1978 TVR Taimar

The TVR Taimar is a two-seater coupe that was produced from 1976 to 1979.

The TVR Taimar was based on the 3000M, sharing the 3-litre ‘Essex’ engine, rack-and-pinion steering, disc/drum braking and coil spring with double wishbone suspension fore and aft. The major innovation, one welcomed by a generation of TVR owners, was the hatchback rear door.

October 1976 saw TVR launch the Taimar, named either after ‘Tayma’, the girlfriend of a friend of TVR’s Managing Director Martin Lilley, or as an anagram of ‘Tailgate Martin’. The conversion resulted in a weight premium of just 20lbs, and apart from the electrically controlled rear door, other differences from the 3000M included a much-improved heating and ventilation system and different suspension settings. The price of £6,223 included ‘Sundym’ tinted glass and alloy wheels while extras included a Webasto sunroof, leather upholstery, a stereo radio-cassette player and power windows. The top speed was 121mph with 0-60 in 7.7 seconds, which was less than the 3000M but a minor sacrifice for such enhanced versatility; the Taimar soon outsold its parent model.

A Motor Sport test from January 1978 thought that ‘The similarly-powered Capri 3-litre S may be much better value at more than £2,000 less, but would a lady be seen in rabbit fur in preference to mink?’ As with the 3000M, the Taimar could also be ordered in Turbo form, which resulted in a TVR with 230bhp and a top speed of 145mph. ‘It is a fast car – a very fast car – that can be driven fast with ease and pleasure’, concluded Car magazine in October 1977. Around 30 Taimars were so converted, three of which were sold in SE ‘Special Equipment’ form with Compomotive alloy wheels, a wooden dashboard, electric windows and hide trim.

Taimar production ceased, along with the other M-Series TVRs, in October 1979.

Power for the TVR Taimar was from the familiar Ford 2,994cc V-6 OHV engine married to a four-speed gearbox. The standard Taimar may not be quite as fast as the 3000M but it is almost 100% more practical.

Check the Taimar’s chassis for rot, the rear wheel bearings and the body for any crazing, cracks or lamination. If your Taimar is fitted with a sunroof, ensure it is well-fitted as replacements are difficult to come by.

There is a fine art to ending the career of a long-running car on a high note and the Taimar is a magnificent swansong to the ‘traditional’ TVR coupe.

Three door-rivals to the Taimar included the Ford Capri 3000 Ghia in Mk. II and Mk. III forms, the Reliant Scimitar GTE, the Alfa Romeo GTV 2.0-litre, the Datsun 280Z, the Lancia Beta HPE and the Porsche 924.