TVR Cerbera — model overview

The TVR Cerbera is a 2+2 fixed-head coupé built by TVR between 1996 and 2006. It was a landmark model for the Blackpool firm: the first hard-top under Peter Wheeler’s ownership, the first 2+2 in the modern range, and the first TVR powered by engines designed and built in-house rather than sourced from Rover, Ford or Triumph.

This page is a quick-reference overview of the road-going Cerbera and its variants. Detailed engine information lives on the Speed Six and AJP8 pages.

Background

The Cerbera (named after Cerberus, the three-headed hound of Greek myth) was unveiled at the 1993 London Motor Show and reached production in 1996. It followed the Griffith and Chimaera, both of which were two-seat convertibles using tuned Rover V8 engines.

When BMW acquired Rover, Peter Wheeler was concerned that the Rover V8 supply could be cut, and commissioned race engineer Al Melling to develop an entirely new V8 — the AJP8 (Speed Eight). A new straight-six, the Speed Six, was developed alongside it.

A mild facelift in 2000 brought revised headlamps inspired by the Tuscan, and a lightweight option was offered on the 4.5-litre car using lighter body panels and a reworked interior.

Total production was approximately 1,490 cars.

Engine variants

Four factory engine specifications were offered across the model’s life. The 4.5 “Red Rose” was the highest-output road version.

Variant	Capacity	Layout	Power	Torque	0–60 mph	Top speed
4.0 Speed Six	3,996 cc	Straight-6 DOHC 24v	350 hp @ 6,800 rpm	330 lb·ft @ 5,000 rpm	4.4 s	170 mph
4.2 Speed Eight (AJP8)	4,185 cc	75° V8 SOHC 16v	360 hp @ 6,500 rpm	320 lb·ft @ 4,500 rpm	4.2 s	180 mph
4.5 Speed Eight (AJP8)	4,475 cc	75° V8 SOHC 16v	420 hp @ 6,750 rpm	380 lb·ft @ 5,500 rpm	4.1 s	185 mph
4.5 Speed Eight Red Rose	4,475 cc	75° V8 SOHC 16v	440 hp @ 7,250 rpm	402 lb·ft @ 5,500 rpm	3.9 s	193 mph

The AJP8 is notable for its specific output among naturally aspirated V8s: roughly 83 hp/litre for the 4.2 and 93 hp/litre for the 4.5.

Dimensions and weight

Measurement	Value
Wheelbase	2,566 mm (101.0 in)
Length	4,280 mm (168.5 in)
Width	1,865 mm (73.4 in)
Height	1,220 mm (48.0 in)
Kerb weight — Speed Six	1,130 kg (2,491 lb)
Kerb weight — Speed Eight	1,100 kg (2,425 lb)
Kerb weight — 4.5 Lightweight	1,060 kg (2,337 lb)

Interior and dashboard

The dashboard was designed specifically for the Cerbera. Minor instruments sit on a small panel directly below the steering wheel, so the wheel itself uses only two spokes — a third spoke would have obscured those gauges.

The cabin layout is sometimes described by TVR as “3+1”: the front passenger seat slides further forward than the driver’s, freeing extra space for whoever is sitting behind it.

Cerbera Speed 12

The Cerbera Speed 12 (originally Project 7/12) was a 1997 development intended both as a road car capable of being the world’s fastest, and as the basis for a GT1-class endurance racer. Its engine was a 7.7-litre twelve-cylinder unit reportedly capable of close to 1,000 hp.

Development was halted: GT1 regulations changed, and Peter Wheeler concluded the car was simply unsuitable for road use. Only a handful of cars exist, and the Speed 12 was never put into series production.