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TVR Cerbera Speed 12 - More powerful than Hemi's weedy Merc! :D

Starter: Captain_Chaos Posted: 20 years ago Views: 1.0K
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#163424
Lvl 13
The TVR Cerbera Speed Twelve made its world debut at the London Motor Show in October 1999 and is a departure from the traditional TVR manufacturing methods.

With its hybrid aluminium honeycomb and tubular steel chassis, carbon fibre bodywork, six speed sequential gearbox and unique fabricated steel blocked V12 800 bhp powerplant, this sensational lightweight variation of the Cerbera theme is in the tradition of week-end race cars that can be driven to and from the track. The car inherits more than just the engine and therefore name of its GT1 predecessor. With the recent demise of GT1, TVR has taken the opportunity to develop a new GT2 contender that will take TVR back onto the global GT stage. International GT rules mandate a flat floor and a tubular steel roll cage and so the primary chassis of the car consists of a T45 steel tubular safety cell which is integrally braced by the flat aluminium honeycomb floor and bulkheads. This hybrid construction both follows the racing rules and allows for the car to be quite simple to assemble.

The front bulkhead is immediately behind the engine whilst the rear one lies directly ahead of the rear wheels. This allows the exhausts to exit cleanly away from the engine and then turn ahead of the footwell to run down the sills, and the driver to sit as far rearward as possible. The removal of the previous structural reliance upon the tunnel allows this to be as narrow as the gearbox dictates and in turn allows the driver to be positioned further inboard towards the centreline of the car. The honeycomb floor and bulkheads are stiff enough to accept the seat mounts and pedal assemblies directly without need for further reinforcement. The floors are stabilised at their outer edges where they are folded up 90¦ to give 40mm of crushable protection for the occupants.

The wide sills house the silencers which are also contribute to the side impact protection which ends finally with the cage doorbars. Because the floor and bulkhead assembly form the complete cockpit area they can be assembled, bonded and rivetted before the cage is bolted into place. This then forms a sealed centre section that contains the driver and fuel tank safely within the rollover cage and also has the required flat floor. There are front and rear subframesthat are simple, light yet stiff tubular fabrications (again in T45 steel). These are bolted to the cage through the honeycomb bulkhead panels via ingenious self aligning steel fittings that make use of the shear stiffness of the bulkheads to triangulate the roll cage structure. The engine is fitted by removing the entire front end of the car, without the necessity of disconnecting any oil or water pipes. The outermost ends of the subframes terminate in aerospace alloy billet bulkheads that fulfil both structural and practical roles.

At the front two back to back, machined from solid plates, form a void that is the oil dry sump tank: provide all the mountings for the front suspension and steering rack and physically connect the open subframe tubes. At the rear a similar machined from solid plate seals the rear of the differential housing and provides mountings for the rear suspension. The differential housing provides a structural load path between the rear subframe and the cabin section via a fabricated casing that also locates the rear lower wishbones. The suspension consists of classic double wishbones all round, with coil over gas clampers operated by pushrods and with rising rate anti-roll bars front and rear. The centre lock rnagnesium wheels run on steel hubs within exquisitely fabricated aerospace steel vaned uprights to allow cooling air to reach the massive (51" brake discs and callipers.

At the rear the driveshaft CV joints are Integrated within the hub/bearing assembly. All of the suspension joints pivot on spherical bearings. The bodywork is all manufactured in house out of carbon fibre pre-preg composite with a mixture of Nomex and Kevlar reinforcement, the overall style being that of a Cerbera on steroids. The entire front and rear are one piece mouidings for quick and easy access whilst the cabin section is bonded to the honeycomb bulkheads and sides to form the sealed passenger compartment. The front screen contains a heating element for elegant demisting whilst rear vision is perhaps described at best as 'adequate", given the imposing presence of the rear wing.

Of all the new features of the Speed Twelve, the most significant is TVR's own all-new. 7.7 litre V12 which gives the car its name. In unrestricted form this engine gives 800 bhp @ 7250 rpm and 650 ft lb of torque at 5750 rpm. In principle, the engine is two Speed Sixes but in reality shares little but the valves of its smaller sister. Among its more notable features are Its aluminium 48 valve heads, high molybdenum EN14T steel block. EN40B nitrided steel crankshaft and EN24B conrods. Even the road car is trimmed in an extremely spartan fashion with weight saving being paramount in the engineers' minds but a small number of road cars have been delivered already. The racing programme has been very successful, even in its early stages, and the drivers of the Cerbera Speed 12, Ian McKellar Jnr. and Bobby Verdon-Roe. have been on the podium of the British GT series a number of times in 2000 Including of the car's maiden victory at Silverstone during the summer.

Year: 1999 Status: Currently in production
Engine: 7.7 litre V12 Power: 800 bhp @ 7250 rpm
0-60: n/a Top speed: n/a
#163425
Lvl 11
Too bad only a few were made, and it never made TVR any money. Project 12/7 was this car was called back in the mid to late 90's was a wonderful car, but a total beast. The race class it was slated for had a rule change, as project 12/7 was faster in road trim than most other competing cars in race trim.
This is not a car TVR could ever have money with, so they cut their losses on all the R&D time and called it a day. The only reason it was to be produced is to meet FIA requirements for a limited production street car based upon the race car (it is supposed to work the other way around, but cars like this get designed as race cars and then get converted to road cars). Since they could no longer race it, there was no reason to sell it.
I say SUCKY TITS!! The Speed 12 was the ultimate machine, and only newer supercars like the Veyron (if it ever comes out and even runs) would have had a chance against it. Goodbye Enzo, bye McLaren F1, bye Saleen S7. The Speed 12 would have been faster than hell, and would have handled great. Oh well, too bad for us, but it is not like I could have afforded one anyway.
Thanks for bringing back some highschool car memories for me.
#163426
Lvl 19
They still make TVR???
#163427
Lvl 11
TVR still makes cars out in merry ole England. They are thinking of importing here soon, but we'll see on that one.
#163428
Lvl 13
asmo, TVRs' website is here if you want to take a look. Yes, they are very much in business. I teste drove the Tuscan last year - it's designed like a spaceship and is fast as hell. No sissy driver aids either so it's a real enthusiasts car!


============> www.tvr-eng.co.uk <============
#163429
Lvl 22
TVR are the dogs dangly bits... The T440 is an awsome machine (yes i have driven one). Hits the top of my most wanted list. The original speed 12 looked quite different to the pic you showed captain, when it made its debut and it was in '98...

http://www.fantasycars.com/derek/cars/images/tvr/speed12_3.jpg


http://www.fantasycars.com/derek/cars/images/tvr/speed12_4.jpg


http://www.fantasycars.com/derek/cars/images/tvr/speed12_2.jpg
* This post has been modified : 20 years ago
#163430
Lvl 13
Yep -tasty Watty!
Did the one you drove the progressive non linear stearing rack? My test car did, and the more you turned the steering wheel the higher the gearing became on the rack. Made my blast around the lanes very interesting indeed! Incoming tree 10 o'clock, 130mph - action stations!!
#163431
Lvl 17
one word, Porche GT3 Turbo 2003´4x4 ´<--- Thats the car you want to buy
#163432
Lvl 13
Not according to Car magazine Davallia - they road tested one a couple of weeks ago against a 360 Modena. They chose the Modena!
#163433
Lvl 15
Love the TVR also Porsche 929 of late 80's, too bad never imported to U.S.
#163434
Lvl 17
The porche has greater looks... dunno about the costs, but imo. the porche is the best buy, i dont know if my vote counts for more than Car magazines but, i guess its a question of taste and who the testpanel was
#163435
Lvl 13
I think they judged the two against each other for roadholding, handling and overall desirability. To my mind the 360 wins hands down on the Porsche - there are loads of Porsches on the road these days - it's a common shape now. I've been lucky enough to test a 360 against a Porsche myself, and I'd also agree with Car magazine. It's a special car - a real work of art. And the engine noise...
#163436
Lvl 17
Have you seen the koenig? see thats a car
#163437
Lvl 13
The koenigzegzgzgz thingy? Yep, sweet car! Bit harder to blag a test drive on those though, so I've only seen it on Top Gear on the BBC. I think they cost about £250k as well! ($450,000) Need to win the lotto first!

#163438
Lvl 17
Yup, but the speed on that thing........... WRAAAAAAAAAAH if i had a car like that the plates would say MEBMEB
#163439
Lvl 13
If I had a car like that the plates would be a mass of melted plastic from the re-entry speed I attained
#163440
Lvl 17
But again, would be the number #1 car on the carthiefs hit list
#163441
Lvl 13
They wouldn't get far without being noticed! Besides,if you start driving a flash car you'll find you never leave it anywhere, you just worry too much. Car parks are a no-no because idiots make expensive dings in it and put dirty finger prints over your pride and joy. I used to drive an XKR. Bit of a nightmare! I like the James Bond version of thief protection - car explodes when tampered with!
#163442
Lvl 17
, or a just leave it unpainted
#163443
Lvl 22
Quote:
Yep -tasty Watty!
Did the one you drove the progressive non linear stearing rack? My test car did, and the more you turned the steering wheel the higher the gearing became on the rack. Made my blast around the lanes very interesting indeed! Incoming tree 10 o'clock, 130mph - action stations!!


Not really sure what ya discribing captain. Are you talking about the LSD (Limited Slip Differential)? I think all the later models have that as standard nw Apart from that, the one i drove just had the standard power assisted rack and pinion steering.

Anyhow have you seen the new Sagaris??? Oh yes look at it.... LOOK AT IT!!!
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