TVR 390 SE
Encyclopedia
The TVR 390SE is a sports car designed and built by TVR
. It was introduced in October 1984. It featured many novelties not found in other 'Wedge'
TVRs before and was also the most powerful one yet. It never received British Type Approval
, so technically speaking the 390SE was just a 350i
with special equipment fitted.
Tuning specialist to produce a blueprinted engine, turning out an extra 85 bhp, taking it to a claimed 275 bhp. The engine achieved these numbers by using some very interesting improvements such as an increased capacity of the engine to 3,905 cc, high lift camshafts, gas flowed cylinder heads with large valves and Cosworth
machined pistons. A stronger clutch, limited slip differential
and wider Yokohama tyres were fitted to help get the extra power down onto the road.
The styling of the car was also improved - or at any rate made more aggressive - with a deeper front air dam, and a rear under body aerofoil. Subsequent updating saw the bodyshell gain flared wheelarches and different sills. Ventilated front disc brakes and fifteen inch wheels were part of the package as well. A Series 2 car appeared in 1988 with the most obvious difference being a rounder nose.
Production of the modified Rover V8 was handled by different engineering companies throughout the car's life with most units being produced by North Coventry Kawasaki
(NCK); which company was subsequently purchased by TVR to become their in-house engine division, TVR Power. About 100 390SEs were built.
Owing to the United Kingdom 'Type Approval' rules, it was not economical for TVR to homologate the small-volume 390SE as a separate model from their more common '350i' so the customer was invoiced for the car and engine work separately. Therefore most 390SEs are officially registered as 3.5 litre cars.
. The SE, in addition to more restrained bodywork, also featured somewhat milder cams than did the SEAC. However, due to the development status and its being handbuilt, the specs of each 420SE built are likely to differ.
TVR
thumb|right|240px|TVR No.2, the oldest surviving TVR, located at [[Lakeland Motor Museum, Newby Bridge, Cumbria]]TVR was an independent British manufacturer of sports cars. Until 2006 it was based in the English seaside town of Blackpool, Lancashire, but has since split up into several smaller...
. It was introduced in October 1984. It featured many novelties not found in other 'Wedge'
TVR Wedges
TVR Wedges is a commonly used name for a series of wedge-shaped sports cars built by British specialist sports car manufacturer TVR between 1980 and 1991. There were 2-seat convertibles and 2-seater or 2+2 liftback coupés, with four-, six- and eight-cylinder engines from a variety of manufacturers...
TVRs before and was also the most powerful one yet. It never received British Type Approval
Homologation
Homologation is a technical term, derived from the Greek homologeo for "to agree", which is generally used in English to signify the granting of approval by an official authority...
, so technically speaking the 390SE was just a 350i
TVR 350i
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 Tasmin 350i appeared in August 1983. Using the same chassis and body , a 3.5-litre Rover V8 was installed...
with special equipment fitted.
History
TVR Engineering worked with Andy Rouse, a RoverRover Group
The Rover Group plc was the name given in 1986 to the British state-owned vehicle manufacturer previously known as British Leyland or BL. Owned by British Aerospace from 1988 to 1994, when it was sold to BMW, the Group was broken up in 2000 with the Rover and MG marques being acquired by the MG...
Tuning specialist to produce a blueprinted engine, turning out an extra 85 bhp, taking it to a claimed 275 bhp. The engine achieved these numbers by using some very interesting improvements such as an increased capacity of the engine to 3,905 cc, high lift camshafts, gas flowed cylinder heads with large valves and Cosworth
Cosworth
Cosworth is a high performance engineering company founded in London in 1958, specialising in engines and electronics for automobile racing , mainstream automotive and defence industries...
machined pistons. A stronger clutch, limited slip differential
Limited slip differential
A limited slip differential is a type of differential gear arrangement that allows for some difference in angular velocity of the output shafts, but imposes a mechanical bound on the disparity...
and wider Yokohama tyres were fitted to help get the extra power down onto the road.
The styling of the car was also improved - or at any rate made more aggressive - with a deeper front air dam, and a rear under body aerofoil. Subsequent updating saw the bodyshell gain flared wheelarches and different sills. Ventilated front disc brakes and fifteen inch wheels were part of the package as well. A Series 2 car appeared in 1988 with the most obvious difference being a rounder nose.
Production of the modified Rover V8 was handled by different engineering companies throughout the car's life with most units being produced by North Coventry Kawasaki
Kawasaki Heavy Industries
is an international corporation based in Japan. It has headquarters in both Chūō-ku, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo.The company is named after its founder Shōzō Kawasaki and has no connection with the city of Kawasaki, Kanagawa....
(NCK); which company was subsequently purchased by TVR to become their in-house engine division, TVR Power. About 100 390SEs were built.
Owing to the United Kingdom 'Type Approval' rules, it was not economical for TVR to homologate the small-volume 390SE as a separate model from their more common '350i' so the customer was invoiced for the car and engine work separately. Therefore most 390SEs are officially registered as 3.5 litre cars.
420SE
At the customer's request, further engine work could be performed taking the V8 to 4.2 L capacity - thus creating the '420SE' in the process, of which only seven were built in 1986 and 1987. These cars were development cars for the 4.2-litre V8 used in the later, wilder 420 SEACTVR 420 SEAC
The TVR 420 SEAC is a sports car designed and built by TVR between 1986 and 1988 . It is considered as the ultimate "wedge" TVR and is the final of TVR wedge family. Unlike the other wedges the 420 SEAC was different. The acronym SEAC stands for Special Equipment Aramid Composite, that means that...
. The SE, in addition to more restrained bodywork, also featured somewhat milder cams than did the SEAC. However, due to the development status and its being handbuilt, the specs of each 420SE built are likely to differ.
Specifications
| Version | 390SE | 420SE |
| Engine | TVR Power Rover V8, EFi Fuel injection Fuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s.... |
|
| Displacement | 3,905 cc | 4,228 cc |
| 93.5 x 77.1 mm | ||
| Power | 275 bhp at 5,500 rpm | 300 bhp at 5,500 rpm |
| Torque | 270 lbft at 3,500 rpm | 290 lbft at 4,500 rpm |
| Top Speed | 144 mph (231.7 km/h) | n/a |
| Acceleration (0–60 mph) | 5.6 sec | n/a |
| Acceleration (0–100 mph) | 14.9 sec | n/a |
| Chassis | Tubular spaceframe, rear-wheel drive | |
| Body | Fibreglass, 2-seater convertible | |
| Weight | 1150 kg (2,535 lb) | 1150 kg (2,535 lb) |
| Transmission | Five speed gearbox (LT77) | |
| Wheelbase | 2387 mm (94 in) | |
| Track (F/R) | 1,450 / 1,480 mm (57.1 / 58.3 in) | |
| Length/Width/ Height | 4,013 / 1,728 / 1,205 mm (158.0 / 68.0 / 47.5 in) |
|