The Tasmin was the last TVR ever sold new in the United States, with the final car shipped over in 1987.
Lead trim: Tasmin 200 2.0 Ford Pinto (101 bhp) · up to 160 hp
TVR Engineering Ltd Tasmin / 280i1980–1987
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a TVR Engineering Ltd Tasmin / 280i 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.
FactThe Tasmin was the last TVR ever sold new in the United States, with the final car shipped over in 1987.
The TVR Tasmin (later known as the TVR 280i) is a sports car designed by Oliver Winterbottom and Ian Jones for TVR and built in the United Kingdom from 1980 to 1987, the first of TVR's "Wedge" series that formed the basis of its 1980s model range; it was available as a 2-seater coupé, a 2+2 coupé and a 2-seater convertible. As with all TVRs the running gear was located in a powder-coated tubular spaceframe steel chassis, with much of the running gear sourced from Fords of the period (the suspension and steering from the Cortina, and the front brakes from the Granada). The engine was the Ford 2.8 Cologne V6 with Bosch fuel injection producing 160 bhp, and an automatic gearbox was available, making it the first TVR to have one; the 2.0 litre Ford Pinto Tasmin 200 of late 1981 was an attempt to make a cheaper car, but only 16 coupes and 45 convertibles were made. A Series II appeared in 1981 with a redesigned front suspension, and in 1984 the Tasmin name was dropped and the car became the TVR 280i; the Tasmin was the last TVR exported to the United States, with the last car brought over in 1987. In total 1,167 V6 cars were produced.
Collectors Spotted in the TVR Engineering Ltd Tasmin Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the TVR Engineering Ltd Tasmin yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
3 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 280i Series II 2.8 Ford Cologne V6 (150 bhp) | 1981–1987 | 2.8 L V6 | 150 hp | 162 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Tasmin 200 2.0 Ford Pinto (101 bhp) | 1981–1984 | 2.0 L Inline-4 | 101 hp | 112 lb-ft | 9.0 s | RWD | — | — |
| Tasmin 280i Series I 2.8 Ford Cologne V6 (160 bhp) | 1980–1981 | 2.8 L V6 | 160 hp | 162 lb-ft | 8.0 s | RWD | — | — |
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
The Tasmin was the last TVR ever sold new in the United States, with the final car shipped over in 1987.
The Tasmin was a parts-bin special in the best way: door handles from a Cortina, taillights from a Capri or Renault Fuego, a handbrake from a Lotus Esprit — and, on later cars, an ashtray lifted straight from a DeLorean.
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Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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