The TVR Tuscan and its bigger brother, the Tuscan S is one of the most beautiful cars ever made. Built in Blackpool by British sportscar manufacturer, TVR, it is a front engined, rear wheel drive roadster with a 4.0 litre (250ci) straight six engine. It is very similar in size and price to the Porsche Boxter, and though it does not have every day drivability of its Teutonian cousin, it does have mindblowing performance (0-60 in around 4 seconds and a top speed puching 200mph).

It is one of the most aesthetically unique sports cars around, with very few visible shut lines giving it an extremly sleek appearence. The interior of the car is a match for anything else on the road, machined aluminium and leather abound. The best example of this is the electric window controls. The windows are controlled by a big aluminium knob on the transmission tunnel, one "click" of this knob will take the window down a couple of inches, spin the knob and it will go all the way.

The next development of the Tuscan range is the Tuscan R, a range of custom built Tuscans which can be tailored for anything from 2+2 cruising to track racing.

Specifications:
Engine
6-cylinder inline alloy engine
Capacity 3605 cc (Tuscan) 4000 cc (Tuscan S)
Max power 350 bhp @ 7500 rpm (Tuscan) 390 bhp (Tuscan S)
Max torque 290 ft.lbs @ 5750 rpm (Tuscan) 310 ft.lbs (Tuscan S)

Performance
0 to 60 mph - 4.3s (Tuscan) 3.9s (Tuscan S)
Maximum speed - 175mph (Tuscan) 195mph (Tuscan S)

Dimensions
Length overall 4235 mm
Width overall (inc. mirrors) 1810 mm
Height overall 1200 mm
Ground clearance 102 mm
Wheelbase 2361 mm
Weight 1100 kg
Luggage 275 Litres

If you do not believe how beautiful this car is, just check out http://www.tvr.co.uk/graphics/tuscan/new_pics/tuscan_gallery.html or go and see Swordfish (Travolta drives one in this film). As an aside, the car is not legal in the US because of various environmental restrictions.

Tus"can (?), a. [L. Tyscanus, Tuscus.]

Of or pertaining to Tuscany in Italy; -- specifically designating one of the five orders of architecture recognized and described by the Italian writers of the 16th century, or characteristic of the order. The original of this order was not used by the Greeks, but by the Romans under the Empire. See Order, and Illust. of Capital.

 

© Webster 1913.


Tus"can, n.

A native or inhabitant of Tuscany.

 

© Webster 1913.

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