TVR does not build many cars like the TVR Grantura with 1098 cc straight-4, built from 1958 to 1967 at the height of the post-war boom.
The story
The TVR Grantura is the first production model in a long line of TVR cars. It debuted in 1958 and went through a series of developments leading to the Mark I to Mark IV and 1800S models. The last ones were made in September 1967. These coupés were hand-built at the TVR factory in Blackpool, England with varying mechanical specifications and could be had in kit form.
All cars featured a cocktail of Austin-Healey brakes, VW Beetle or Triumph suspension parts and BMC rear axles. The Grantura bodyshell was made from glass-reinforced plastic and made use of a variety of proprietary components. The bonnet was front hinged. There was no opening at the rear but the boot could be accessed from inside the car - the spare wheel had to be removed through the front doors. Buyers could choose from a range of powerplants which, dependant on the model in question, included a choice of side or overhead valve engines from Ford, a Coventry Climax unit, the engine from the MGA and, ultimately, the 1798cc BMC B-series engine.
What is underneath
Under the skin sits 1098 cc straight-4; other versions carried different engines, listed in the specification table below. The layout matters: a front engine drives the rear wheels, the classic proportion — long bonnet, cabin set back — that most people picture when they picture a sports saloon or a grand tourer. The wheelbase is 83.5 in. These are manufacturer figures carried by Wikipedia and Wikidata, not road-test measurements.
Its place in the line
Where it sits in TVR's history is not in doubt: the TVR Vixen followed it; it was built at Blackpool, England, United Kingdom. On a showroom list of its day it stood against the Nissan Patrol, the Mini Mini, the Dodge Challenger. Nearby in the TVR catalogue sit the TVR 3000S and the TVR 350SE.
The money
MotorJury scores cars on the United States complaint and recall record, and the TVR Grantura has none: too old, too rare, or never sold there. Its value today is a collector's question, decided by provenance and condition rather than by a class average.