TVR built the Chimaera to replace the Griffith outright — but demand for both was strong enough that the two ran side by side for years instead.
Lead trim: 4.0 Rover V8 (240 hp) · up to 340 hp
TVR Engineering Ltd Chimaera1992–2003
- 0spots by members
- Unclaimednobody has spotted one yet
- 0sets it belongs to
Nobody in Burbles has spotted a TVR Engineering Ltd Chimaera yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactTVR built the Chimaera to replace the Griffith outright — but demand for both was strong enough that the two ran side by side for years instead.
The TVR Chimaera is a two-seater sports car manufactured by TVR between 1992 and 2003, named after the monstrous creature of Greek mythology made of the parts of multiple animals. First shown at the 1992 Earl's Court Motor Show, it is an open-top roadster using the same backbone chassis and Rover V8 engine derivatives as the TVR Griffith, intended as the long-distance tourer of the range and therefore longer, more spacious and with slightly softer suspension than its sister car. In 1994 TVR introduced the Chimaera 500, and the BorgWarner T5 manual replaced the Rover LT77 on the rest of the range; the car was mildly updated in 1996, a 4.5 litre model was added in 1997 (a stroked Rover V8, because the intended AJP8 V8 was not ready), the base 4.0 litre was discontinued in 1998, and in 2001 the Chimaera was facelifted again. It was succeeded by the Tamora in 2002, and 5,256 were produced.
Collectors Spotted in the TVR Engineering Ltd Chimaera Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the TVR Engineering Ltd Chimaera yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
5 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0 HC High Compression Rover V8 (275 hp) | 1994–2003 | 4.0 L V8 | 275 hp | 305 lb-ft | 4.7 s | — | — | — |
| 4.0 Rover V8 (240 hp) | 1992–1998 | 4.0 L V8 | 240 hp | 270 lb-ft | 5.1 s | — | — | — |
| 4.3 Rover V8 (280 hp) | 1992–1994 | 4.3 L V8 | 280 hp | 305 lb-ft | 4.6 s | — | — | — |
| 4.5 Rover V8 (285 hp) | 1997–2003 | 4.5 L V8 | 285 hp | 310 lb-ft | 4.7 s | — | — | — |
| 5.0 Rover V8 Chimaera 500 (340 hp) | 1994–2003 | 5.0 L V8 | 340 hp | 320 lb-ft | 4.1 s | — | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
TVR built the Chimaera to be the easy-going one — longer, roomier and softer-sprung than its Griffith sister, meant for covering distance rather than lap times.
TVR built the Chimaera to replace the Griffith outright — but demand for both was strong enough that the two ran side by side for years instead.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
In 1974 Alfa built a one-off on this Spider: a Porsche-style solid rear window and lift-out roof panels, fewer than 2,000 made, the only Spider ever with a part-solid roof.
Over 100,000 people voted to name this car "Duetto" — but a chocolate-snack maker had already trademarked the word, and a Milan court ruling forced Alfa to sell it as the Spider 1600 instead.
After nearly 25 years of manual-only Spiders, the final Series 4 cars quietly added something Alfa purists never expected: an optional automatic transmission.
The mid-80s Spider's Quadrifoglio Verde trim went all-in on a single look: blood-red carpets and grey leather with red stitching, and it only ever came in three exterior colors.
This Spider was built not by Alfa but by Pininfarina itself, on a platform shared with General Motors.
The 916 Spider's strongest naturally aspirated engine, the 192 PS 3.0 12V Busso V6, was never offered in its GTV coupe twin.
The Frogeye had no boot lid at all — owners reached the spare wheel by tilting the seats forward into the dark cavity behind, a ritual they likened to potholing.
The Fairlady 2000's SR311 update came with a five-speed manual gearbox in 1967 — a genuinely unusual spec for any production car of that era.