When you think of a small, boutique automaker, you probably envision a distinctive (for better or worse) design, a hodgepodge of components from different manufacturers, and quirky ergonomics. There’s a good chance the engine from a higher-volume automaker also comes to mind. After all, developing, testing, certifying, and building an engine takes the kind of money smaller outfits just don’t have. But as Jay Leno‘s experience in a right-hand-drive 2001 TVR Tuscan S shows, at least one small British firm built its very own power plant.
And what a power plant the Speed Six was: a 4.0-liter I6 with twin cams, four valves per cylinder, an eight-degree slant, and a dry-sump oiling system. According to Gavin Bristow of TVR Garage, an Arizona company that imports and restores TVRs, the Speed Six in the Tuscan S brought to Leno’s garage produces 390 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque, which are routed through a BorgWarner T-5 five-speed manual gearbox.
Those output numbers seem tame today, but they’re effectively higher when you consider the Tuscan S has a fiberglass body and weighs only 2,300 pounds. Another impressive figure is how many Tuscan S models are currently in the U.S.: one. Leno’s other guest, a British expat living in Florida named Mike Welling, is its lucky owner.
The Tuscan S’s strengths of a potent in-house engine and a fiberglass body could very well detract from its driving experience. During his drive with Welling, Leno points out the potential for rough power delivery or the possibility the body may creak or rattle. Thanks to TVR Garage’s extensive work, those aren’t issues in Welling’s car—even the pedal placement feels natural. The Tuscan S is so well sorted and satisfying that Leno gives it one of the highest compliments a man with a collection like his can offer. What do you think it may be ?
