1997 TVR Chimaera

We’ve seen a few Chimaeras coming through the grand portals of our HQ over the years. And when we haven’t seen them, we’ve certainly heard them coming.

We’ve seen ‘needs a bit of work’ ones, average ones, good ones, very good ones…and this one.

And this one, in case you’re wondering, is exceptional. In fact, we think it’s the best we’ve yet seen, and by some margin. 

Don’t just take our word for it. 

Of all the TVR Chimaeras that could have been selected to appear on both an episode of Top Gear and at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee parade at Windsor Castle, this is the one that got the nod. 

We definitely saw P132 VRF coming – you can’t miss this car’s very vibrant, very bright, very rare and very unusual ‘Macau Yellow’ livery. 

The vendor, who is only selling because he’s in the process of moving house, bought the car during lockdown in June 2020 from the highly respected TVR specialist, Tony Gilbert. 

Since then, the vendor has had all manner of fettling, tweaking and replacing done, including – clutch, fuel pump, uprated discs and pads, idle control, engine bay electronics, HT leads, coil pack, chassis inspection, Waxoyl and new roof seals. Recent work done before the vendor’s tenure includes a new mohair roof cover, refurbished alloys, throttle cable, and auxiliary belts.

A TVR Car Club event description of this car says the following.

‘This model features a carbon-fibre roof, TVR bespoke aluminium hardware, black leather with yellow stitching, 16" × 7.5" rear and 15" × 7" front wheels, stainless-steel exhaust, a 400HC (High Compression) 275bhp V8 engine with 305 lbs/ft, mated to the later Borg-Warner T5 gearbox for better power delivery, with the tubular chassis and fibre-glass body, weighing 1060KG made for an impressive power to weight ratio of 259hp/tonne and 0-60 performance of 4.6 seconds.’

All of which seems about right to us.

We have driven the car and can attest to its excellent dynamic abilities, the power and torque on tap across the rev range, its positive and notchy gearbox, and its balance, poise and grip.

With apologies to those marque enthusiasts who wear TVR pyjamas to bed, not all TVRs are always entirely devoid of rattles, squeaks, groans, pops and other unscheduled noises and tremors.

This one is an exception. It feels properly screwed together and possessed of plenty of engineering integrity and build quality. 

Oh, and in case you were wondering, it sounds very much like Brian Blessed having a fight with a howler monkey in a drum-kit shop.

During an earthquake. 

Splendid.

The car is striking and presents well from every angle.

The bodywork is devoid of any dinks, dents, creases, ripples or folds that we can see anywhere.

The panels, panel gaps and shut-lines are as crisp and even as anything Good King Wenceslas ever looked out upon. 

The doors close properly. The roof fits snugly – and is in irreproachable condition.

The wheels are in fine fettle, as are the matching Toyo tyres. 

As for the vibrant yellow paintwork, well, it’s still vibrant and has enough shine, colour and dazzle to brighten up even the greyest of days. 

The car’s lights, lenses, badging, trim, and various external fixtures and fittings are all very good.

There are a few stone chips around the front valance and the ‘nose’ of the car, but no more than might be expected.

There are a few blisters and small lumps to the paint on a section of the bodywork at the top of the n/s/r wing adjacent to the boot lid. 

We also spotted a paint chip on the n/s/f wing, a few scuffs on the edges of the doors, and a scratch and scuff here and there on the rear bumper and valance.

You won’t be remotely surprised to learn that the inside of this fine car is every bit as impressive as its exterior counterpart.

The black leather seats are untroubled by anything more vulgar than the odd light crease, let alone any ingrained patina.

The steering wheel, gear lever, instruments, dials and controls all look fine.

Ditto the door cards, carbon-fibre roof lining, carpets and mats. 

There is bit of interior/exterior rubber trim slightly loose at the base of the hood at the sides, and a section of carpet is coming loose at the n/s/r just behind the seat. 

We didn’t tweak every lever, press every knob or flick every switch, but those we did tweak, press and flick did as they were told without delay or complaint. 

The surprisingly capacious boot is excellent.

The engine and engine bay are clean, dry, tidy and everything seems to be in its right and proper place.

The undersides of the car appear to have oodles of structural integrity. 

This car comes with a fastidious service record and a collection of stamps, mostly from TVR dealers and specialists, that spans its life from birth until now.

There’s also a decent file of bills, receipts and invoices covering work carried out over the years.

The vendor tells us that the car has always been fed with the TVR-correct spec Valvoline oil. 

All of which is entirely consistent with the car’s exemplary condition, driving characteristics and low mileage.

There is trickle charging point in the passenger footwell, a box of spares behind the passenger seat, and the car’s original tape deck is included.

The car’s MoT is valid until 5.9.24.

It looks as good as it drives, and it drives superbly.

And it ticks each and every box for history, provenance, condition and service stamps.

If you’re seriously thinking of holding out in the hope of finding a better one, prepare yourself for a very, very long wait.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at the Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.