written by JonG on 14/11/2003
Good Points
Savage acceleration, glorious engine noise, incredible brakes, drop-dead gorgeous inside and out.
Bad Points
Fit/finish not up to mass-produced standards, major repairs can require trip to the factory, warranty too short
General Comments
If Lamborghini had not already named a car after the devil, the TVR Tuscan Speed 6 would be an excellent candidate. It goes like a bat out of hell, stops as if Old Scratch himself had suddenly appeared in the road in front of you and is so seductive to the eye and ear you may want to sell your soul to get behind the wheel.
It may not be as well screwed and glued together as something from Stuttgart but many people after a test drive in one of these beasts say "who cares?!" and buy one anyway. Nothing sort of a Carrera GT (at 8x the price) would humble a Tuscan.
Some may be put off by the lack of electronic nannying (no Anti-lock Braking System or Traction Control) and while the Tuscan is not a car that suffers fools gladly, it is an easy car to respect. Despite, what you may have heard and what you may think, it doesn't really need either ABS or TC. The brakes are virtually impossibly to lock up unless you're driving on ice and the throttle is long, linear and very precise. The steering is a joy as well, the helm is sharp and telepathically quick. Treat this car as it deserves, and it will reward like nothing else on the road.
With a massive boot built to swallow the removable hard-top and rear window (and still leaves significant cargo room, it is also surprisingly practical if you can live with a strict two-seater.
If you're going to do any serious driving in one, get air-con. Oh yeah, and don't bother with an expensive stereo. In a car this light (around 1100kg) soundproofing is less than comprehensive. You'll hear the stereo but any money spent on high-fidelity is going to be wasted.