Buying Guide: Essential advice the for TVR Vixen and Tuscan
A classic TVR is always tempting, but is a Vixen or Tuscan a good place for your money in 2017?
‘The Tuscan looks similar to the Vixen but packs a heftier punch’
TVR ownership has always been about the pleasure of driving, and while the Vixen and Tuscan might be 50 years old, both still deliver when it comes to putting a smile on your face. And with rarity and competition pedigree on their side it’s easy to see why values are very much in the ascendancy.
Both models arrived in 1967, with the first dozen Vixen Series 1s reportedly fitted with the MG engine that had seen service in the preceding Grantura 1800S. Most, though, came with four-cylinder Ford motors and TVR continued to develop it until the M Series replaced it in 1971.
Series 2 cars boasted a longer 90-inch wheelbase and a body that was now bolted rather than bonded on to the chassis, while the Series 3 benefitted from further detail changes and increased performance.
The final Series 4 was essentially the new M Series chassis with a Vixen body, but these were built in tiny numbers. As for the Tuscan, it might have looked similar to the Vixen but packed a rather heftier punch thanks to its Ford V8 engine. The Ford V6 version that arrived in 1969 was no slouch either. These are the ones to choose if you value straightline pace, but many aficionados reckon that the smaller-engined Vixen is the sweeter drive because the reduced weight up front makes for more balanced handling. The steering is lighter too, further improving agility, while the beefy brakes borrowed from the Triumph TR range ensure ample stopping power.
Taller drivers would be advised to check that they fit comfortably before buying because the cabin is a mite snug. If you do fit, you’ll be in for a huge treat.