Conscious that the Rover V8 would not stay in production indefinitely, TVR began to work on various in-house engine designs during the early / mid-1990s; a hugely ambitious undertaking for so small a manufacturer. Undaunted, Peter Wheeler and John Ravenscroft oversaw the creation of the 4-Litre Speed Six powerplant. An all-alloy, DOHC 24-valve straight-six featuring dry-sump lubrication, it was quoted as developing some 360bhp and 310lbft of torque. Unveiled at the 1998 British Motor Show but not entering production until March 2000, the Tuscan was the first TVR model to be specifically conceived around the Speed Six unit. A two-seater convertible, the newcomer was equipped with all-round independent double-wishbone coil-over suspension, power assisted rack and pinion steering and four-wheel ventilated disc brakes. Clothed with extravagantly styled fibreglass body panels (including a detachable roof), the Tuscan's notably rigid multi-tubular chassis frame also played host to a five-speed manual gearbox and limited slip differential. A riot of imaginative instrumentation and novel switchgear, the interior maintained TVR's reputation for lateral thinking. Weighing in at just 1,100kg, the Tuscan was reputedly capable of 0-60mph in under 4 seconds and over 180mph. Gaining considerable exposure on both sides of the Atlantic from its starring role in the film Swordfish (2001) alongside John Travolta, the model evolved through S and Red Rose guises before being supplanted by a MK2 version during October 2005.

The vendor purchased this particular example on the understanding that it was one of the cars used during the filming of Swordfish. Among the paperwork on file is an invoice for a `One off TVR Tuscan Speed Six' finished in Chameleon Blue as well as a reference to the car having made a second screen appearance in the British television programme Blue Dove. Currently undergoing a cherished number plate transfer, this jaw-dropping British supercar shows an unwarranted 48,000 miles to its odometer and is accompanied by sundry documentation and a MOT certificate valid until August 2010.

Image and description kindly supplied by H&H Classic Auctions