TVR Chimaera For Sale

|| Home The TVR Chimaera Buyer's Guide Chimaera Articles Chimaera Gallery Technical Info Upgrades F A Q Product Reviews Chimaera Parts List TVR Insurance Chimaera Links TVR Touring Contact Us Pistonheads Links: PH Forum PH For Sale About the TVR Chimaera Model History - Variations - Engines - Options - The 500 - Chimaera Facts - Press Quotes TVR Chimaera Model History The TVR Chimaera first appeared in 1993 and it was intended to be more of a GT car than its sibling the TVR Griffith. Although it shares much of the chassis and mechanicals it features a larger boot and slightly softer suspension. In 1994 both the Chimaera and Griffith 500 switched to a Borg Warner T5 gearbox (the previous unit coming from a Rover SD1). Shortly after that the TVR Chimaera 500 was launched. Then in 1996 the Chimaera received a minor facelift, the front end becoming more like that of the Cerbera. The mesh grille was removed and a horizontal split added across the grille space and indicator. In 2001 the Chimaera was given Griff style covered headlights. In around 1997-1998 the rear lights changed from a parts bin Fiesta unit to a TVR designed part. Chimaera Variations Peter's '94 Chimaera 400 demonstrating the front-end style of the earlier models. Here's my '98 Chimaera 500 with the later Cerbera style front end. Note the horizontal split and removal of the grille. David's '01 Chimaera 450 shows the latest style of headlights. Stuart's '96 Chimaera 400 has the earlier lights. Claire's '99 Chimaera 450 has the later, TVR rear lights. TVR Chimaera Engines Model Capacity (cc) Power (bhp) Torque (lbf.ft) Max speed (mph) 0-60 mph (secs) 4.0 3,950 V8 240 270 at 4000 rpm 152 4.7 4.0 HC 3,950 High Compression V8 275 305 158 4.7 4.3 4,280 V8 280 305 at 4000 rpm 158 4.6 4.5 4,495 V8 285 310 158 4.6 5.0 4,988 V8 340 (320 with cat) 350 (320 with cat) 169 4.1 TVR Chimaera Options Air conditioning Heated Seats Power assisted steering Rear speakers Six CD autochanger Full leather (Half-hide is standard) Rollover Bar Hydratrak Differential Colour coded dials Aluminium Dashboard Chrome & Wood Steering Wheel The TVR Chimaera 500 Of over 6000 TVR Chimaeras built, only around 600 were the 5 litre model. These relatively rare machines can be identified by their purple coloured rocker covers and 'Griffith style' wheels. They are probably the most desirable of the Chimaeras, with levels of performance close to that of the Griffith 500 whilst retaining greater practicality. NB. Sometimes you see adverts for 'TVR Chimaera 500/5.0 HC', all of the 500s are 'HC' so don't pay any extra... Standard Chimaera Wheels Griffith Style Wheels TVR Chimaera Facts TVRs have always has their quirks but here are a few that are worth knowing. Open the doors via the button either to the rear of the door or under the wing mirror (newer models) The boot opens via the button under the dash to the right of the steering wheel. If the dashboard doesn't illuminate with the lights check the button to the left of the steering wheel. There is storage behind each of the seats and under the dash in front of the passenger. Pressing the button on the door opening knob will disable the external buttons (to stop chavs popping them open when you're at the lights). There is no buzzer to remind you that you've left the lights on (unless you add one ). The petrol filler is in the boot. There is no 'low fuel' warning. To get into reverse on a newer car (reverse right and down) you need to go via 5th to avoid a crrruuunnnch. The Speedo back light is half as bright as the other instruments. TVR Chimaera Press Quotes Here are some quotes regarding the TVR Chimaera from the motoring press: Fast Lane - "Overall, this is possibly the best handling front-engined/rear-driven sports car in the world." Sports Car International - "There's little on the market that can touch the Chimaera for its seemingly incongruous blend of high performance, road behaviour, individuality and value." Evo - "What you get are straight-forward, old-fashioned thrills. Buy wisely and you wont be disappointed." Performance Car - "The TVR sounds as glorious as a Rolls-Royce Merlin aero engine." Car - "The Chimaera sounds good and pulls enough wallop to satisfy all but the utterly power-crazed." Autocar Magazine - "TVR completely blitzes the opposition, in any gear, from any speed to any speed" TopGear Magazine - "The Chimaera is great fun to drive even when you're just tootling along." Jeremy Clarkson - "It's spacious cockpit is a dream too, with wood, leather and polished aluminium styled by someone who truly understands interior design." Autocar Magazine - "Chassis and engine mate brilliantly." Autocar Magazine - "Superb - Chimaera 4.5 is a winner!" [Goto Top] || Home The TVR Chimaera Buyer's Guide Chimaera Articles Chimaera Gallery Technical Info Upgrades F A Q Product Reviews Chimaera Parts List TVR Insurance Chimaera Links TVR Touring Contact Us Pistonheads Links: PH Forum PH For Sale TVR Chimaera Buyer's Guide The three main things to consider when buying a second hand TVR Chimaera are: Condition, Condition and Condition. The other famous golden rule is "don't buy the first one you see". It's all too easy to get seduced by a shiny car and that awesome exhaust note. What follows is a basic checklist of things to check when viewing a car. If you don't think you're up to this then you have other options. Take a look at James Agger or Rob Ingleby (in the Links section), they offer inspection services. Take a look at the TVR Chimaera History page for more information on the car itself, the variations, engines and options. This should help to give you an idea of which model you'd be most interested in. Also, it's well worth getting a copy of the Bible , it'll tell you loads more about the cars and it includes a more detailed buyer's guide. Finally, you should seriously consider joining the TVR Car Club . The club offers many benefits which often cover the cost of membership. Importantly for someone considering a TVR, you can attend local meetings to get help and advice from other members. Also by looking at their cars (and getting a ride in one if you're lucky) you can get a better idea of what you're looking for. Chassis The chassis have a habit of rusting on the outriggers behind the front wheels (especially on the nearside which tends to have a harder time). The factory coating seems to have quite a short life and even a newer car could have problems if poorly maintained. If possible get the car onto a ramp and have a poke around, ensure that the outriggers are solid. Signs of maintenance in the form of paint or waxoyl are a good sign. Outrigger Corrosion (Blackpool Rot). Engine Check that the engine starts from cold and will idle without excessive hunting. Once warm ensure that the cooling system is working well. The car should run at around 80 degress while on the move and around 90 when stationary. Oil pressure should be around 25-30lbs. Once you've taken the car for a run leave the engine running and check that the cooling fans kick in at around 90 degrees. Once you're happy with the fans stop the engine and then restart to ensure that it's happy starting when hot, Finally give the oil cap a quick check for mayo. Bodywork Good news! No rust! Hurrah for fibre glass! This doesn't mean that you can ignore the bodywork. Stone chips are inevitable at the front and so re-sprays are common and nothing to worry about. Just be sure that any respray doesn't cover accident damage and is of a good quality. Panel fit should be quite good but the doors have been known to drop a little. Have a quick look at the windscreen, check for milkiness, delamination, chips or cracks. Steering & Suspension You can check the springs / dampers by pushing down on each corner. The car should return to it's position in one movement. Check the front ball joints by rocking the wheel while on the ground. Tyre wear can be a sign of suspension problems so ensure that the tyres we wearing evenly. Testing the steering by checking for any drift can tricky as the camber of the road can confuse the result. If the can pulls slightly to the left it's probably about right (or 'correct') if it pulls significantly to the right then there may be a problem. Electrics Test everything so... windows, wipers, locks, alarm, heater fan, lights, indicators, stereo etc... If the dial backlights don't seem to be working check the button under the dash to the left of the steering wheel. Clutch & Gearbox Be sure that the clutch isn't slipping. Check that the gear change is smooth and precise. The later gearboxes are considered to be the best. Oh and if you get a crunch going into reverse then try going via 5th. (a case of "They all do that sir"). Wheels & Brakes Ensure that the car brakes well and in a straight line. Check the wheels for scuffs. Tyres should be Bridgestone S02/S03s or at least Toyo ZRs, check the tread for excessive or uneven wear. There should be a spacesaver spare or at least some tyre-weld. Paperwork Servicing should have been conducted at least every year / 6000 miles. Look for stamps from TVR dealers or recognised specialists. [Goto Top] || The TVR Chimaera is the entry point to TVR motoring. It has been designed to be every bit as much of a Grand Tourer as a sportscar with the emphasis being evenly split between ride and handling, torque and horsepower, practicality and light weight. At the same time as BBC Top Gear magazine was enthusing, "TVR completely blitzes the opposition, in any gear, from any speed to any speed," Autocar was attesting that, "The Chimaera is great fun to drive even when you're just tootling along." Ten years of development have resulted in the perfect evolution of the breed. The Chimaera has evolved into the ideal embodiment of the modern British sportscar. The car is a piece of sculpture, not designed on a computer, which is immediately obvious on first sight. Great emphasis has been placed on purity of line with no external fuel filler cap, boot release or even door handles as the doors open on the press of buttons under the door mirrors. In 2001, the car was lightly facelifted and now features a new nose with faired-in headlights and a mildly restyled tail. It was of the TVR Chimaera that Jeremy Clarkson wrote, "It's spacious cockpit is a dream too, with wood, leather and polished aluminium styled by someone who truly understands interior design." The new Cerbera-style seats of the Chimaera are leather as standard and feature a removable squab for when you want extra lateral support on the racetrack. The Chimaera also now boasts all aluminium switchgear as well as comprehensive instrumentation of you can specify the colour. This is part of an almost bewildering array of choices that customers make when ordering a car which include ten thousand colours for the paintwork, more than forty for the leather, fourteen for the carpet, five for the hood, twenty for the stitching and even five different materials for the dashboard from burr walnut to engine-turned aluminium. Engine 90 degree alloy V8 engine Capacity (cc) 4546 Bore/stroke (mm) 94 x 82 Compression Ratio 9.5:1 Max rpm 6250 Max Power 285 bhp @ 5500 rpm Max Torque 300 ft.lbs @ 4500 rpm Performance 0 to 60 mph: 4.7 seconds 0 to 100 mph: 11.2 seconds Max Speed: 160 mph Suspension All round independent – unequal length double wishbones and coil over gas dampers assisted by anti-roll bars Braking 260mm diameter ventilated front disc brakes with 273mm diameter rear discs, Servo assisted with front/rear split dual circuits – cable operated hand brake operating on the rear wheels Steering Power assisted rack and pinion with adjustable steering column – 2.2 turns lock to lock. 350mm leather covered steering wheel Wheels and Tyres Front: 15 inch alloy wheels, 205/55 ZR15 tyres Rear: 16 inch alloy wheels, 225/50 ZR16 tyres The word that best sums up the performance of the Chimaera is effortless. It is propelled by the legendary TVR Power development of the Rover V8 which in its current 4.5 litre form is sufficient to propel the car from a standing start to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds and 100 mph in 11.2 seconds on its way to a top speed of 160 mph. The carefully tuned big bore stainless steel exhaust system is optimised for both performance and exactly the right V8 sound. The extremely strong chassis is based on that of the racing TVR Tuscan which provoked Autocar to say, "Chassis and engine mate brilliantly." The TVR Chimaera is not currently available new as it has not been in production at Blackpool since 2001. Used TVR Chimaera's can be found to suit most budgets. Racing Green TVR always tries to hold Chimeara's in stock so have a look at our stock list or speak to Chas in TVR sales on +44 (0) 1252 894840. All Content © 2007 - 2009 | Racing Green Cars Ltd Links | Site Map site by racecar || if(window.yzq_d==null)window.yzq_d=new Object(); window.yzq_d['OMhdUdmSu3c-']='&U=12ce0igos%2fN%3dOMhdUdmSu3c-%2fC%3d-1%2fD%3dHEAD%2fB%3d-1%2fV%3d0'; if(window.yzq_d==null)window.yzq_d=new Object(); window.yzq_d['OchdUdmSu3c-']='&U=13ltct6se%2fN%3dOchdUdmSu3c-%2fC%3d200127573.202028670.203299358.200000042%2fD%3dN%2fB%3d201134204%2fV%3d1'; Home News/Reviews Features Photos Buy Sell Forum Videos Green Centre Paris if(window.yzq_d==null)window.yzq_d=new Object(); window.yzq_d['QMhdUdmSu3c-']='&U=12ad9eiof%2fN%3dQMhdUdmSu3c-%2fC%3d-1%2fD%3dMH%2fB%3d-1%2fV%3d0'; TVR Chimaera (1993 - 2005) : BLACKPOOL ROCK Show more Photos Tuesday November 8 Models Covered: (2 dr roadster 4.0, 4.3, 4.5, 5. 0 petrol) BY ANDY ENRIGHT If there is such thing as a sensible TVR, then the Chimaera is it. This model most closely follows the styling cues of the classic TVR S series of cars, and has proved to be the best-selling TVR ever. A combination of keen pricing, perceived accessibility and towering performance tempted an unprecedented amount of buyers to sign on the dotted line marked Chimaera, and its not hard to feel a pang of jealousy. As a used purchase the Chimaera looks similarly tempting, with a number of low-mileage cars in the dealer network for MGF-money. If youre more hard man than new man, the keys to the TVR might well prove impossible to resist. In billing the Chimaera as the practical option in the range, TVR are dealing in relatives. Dont expect to take it on the school run, out for the weekly shop or on a ski holiday to the Alps. The only thing the Chimaera likes doing to small children is terrifying them with the bark of its engine and near-incinerating them with its exhaust. Should you ever be torn between a TVR Chimaera and a Renault Scenic, the French cars superior door-bin count will clinch it every time. The Chimaera instead functions well as a softer edged alternative to a Griffith, not so manic or teeth-jarring, but still possessed of awesome muscularity and a malignant nature thats always lurking at the end of the throttles travel. The interior is more adventurous than the Griffiths and the bold curves, aluminium gear knob and fluorescent green instrument faces show the initial workings of an ideas mine that has been plundered in full for the Cerbera and Tuscan cabins. A wide transmission tunnel separates the two occupants, and internal space is at a premium. The thick, non-airbagged wheel and supportive seats could be trimmed in any colour or material the original buyer fancied, and the hood works well, both at waterproofing and windproofing the car. In mythology a Chimaera is a fire breathing, goat-bodied, lion-headed monster with the tail of a serpent. In truth, the TVR Chimaera is similarly cobbled together from a disparate set of components to form a fire-breathing entity. Except in this case, it all works so well you never notice the joins. The problem with valuing TVR models is that to a certain degree they are all custom built, meaning youre never really comparing like models. TVR themselves admit that due to the amount of personalisation a customer can build into their car from new, its extremely unlikely that two identical Chimaeras have ever left the factory. As such, its best to arm yourself with at least £12,000, head down to your TVR dealer and see what theyve got. Of all the TVR models of recent years, the Chimaera was probably the most derivative, drawing on much of the engineering pioneered by the Griffith. This in itself is no bad thing, as the Griffith was released early and the first customers were, in effect, unpaid test drivers. Not all of the Griffiths foibles had been ironed out at the launch of the Chimaera, and you should look for a late and fastidiously well-maintained example. Look for warped front suspension wishbones, damaged hood detailing, recalcitrant electrics, poor panel fit, accident damage and ineffective cooling systems. Insist on a sheaf of bills and a full TVR service history and walk away from anything that doesnt look up to scratch. With a used TVR, its always best to buy a good example, as remedial fixes can cost major money. There isnt a noticeable shortage of used Chimaeras around so be fussy. (approx based on a 1993 Chimaera 4.0) Nobody would pretend that a specialist car offering this level of performance was ever going to be cheap to run, and certain aspects of running a Chimaera are just plain expensive. Aside from its healthy appetite for 98RON Super Unleaded Petrol, it also enjoys regular doses of synthetic engine oil. At £85 per top-up with a new set of filters, that doesnt come cheap. A clutch will cost just under £700, whilst front brake discs are £70 a pair with rear costing a little more expect to budget £75. A headlamp unit costs a surprisingly reasonable £70, whilst one of the Bridgestone rear tyres wont leave much change from £200. Tyres per gallon gauge, anyone? On the open road, the TVR Chimaera is everything the TVR image promises. Loud, aggressive, heavy to drive and hairy of chest. The V8 engines sound lazy and vaguely transatlantic until you wind them up beyond 3500rpm and they begin wailing. Some owners never get beyond this point, but the best is yet to come. Keep the needle between 5000rpm and the 6250rpm redline, and the engine will make a noise that will have the hairs on the back of your neck standing bolt upright. Youll lower the lid, search out tunnels and blare through them in third gear, cackling in glee. Thats what owning a TVR is all about. Without any form of traction control, even the base 4. 0-litre car has to be carefully piloted. On a wet and twisty road, youll need to be accurate and measured in your use of the throttle and steering. Drive in a tidy, disciplined manner and the TVR can be hustled along at a fair speed. Try any cruder tactics and youll have to be very quick with the corrective lock, as the car has been developed with the emphasis on handling rather than outright grip. Get it out of shape and the previously agile Chimaera can feel very big and cumbersome, but the steering is fantastic and the skilled driver will revel in sliding the car about. This is why so many used examples will have accident damage. Beware! The TVR Chimaera is without doubt the best way to access the joys of TVR ownership. Less intimidating and more thoroughly sorted than the Cerbera and Griffith models, it nonetheless offers 95% of the thrills with a tiny dash of practicality. The best model to plump for is probably a late Chimaera 4.5, and look for one with as low mileage as you can afford. Remember, a TVR is quite unlike a mass-production car and youll have to put up with a greater probability of unreliability and some annoying characteristics. Itll all become worthwhile as soon as the road opens up and you hear the wail of the big V8. Then youll understand what made the Chimaera TVRs most popular car. Send by Messenger Email this article Print Picture Gallery Buying Guide New & Used Car : all offers More motoring news Message Boards - Talk about it Latest Message Board Threads Re: Top ten worst cars - the Allegro really? () Re: World's Ugliest Cars (Imani) Re: give your car more power! (Chris B) Re: Is Saab really the worst manufacturer out there? 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