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TVR 3000M

In 1949 Trevor Wilkinson produced a line of hand-build vehicles under the name Trevcar Motors in Blackpool, England. Within a few years, the name was changed to TVR, a combination of some of the characters in Trevor's name (TreVoR). By 1957 the TVR Company was producing the Jomar, a vehicle with a fiberglass body and a tubular steel chassis. This design led to the Grantura, Griffin, Tuscan, Vixen, and the M series.

The TVR Company has been owned by several owners. For a while, it was selling cars as Layton Sports Car Ltd and Grantura Engineering. It was not until 1965 when Martin Lilley, a Lotus and TVR dealer, purchased the company and reinstated the TVR Engineering name.

The M series was offered with three engine options. The 1.6-liter Ford 'Kent' engine provided the power for the 1600 M. The 3.0-liter Capri engine powered the 3000 M which was primarily for domestic sales. The 2500 M was powered by a 2498-cc inline-six from the TR6 and sold to America. The 2500 M made its world debut at the 1971 Earls Court Motor Show and it was instantly popular. If the car did not attract, the nude models that were assigned by Lilley to the stand surely attracted a crowd.

The 2500M had a four-speed manual gearbox and differential which it borrowed from Triumph. The bodywork was similar to the early TVR models though the bonnet was extended allowing more room for the engine and giving the car a more pleasing appearance. Early versions were given the Vixen's black alloy wheels and Ford Cortina MK II taillights. The six-cylinder engines with dual Stromberg CD-w carburetors produce a respectable 106 horsepower. Zero-to-sixty takes just over 9 seconds with a top speed of nearly 120 mph. Disc brakes can be found in the front while drums are in the rear.

What the TVR 2500M lacked in power it made up for in light-weight components, a short wheelbase, and superior handling. The fuel economy was rather good at around 30 mph.

Production of the 2500M lasted until 1977. The 3000M was produced until 1979 when it was replaced by the Tasmin.
By Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2006