TVR M series Specifications, Photos and Videos

The TVR M series is a line of sports cars built by automaker TVR between 1972 and 1979. The series replaced the outgoing TVR Vixen and Tuscan models, and is characterized by a common chassis and shared body style. As with other TVR models before and since, the M-series cars use a front mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout and body-on-frame construction. The bodies themselves were built from glass-reinforced plastic (GRP). The era of the M series is commonly associated with Martin Lilley who, together with his father, took ownership of the company on 30 November 1965.

The M series was regarded by contemporary reviewers as being loud and fast and having excellent roadholding. This came at the expense of unusual ergonomics, and heating and ventilation systems that were sometimes problematic.

The series includes the 1600M, 2500M, 3000M, 3000S, and Taimar, as well as turbocharged versions of the 3000M, 3000S, and Taimar. The first model to start production was the 2500M in March 1972, after being built as a prototype in 1971. A small number of 5.0 L Ford V8-powered cars were finished or converted by the TVR North America importer; these were sold as the 5000M. A total of 2,465 M-series cars were built over the nine years of production. Because of the hand-built and low-volume nature of TVR production, there are many small and often-undocumented variations between cars of the same model that arise due to component availability and minor changes in the build process.

The American market was financially very important to TVR, and Gerry Sagerman oversaw import and distribution of the cars within the United States from his facility on Long Island. Approximately thirty dealers sold TVRs in the eastern part of the country. John Wadman handled distribution of the cars in Canada through his business, JAG Auto Enterprises.

The backbone chassis for the M-series cars was designed by automotive engineer and dealer Mike Bigland in 1971. Bigland had been hired by Lilley after demonstrating a number of suspension and steering improvements he had made to a 1967 TVR Tuscan SE owned by one John Burton. The chassis Bigland designed was of a central-backbone layout with perimeter tubes. Both round- and square-section 14-gauge and 16-gauge steel tube was used in the construction, with the square sections used to allow easier joining of the frame to the body. To facilitate production of the new chassis, Lilley upgraded TVR's workshop with fixtures that allowed two welders to produce five units per week. During testing, Bigland drove the gold-painted prototype car between his own workshop in Halesowen and the TVR factory several times per week.

Unusual at the time, TVR offered a five-year guarantee against corrosion on the M-series chassis. Corrosion was prevented by leaving a film of oil from the manufacturing process on the metal, capping the ends of the tubes, and fastening components without driving fasteners through the tube walls.

The radiator selected for the M series was shallow enough to allow locating the spare wheel in front of the engine; this improved luggage space behind the seats (where the spare wheel had been stored on pre-M-series models) and also offered some additional crash protection for occupants. An M-series car was sent to the Motor Industry Research Association in 1971 for crash testing, and it was the only vehicle that remained steerable after a 30 mph (48 km/h) front-end collision with a concrete wall. Indeed, the engine remained in position through the impact, the doors were still openable, and the steering column had actually moved forward (away from the driver.) This last fact almost caused the MIRA officials to require that the car be re-tested, as they presumed that such as result was not possible and was a result of a fault with their measurement instruments. Mike Bigland was able to demonstrate to the officials that the result was legitimate, and approval was granted.

The car's suspension was via double wishbones and coil springs front and rear. Although the wishbones and aluminum hub carriers were an original TVR design, many components on the cars were sourced from other manufacturers. The brakes, which were 11-inch discs at the front and 9-inch drums at the rear, came from the Triumph TR6. Steering on all cars was via rack-and-pinion, with the rack manufactured by Alford and Alder. The steering column was a British Leyland part. Some components — such as the differential carrier and front suspension wishbones — were unique to TVR and manufactured in their own welding shop.

Because of production overlap between the M-series cars and earlier models, some earlier models were built with the pre-M bodywork over an M-series chassis. This includes the last series of the TVR 2500 (comprising ninety-six cars; known in the US as the Vixen 2500 and not to be confused with the 2500M), all twenty-three Vixen S4s, and the final six examples of the TVR 1300 (which used the 1296 cc Standard SC engine from the Triumph Spitfire). The very last 1300 was also built with M-series bodywork, although it was not officially given the "1300M" designation.

The M-series body was an evolution of the outgoing Vixen and Tuscan body. The doors, roof, forward bulkhead, and front windscreen were kept the same, leaving the bonnet and rear end to be restyled. At the start of M-series production, the fibreglass sections were baked at 140 °F (60 °C) after being moulded, then given an etch coat, six coats of primer, and three coats of nitrocellulose lacquer paint. Partway through production, the paint shop changed to a two-pack acrylic paint process. Graphic artist John Bailie designed the contrasting side stripe that was first introduced on the turbocharged cars in 1976 (and was available by customer request on all M-series cars in the following years.)

Bigland styled the car's bonnet while Lilley styled the rear with the help of Joe Mleczek, who had been with the company since 1959 and who had experience in working with GRP. Lilley also designed the interior and trim. Initially, the 1600M, 2500M, and 3000M all featured vents on the bonnet and front wings. By 1975, the 1600M and 3000M were being built without the vents but they were retained on the 2500M due to its tendency to run hot.

Many components were sourced from Ford models, including the Consul windscreen that was used on all M-series variants apart from the 3000S. The taillights were initially the Ford Cortina Mark II units as had been used on late Vixens and Tuscans, mounted upside down. These were later replaced by Triumph TR6 lights, which were then replaced with smaller square Lucas lamps in a 1976 facelift which also affected the front. Multiple styles of alloy wheels were offered on the cars over the course of production, including a design by Wolfrace and the "T-slot" design, which was created by Mike Bigland and manufactured by Telcast. Chrome-plated steel bumpers, adapted from those used on the Triumph 2000, were used until September 1974, at which point they were replaced with black foam rubber bumpers.

The corduroy-covered seats used in the M series were finished by Callow and Maddox Ltd., a car trimming and upholstering company then located in Exhall, Coventry. The foam padding used in the seats has a tendency to crumble and disintegrate, which prompts some owners to find suitable replacements. Most aftermarket seats will not fit in the glassfibre tub; only unusually low and narrow seats (such as those from the 1984 to 1988 Pontiac Fiero) can accommodate the car's bodyshell. During M-series production, TVR was dealing with more than two hundred external suppliers, and stored approximately three months' worth of components to reduce sensitivity to outside production variation.

After production of the M series ended, TVR sold the production rights and tooling for many M-series components (including GRP bodies) to David Gerald TVR Sportscars Ltd.

The 1600M, introduced in June 1972, used the 1.6L Ford Kent engine as found in the Ford Capri GT. Power was transmitted via a four-speed Ford gearbox and a Triumph Spitfire differential. The 1600M was discontinued in April 1973, only to be revived for the 1975 model year to meet increased demand for fuel-efficient vehicles in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis. In October 1972, it cost £1980. A total of 148 were built by the time production finally ended in 1977.

As the United States was always an important market for TVR, the 2500M used the 2.5L straight-six engine from the Triumph TR6 due to that engine having been previously certified for US emissions regulations. Also borrowed from the TR6 were its gearbox, differential, and front suspension uprights.

The 2500M was only offered in the UK home market until 1973, after which point it was no longer sold there due to the availability of the 3000M, which featured significantly better performance. Later, with the introduction of the TR7, Triumph stopped production of the 2.5 L TR6 engine, and TVR discontinued the 2500M completely when supplies of the engine were exhausted in 1977. The 2.5L Triumph engine had an inherent fault when fitted to the 2500M. It would continually over heat in traffic or at high revs.

In October 1972, the 2500M cost £2151. Between 1972 and 1977, 947 2500Ms were sold.

As a higher-performance alternative to the 1600M and 2500M, TVR debuted the 3000M at the October 1972 Earl's Court Motor Show. It uses the 3.0 L Ford Essex V6 and cost £2278 in October 1972. The four-speed manual transmission was also available with a switchable Laycock de Normanville overdrive. The early coupés weighed around 950 kg (2,094 lb).

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