Adored TVR when he knew it from games as a boy
TVR, a British car manufacturer founded in 1947, is known for its distinctive design and has been favored by fans for its unique style. We found TVR’s Tuscan at the 20th Century Meeting. The eccentric style of the Tuscan was so eye-catching that visitors stopped to take a look and were curious about it. We asked the owner of the bright red Tuscan to introduce his car.
The Tuscan debuted when the owner was in the third grade of elementary school
On April 14, 2024, the 20th Century Meeting was held. At the event, this bright red TVR “Tuscan” caught the eye with its eccentric style.
The TVR Tuscan we found at the event was a 2004 model. Most backyard builders rely on engines supplied by major manufacturers, but TVR is one of the few exceptions, having developed its engines since 1994. This Tuscan was also equipped with an in-house developed inline 6-cylinder 3.6L engine called the “Speed Six,” and its power was said to be 350ps, which is close to 100ps per liter.
We decided to talk to the owner of the TVR Tuscan, a sports car full of such anomalies. I believe the TVR is relatively minor in Japan, but how did you come to acquire this car?
“The Tuscan debuted in 1999, right around the time I was in the third grade of elementary school,”
said owner Mr. Akihiko Kojima, who was born in 1991.
“I learned about its unique design from a game. Also, new cars were being imported at the time, so I had been interested in them since I was a child. This Tuscan is a 2004 model; I found a used one with about 20,000 km on the odometer at one of the stores in 2019 and was able to get it. The odometer is currently at about 35,000 km, so it has run about 15,000 km since I got it.”
He had been interested in the Tuscan since he was a boy. What was his impression when he actually test-drove it for the first time? He replied, “This is amazing!”
Father and son enjoy British sports car
The TVR, however, was originally a hard-edged clubman racer built by a car enthusiast, Trevor Wilkinson, who believed that “a sports car should be powerful and light”. The wild DNA of the TVR is reflected in the Tuscan’s design. The wild DNA was fully inherited in the Tuscan.
“I was out on the road when the clutch stopped disengaging, and the cause was that the diaphragm spring in the clutch had gone. Well, this seems to be a ‘TVR thing’.”
The owner said with a smile.
While I was admiring the sports car driver who had a lot of guts, a man asked Mr. Akihiko Kojima, “Oh, are you interviewing for a magazine?”, who was attending the event in a Lotus FF Elan.
“My son is in your care. Oh, I’m his father.”
Oh, so that’s how it is. A wonderful relationship of enjoying events, touring, and neo-classic generation British sports cars with father and son. I envy you.
