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TVR Sagaris

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TVR Sagaris
Overview
ManufacturerTVR Motor Company Limited
Production2005–2006
211 produced
AssemblyUnited Kingdom: Blackpool
DesignerGraham Browne, Lee Hodgetts, Darren Hobbs, Martin Smith
Body and chassis
ClassSports car (S)
Body style2-door coupe
LayoutLongitudinal-mounted, front mid-engine, rear-wheel drive
PlatformFibreglass body over tubular steel chassis
RelatedTVR T350
Powertrain
Engine4.0 L (3,996 cc) Speed Six I6
Power output406 bhp (412 PS; 303 kW) and 349 lb⋅ft (473 N⋅m) of torque
Transmission5-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase92.9 in (2,360 mm)
Length159.7 in (4,056 mm)
Width72.8 in (1,849 mm)
Height46.3 in (1,176 mm)
Kerb weight2,376 lb (1,078 kg)
Chronology
SuccessorTVR Griffith (Second Generation)

The TVR Sagaris is a sports car designed and built by the British company TVR in their factory in Blackpool, Lancashire.

Overview

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TVR Sagaris rear
Front view in British racing green

The Sagaris made its debut at the MPH03 Auto Show in 2003. The pre-production model was then shown at the 2004 Birmingham Motor Show. In 2005, the production model was released for public sale at TVR dealerships around the world. Based on the TVR T350,[1] the Sagaris was designed with endurance racing in mind. The multitude of air vents, intake openings, and other features on the bodywork allow the car to be driven for extended periods of time on race tracks with no modifications required for cooling and ventilation. The final production model came with several variations from the pre-production show models, e.g. the vents on the wings are not cut out, different wing mirrors, location of the fuel filler, and bonnet hinges (along with other variations).

As with all TVRs of the 1990s and early 2000s, the Sagaris ignores the European Union guideline that all new cars should be fitted with ABS and at least front airbags, because Peter Wheeler believed that such devices promote overconfidence and risk the life of a driver in the event of a rollover—which TVRs are engineered to resist.[2] It also eschews electronic driver's aids (such as traction control or electronic stability control), leading Malcolm Thorne of Classic & Sports Car magazine to observe that although "far less intimidating than you might expect, in the wet it sends a prickle of trepidation down your spine".[3] Thorne nonetheless summed up the TVR as "stunning".

The car's name comes from the sagaris, the Greek name of a lightweight battle-axe used by the Scythians, which was feared for its ability to penetrate the armour of their enemies. The car was designed by Graham Browne.

Daniel Boardman, the Chief Engineer involved in the Sagaris project, was frustrated with well-known TVR quality issues, such as water ingress, carpets coming unstuck, and tricky handling. Boardman spent considerable time ensuring the Sagaris was engineered properly from the start. The suspension was designed to eliminate bump-steer, the dampers were tuned with input from the Bilstein and Multimatic, the bonnet was redesigned to work as well as any conventional steel bonnet, and door seals were meticulously checked to ensure no water ingress. Motoring journalist Jeremy Clarkson described the resulting product as "the best TVR ever made".[4]

In 2008, TVR unveiled the Sagaris 2, which was designed to replace the original Sagaris. The prototype had minor changes to the original car, including a revised rear fascia and exhaust system, and modifications to the interior.[5]

A company called Grex Automotive acquired the forms and tools after TVR's bankruptcy. In 2018, they made the TVR Sagaris available to buy as a kit car.[6] Only ten examples were planned, and the engine and transmission choice were up to the buyers.[6]

Specifications

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Engine

Powerplant

Gearbox

Suspension

Brakes

Wheels and tires

Chassis/body

Performance

  • Top speed: 185 mph (298 km/h)
  • 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h): 3.7 seconds[8]
  • 60 to 0 mph: 2.9 seconds[9]

Racing

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TVR Sagaris GTF01 launch at Silverstone 2006. GTF built 4 cars at the factory and with factory race shells. They also supply kits for teams to build to their Championships specification. This includes the Racesport cars.
Racing TVR Sagaris Supersport after winning in the GT Cup Series at Oulton Park, UK
TVR Sagaris (race spec)

A TVR Sagaris was entered in the 2011 British GT Cup by Team Winstanley, driven by Danny Winstanley. The car entered had a standard factory chassis, but was fitted with an upgraded 420 hp (426 PS; 313 kW) TVR Supersport Speed Six engine. In its first season it achieved two wins at Oulton Park and Brands Hatch.[10]

GTF Sagaris cars have won in the TVR Challenge (every race entered), GT Cup, Britcar and the Ardennes Challenge at Spa, as well as many club sport races. The GTF02 remains the most successful car with over 40 race wins and 3 Championship outright wins.

References

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  1. ^ "TVR Sagaris | First Drives" March 2005, retrieved on 2009-05-08
  2. ^ "The Wheeler Interview: Ted quizzes TVR's Chairman on ABS, airbags and safety" 18 April 2004, retrieved on 2009-01-31
  3. ^ Classic & Sports Car, May 2017, p147
  4. ^ Peter, Martin (5 May 2021). "10 British Sports Cars Nobody Has Ever Heard Of". HotCars. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  5. ^ Wojdyla, Ben (11 July 2008). "TVR Reveals Sagaris 2 Prototype, Sending Fender Vent Futures Up Sharply on Early Morning Trading". Jalopnik.
  6. ^ a b Östlund, Daniel (10 September 2018). "Bygg din egen TVR Sagaris" [Build your own TVR Sagaris]. Bytbil (in Swedish). Schibsted. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020.
  7. ^ "2003 TVR Sagaris". Carfolio.com. 28 February 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  8. ^ "TVR Sagaris" TVR 2005, retrieved on 9 October 2009
  9. ^ "TVR Sagaris" AutoCar UK 24 May 2005, retrieved on 2009-05-08
  10. ^ "Greatest Cars, TVR Sagaris". in 2 motorsports. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
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