TVR Cerbera (1996 - 2005) : HAIR OF THE DOG
Tuesday November 8
Models Covered: (2 dr coupe 4.0, 4.2, 4.5 petrol)
BY ANDY ENRIGHT
The Cerbera, more than any other TVR before it, cemented the Blackpool companys place in the big league of performance car manufacturers. Here was a proper 2+2 sports coupe with crushing power, sleek good looks and an affordable price tag. Whats more, it also offered a range of engines developed entirely in-house. Few believed that TVR had either the technical acumen or financial muscle to manage this, but with three different TVR-designed engines now residing under the elegant bonnets of the Cerbera range, some quite considerable amounts of humble pie have been eaten.
One issue that has dogged the Cerbera has been reliability. Some high-profile cars have spectacularly failed, so what can the general public expect from a used model? Find out here.
Whats it like to live with a Cerbera? Well, its certainly never dull. The interior, with its underslung instruments and wild swooping dashboard never fails to delight, and gives rise to certain Cerbera rituals. Pressing the red button under the steering wheel cuts the ignition. The engine stops instantly, like a racing car.
That steering wheel holds push button controls for lights, washers wipers and horn. Once youve worked out which switch does what, its surprisingly intuitive. The back seats are best reserved as additional luggage space, unless you plan to make a habit of transporting people who have no heads or legs. There is however, a surprisingly generous amount of stowage space around the fascia.
Before you take a test drive in the Cerbera, itll boost your credibility enormously if you know the procedure for getting out of one. Theres no internal door handle, you see. The Griffith used a little lever on the transmission tunnel and the Chimaera had a rotating aluminium pastille next to the gearlever, but the Cerbera has something different. On the doors side pocket is a tiny button which youll need to press to make the door spring open.
Likewise to get in you must deactivate the alarm and press a button on the underside of the door mirror. To start the Cerbera press a black button below the fuel gauge. Hold it in, wait for the electronic diagnostics to do their stuff and then listen to the engine spring into life. Both the AJP8 engines and the Speed Six respond to the throttle in an alarmingly direct way.
It feels as if the cars engine is hardwired to your foot. Theres no flab or mush in the throttle pedal. Press it and the revs rise, take your foot off and they die back. Instantly.
People buy Cerberas for the soundtrack and the car doesnt disappoint. Its a magnificently hard-edged sound, quite different to the burbling Rover V8 cars of the past, but equally evocative.
Pricing a used TVR is very tricky. Many cover only very small mileages, and to a certain extent they are custom built, so its difficult to compare like with like. This is part of the reason why you wont find used values in any of the recognised price guides. What is well recognised is that they start to depreciate far more quickly when they are out of warranty due to a number of niggling problems.
Insurance for all models is Group 20.
"I have amassed 2000 miles on dealer visits alone". "Thank God for the warranty is all I can say"."It has let me down on every trip over 100 miles". "Interior finish is frightening". Theres no gentle way to break the news to you. The TVR Cerbera is a spectacularly unreliable car. These quotes from owners are indicative of the many things that can and do go wrong with Cerberas.
When asked what they would like to see improved on the car, owners wanted better ventilation, rear suspension that was less jittery, a handbrake that worked, brighter air conditioning LEDs, less wind noise, a better stereo, intermittent windscreen wipers, fewer electrical problems with doors and security, a clutch footrest, non vibrating rear view mirrors, better rear ground clearance and less brake squeal. The key grouse was about the one-year warranty and many owners found the dealers unhelpful. The most pertinent quote came from one frustrated owner who when asked what he most wanted in his Cerbera replied, "A spare car in the boot." Common faults include misaligned gearchange linkages, warped rear suspension wishbones, snapped steering-wheel control ribbon cables, deteriorating rear anti-roll bar mounts, leaking radiator cores, seizing door hinges, ineffective crankshaft seals, and shearing clutch release arms. Itll also be worth checking the alternator, water pump and remote boot opening system. The security system comes in for constant flak, with the plipper having a very poor range with anything other than tip-top batteries and there have been several stories of owners being locked into their immobilised Cerbera. Two warranties were available for the Cerbera from new, 5 Star and 5 Star Gold.
Look for used cars which had the superior 5 Star Gold warranty. TVR hate reports which stress the cars unreliability, but if they want us to eulogise over the cars styling and performance, they have to put up with the other side of the coin as well.
Trying to establish definitive parts prices for Cerberas is tricky, due in no small part to the fact that the vehicle has undergone a series of tiny ad-hoc improvements and changes throughout its lifetime. Without a quotable chassis number many parts prices will fluctuate hugely. Check your local dealer for details.
Everything about the Cerbera is firm and purposeful. The power steering offers minimal assistance, the clutch is heavy and the gearchange requires a hefty shove. The power delivery of all Cerbera engines may come as a surprise if youd been reading reports of the cars explosive performance. Theres no peakiness, none of the drama of a turbocharged installation, just a massive wall of torque.
The noise is a sharp bark rather than a rumble, and trying to catch the rapid rise and fall of the engine with the gearbox is an art that requires some practice. Its only when you get the TVR up to speed through a series of bends that all the ingredients fall into place. The thick wheel rim feeds back all the road surface information you could ever need through those huge Bridgestone tyres, and the steering itself is so quick, youll only need a gentle roll of the wrists to send the Cerberas nose darting towards the next apex. Get a bit brave and youll find the front-end grip more than a match for the back.
The brakes are impressive four-pot AP-Racing callipers with ventilated discs, and have little trouble in retarding the lightweight TVR. Steering and stopping are no problem, but how much go does a Cerbera muster? Rest to sixty in 4.0 seconds and a top speed of 180mph from the 4.2-litre car should satisfy that compunction.
The Speed Six figures are broadly comparable, but the added muscle of the 4.5-litre V8 lets it race up to 100mph in just 8.8 seconds. Thats enough to make a Ferrari 550, Lamborghini Diablo VT or Porsche 911 GT3 appear somewhat tardy.
You need to be brave to drive one and even braver to sign on the dotted line for a used TVR Cerbera. Despite the cars numerous faults, its still so much cheaper than anything else with an equivalent level of performance that perhaps this can be excused. They say that fortune favours the brave. Good luck.
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