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The TVR 350i is a sports car built by British company TVR from 1983 until 1989. In 1982 TVR's then new owner Peter Wheeler found himself wanting more power than the Cologne V6-equipped Tasmin 280i could offer. Thus, based on the existing car the TVR Tasmin 350i appeared in August 1983.[1] Using the same chassis and body (with some minor changes), a 3.5-litre Rover V8 was installed. After a year, the "Tasmin" part of the name was dropped and the car became just TVR 350i.[2]
| TVR 350i | |
|---|---|
 1987 TVR 350i convertible | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | TVR |
| Also called | TVR Tasmin 350i TVR 350SX |
| Production | 1983.08–1989 949 produced |
| Designer | Oliver Winterbottom |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Sports car |
| Body style | 2-door coupé 2-door convertible |
| Layout | FR layout |
| Platform | TVR Wedge |
| Related | TVR 390SE |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 3.5 L Rover V8 |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 94 in (2,388 mm) |
| Length | 160.5 in (4,077 mm) |
| Width | 68 in (1,727 mm) |
| Height | 47.3 in (1,201 mm) (convertible) |
| Curb weight | 2,209–2,213 lb (1,002–1,004 kg) (convertible) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | TVR Tasmin 280i |
Development
editThe 3.5 L V8 produced 197 hp (147 kW) at 5280 rpm and 220 lb⋅ft (298 N⋅m) of torque at 4000 rpm,[3][4] propelling the 350i to a top speed of between 130–135 mph (209–217 km/h), while 0-60 mph (97 km/h) took between 6.3 and 6.5 seconds. The Rover-engined 350i provided the added benefit of being marketable in Arab countries, where there was a certain political resistance to buying Ford products because of Ford's close dealings with Israel.[2] The 350i also provided the basis for the 390SE first seen at the Birmingham Motor Show in October 1984,[1] as well as the extreme 420/450 SEAC and other future developments.
A modified form of the 350i's chassis, itself a stretched version of the chassis used for the old M-series, also underpinned the S-series as well as the later Griffith. There was a short run of non-factory Sprintex supercharged 350SX (and the bigger hearted 400SX) made by the Northern TVR Centre in the mid-1980s. Nine and two of the respective versions are thought to have been built. Power is not certain, but 260 bhp (194 kW) for the 350SX is commonly cited.[5]
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By 1989, after the introduction of the 400/450SE and 420/450 SEAC, the lineup was rationalized and the by now least powerful 350i was dropped.[2] Over 1,000 350i's were built. The end of the run was marked by the limited edition (25 examples only) 3.9-litre TVR 350SE of 1990-91.
References
edit
- ^ a b James M. Flammang (1994). Standard Catalog of Imported Cars, 1946-1990. Iola, WI: Krause Publications, Inc. p. 619. ISBN 0-87341-158-7.
- ^ a b c Mike Lawrence (1991). A to Z of Sports Cars. Bideford, Devon: Bay View Books. p. 313. ISBN 1-870979-81-8.
- ^ Nichols, Mel (1 February 1987). "Showdown! Porsche vs. Porsche vs. Audi vs. TVR vs. Lotus. We find the winning formula" (PDF). Automobile Magazine.
- ^ "TVR 350i: The Rivals". Motorweek. 11 October 1986.
- ^ "TVR Wedge Specials". Pistonheads.com. Retrieved 14 December 2010.