheels and Tyres

The dual coloured, multi-spoke alloy wheels present in very good condition all round. The owner confirms they are an aftermarket wheel but he does have the originals, which are pictured in our photographic package, and will be supplying both sets with the car upon a successful sale.

The 18 inch wheels are shod with Toyo Proxes in a 225/40 ZR 18 configuration. All tyres appear to have good depth levels of tread remaining. View the picture gallery to see the wheels up close.

Bodywork

The owner, Lee, confirms that the car has had a recent professional respray and, as such, the bodywork presents in a very good overall condition. No areas of dents or dings were apparent and the shut lines of all panels appear tight and symmetrical. Take a look at the underside pictures too, where you can see the chassis etc, importantly the outriggers replaced shortly before Lee purchased the car.

Please take the time to look through the hi-resolution images we have taken for a more detailed look at this beautiful Chimaera.

Paint

The paintwork is a stand-out feature of this car. Not only is the "Liquid Yellow" colour very well suited to a TVR, but the quality and presentation of the paintwork appears exemplary.

This car has been resprayed in the current ownership, a 3 stage process with pearlescent paint that cost ~£5,000, and now presents with even colour and coverage across the car. View the video and picture review to see the paint from all angles.

Glass and Trim

All glass appears to be in very good condition, the windscreen is a new item which was fitted when Lee actioned the respray on the car. No chips or cracks were apparent and there were no visible areas of delamination, fogging or discolouration. The rear window presents without cracks or significant discolouration.

You'll see from the pictures that the headlights have been updated to the later Mk3 style, this was actioned by Lee when the car was resprayed. Take a look through the gallery for the detail.

VIEW ALL

INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

Despite being a surprisingly comfortable and roomy place to be, the interior of the Chimaera leaves you in no doubt that this is a sports orientated machine to the core.

Seats and Carpets

The seats are dressed in black leather with a complimentary contrast yellow stitching. As you will see from our photographic package, the driver's seat is in good original condition considering the age and mileage of the car. As you may expect, the passenger seat is in a clearly less used condition.

The carpeted areas are dressed in black, woollen carpet mats which are edge-bound in contrast yellow too. These are new items purchased by Lee a couple of months ago.

Dashboard

The dash in the Chimaera is eye-catching and quirky in equal measure, as we have come to expect from TVR. The dash-facings are carbon-fibre, helping to make the yellow faced dials and brushed aluminium bezels really stand out.

The door cards are finished in diamond stitched black leather, again with contrast yellow stitching making for a very attractive treatment to an often forgotten part of the interior.

There are also a number of other interesting details in the cockpit, including the bespoke alloy heater controls and the shaped door release knob in the centre console as well as other machined alloy accents. All these elements combined make this interior a fun and comfortable place to spend time in.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

The leather-bound, three-spoke steering wheel by Personal appears to be very good original condition, some marks that have occurred with use over time.

The short-throw gear lever is topped with a solid alloy, machined knob and the gaiter is dressed in the same attractive diamond stitched leather as the door-cards and other areas of interior trim. View the photo gallery for the details.

VIEW ALL

'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

A big, rumbling V8 four litre block is an entirely appropriate propulsion unit for a bright yellow Chimaera, this is no place for any lesser an engine.

Engine and Gearbox

You will see from our paperwork package that this car has a well maintained past with all necessary expenditure and routine servicing undertaken when required. Add to that the proven reliability of the Buick/Rover derived V8 engine and ancillaries, and it will come as no surprise that Lee attests to this car being mechanically robust.

It started well on a very cold morning and soon settled into a very smooth idle without any unexpected smoke or vibrations being noted. During our drive, the short-throw gear lever seemed to engage the gears easily and positively. Both can be seen in the Mechanical review video.

Suspension and Brakes

The car appears to stop very well with the all round disc setup, with no noticeable issues or concerns. The suspension seems to be surprisingly compliant and makes no unexpected clonks or bangs.

Importantly for this car, it was optioned with power steering, and you'll see looking through the history file that any necessary work to this has been actioned when needed.

The Drive

TVR has been making unashamedly driver focused cars since their founding, just after World War Two. It is safe to say that this driver-centric approach has only intensified from model to model and as available technologies allowed.

The Chimaera is certainly no exception, combining its torquey and powerful V8 with a light and pared back body to allow for blistering performance, even by today's standards.

Electrics and Other

Lee, the current owner, confirms that all the electric systems of this car work as expected. There is a modern stereo head-unit, although our experience was that the V8 sounds so good that it would be a shame to spoil it with a lesser soundtrack.

VIEW ALL

History and Paperwork

Coming with a significant archive of paperwork including the TVR Filofax of stamped service history, this example recently resprayed in Liquid Yellow looks and sounds every part TVR.

In the current ownership of ~1.5 years, Lee has brought the car up to the standard you see today, the most significant work being a fresh respray in a pearlescent paint of "Liquid Yellow" in a 3 stage process that cost ~£5,000. Importantly as mentioned before, the chassis outriggers were replaced on the car shortly before Lee purchased, and are in excellent condition as pictured.

There is a significant archive of paperwork present for the Chimaera. This includes a swath of previous MOTs and associated repair invoices as well as records of significant expenditure over the years on maintenance of the car. Key among these, perhaps, is the original, Filofax-based owners manual and service records covering all the way from the pre-delivery inspection at 22 miles up to the last logged service at around ~50,000 miles.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a HPi check on the vehicle.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, and as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment on the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bid/s, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Service History

Date	Type	Mileage
02.12.21	MOT	55,456
21.09.20	MOT	54,007
16.05.15	MOT	52,647
16.04.14	MOT	52,125
05.04.13	MOT	51,077
12.04.12	MOT	50,019
12.11.10	MOT	50,009
12.11.09	MOT	50,009
21.08.09	Service	50,009
03.11.08	MOT	45,882
31.10.07	MOT	42,000
23.10.06	Service	41,202
23.10.06	MOT	41,200
09.12.05	Service	33,821
09.12.05	MOT	33,821
14.05.04	Service	27,346
04.09.96	Service	14,920
11.04.96	Service	6,251
02.01.96	Service	1,082
31.11.95	PDI	22