2002 TVR Tuscan S review from UK and Ireland

All good so far.

Mind warping performance. Even superbikes can't match the acceleration of this car above 80 mph, despite being a bit quicker off the mark. I also have a Yamaha R1, and this is the only car I've owned that doesn't feel gutless in comparison. It's unbelievably fast! A corking engine which has power everywhere, and sounds fantastic, especially the crisp, race car howl above 5,000 RPM which makes my neck hair stand up! Anyone who misses the old V8 TVR's should listen to this Speed Six engine. It's intoxicating.

Handling is very capable, with loads of grip, and bags of feel from the steering. Oversteer is always on the cards with this sort of power though, so you have to respect the car. As long as you keep this in mind, it generally behaves well, and the steering and brakes have enough feel to let you know when you're pushing too hard. In the wet it is a living nightmare which will try to kill you if you take liberties, but then TVR's have always been the same! Who wants a car that anyone can drive fast, anywhere and any time?

I love the exterior styling, especially from the front. It looks radical and aggressive. The interior is wacky, but less convincing, with a large LCD speedo and rev counter mounted in a pod behind the steering wheel. Various minor controls are arranged around the steering wheel itself, which works well enough, but I can't help thinking a standard "wood and leather" interior should at least be an option. It's certainly different though.

You could play safe and buy an M Coupe or a Boxster S, either of which would prove more useable, but the TVR is so much more soulful. It's not sanitised and muted, but loud, aggressive, full of attitude and with searing performance. It's addictive, involving and best of all it proves beyond a doubt that, while the Germans may build the best quality cars in the world, and the Japanese the most reliable, we British can still build the most characterful and exciting. It also doesn't have the naff "white socks, city trader" image of a BMW or Porsche - people ask about it and look at it, but don't want to vandalise it.

Oh, and it hasn't broken down or started to fall apart. Yet ;-)