| TVR 350i | |
| Manufacturer: | TVR |
| Aka: | TVR Tasmin 350i TVR 350SX |
| Production: | 1983.08–1989 949 produced |
| Predecessor: | TVR Tasmin 280i |
| Related: | TVR 390SE |
| Class: | Sports car |
| Body Style: | 2-door coupé 2-door convertible |
| Platform: | TVR Wedge |
| Layout: | FR layout |
| Engine: | 3.5 L Rover V8 |
| Transmission: | 5-speed manual |
| Designer: | Oliver Winterbottom |
| Wheelbase: | 94inches |
| Weight: | NaNlb (convertible) |
| Width: | 68inches |
| Length: | 160.5inches |
| Height: | 47.3inches (convertible) |
The TVR 350i is a sports car built by British company TVR from 1983 until 1989. 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 TVR Tasmin 350i appeared in August 1983.[1] Using the same chassis and body (with some minor changes), a 3.5-litre Rover V8 was installed. After a year, the "Tasmin" part of the name was dropped and the car became just TVR 350i.[2]
The 3.5 L V8 produced 1970NaN0 at 5280 rpm and 2200NaN0 of torque at 4000 rpm,[3] [4] propelling the 350i to a top speed of between NaN0NaN0, while 0-60 mph (97 km/h) took between 6.3 and 6.5 seconds. The Rover-engined 350i provided the added benefit of being marketable in Arab countries, where there was a certain political resistance to buying Ford products because of Ford's close dealings with Israel.[2] The 350i also provided the basis for the 390SE first seen at the Birmingham Motor Show in October 1984,[1] as well as the extreme 420/450 SEAC and other future developments. A modified form of the 350i's chassis, itself a stretched version of the chassis used for the old M-series, also underpinned the S-series as well as the later Griffith. There was a short run of non-factory Sprintex supercharged 350SX (and the bigger hearted 400SX) made by the Northern TVR Centre in the mid-1980s. Nine and two of the respective versions are thought to have been built. Power is not certain, but 2600NaN0 for the 350SX is commonly cited.[5] By 1989, after the introduction of the 400/450SE and 420/450 SEAC, the lineup was rationalized and the by now least powerful 350i was dropped.[2] Over 1,000 350i's were built. The end of the run was marked by the limited edition (25 examples only) 3.9-litre TVR 350SE of 1990-91.