F-Body Europe

What, you didn't think I had a chance did you? I tucked up behind this burgundy Cerbera as he turned onto the M4 motorway. He seemed a little nervous and twitchy as he took the left on-turn (but may have been checking his mirror to see what I was as mine was louder than his). I waited for the on-slip to straighten and anticipated that moment when he would hit the gas. We both hit it at the same time and he smoked me like I was standing still. Even my gf, who is used to me doing this to other cars, couldn't comprehend the speed at which he accelerated away.

We both pulled to the outside lane and I pull up behind him again. We wait for the car in front of him to clear and he floors it again. I'm already foot hard down and he's already 10 car lengths ahead as we pull like steamhammers - 110, 120. 130. I was doing in excess of 135 and he's pulling away like there's no tomorrow.

Suddenly, a new black Fiesta with no idea of what's behind him pulls out in front of the TVR. The TVR driver hits the brakes. I don't know if he had time to hit the horn as he's trying to pull as far right as he can to avoid crunching the Fiesta. The Fiesta suddenly realises there's a TVR an inch from his rear bumper and lurches back into the middle lane. I'm braking as he's a good 100 yards up the road by now and braking from what must have been 140-150mph. They somehow avoid contact and the TVR slopes past, I start to pull forward (not too fast but accelerating from 80) and blow me, this Fiesta just pulls straight back out in front of me and then ducks back in after dithering past a Vauxhall Corsa.

I suspect the TVR driver was getting a good ear-bashing from the person in the passenger seat and I'm sure he must have bricked himself at how close it was as he settled down to an 80mph lope. When I passed him, I tried to look over but he was concentrating really hard and didn't follow.

It just demonstrates yet again that people aren't used to dealing with high speed traffic in this country and the biggest hazard is generally people pulling out in front of you. It also gives you food for thought. Let's say the TVR hit the Fiesta and span it and the bodywork peeled off the TVR. I would have been hammering on the brakes and hitting large pieces of TVR bodywork...well, it doesn't bear thinking about but sometimes you have to consider the consequences.

I've had run ins with the Cerbera six and 4.2 , I gave them both a proper lashing. Haven't had a chance to play with a 4.5 . I doubt I could win But it could be interesting.

You brought up a good point. It doesn't matter how fast a car is if it can't come to a safe stop just as quick, as in without contact. Of course, it helps if you CAN drive, but you don't always know what the idiot in front of you is about to do.

Two points - if you are going to go like a bat on the road you don't want anyone in front - you just don't know if they are looking in the mirror.

Second for Roy, the 4.2 is probably faster than the 4.5. Although the BHP is higher on the 4.5, the characteristic is very different and they have tamed the 4.5 down. The 4.2 is supposed to be WILD.

I went to a TVR track day last Friday at a local course. WOW those boys were really pasteing them. They were coming off with tyres knackered. The new Tuscans can really fly.

Be aware, try taking one on and you may die big time. After all they are so light.

They are suppsoed to have good brakes, but no ABS.

Shame they have big problems with valves. I hang around with alot of friends with TVR's. All the new V8 and straight 6 engines end up back at the factory for valve work. I know 2 whose engines have blown. £10k for a new engine thank you - you need a good warranty package.

The old ones aren't bad - they used to have the bored Rover v8 (or Buick) engine - what a lovely rumble.

Autocar's figures:

Cerbera Speed 6 0-60: 4.5 0-100: 10.2 350bhp/330lbs.ft
Cerbera 4.2 0-60: 4.0 0-100: 9.1 350bhp/320lbs.ft
Cerbera 3.5 0-60: 4.1 0-100: 8.9 420bhp/380lbs.ft

Makes mine look like a Ford escort but you ought to see the sites dedicated to the catalogue of problems these cars have.

The Cerberra was my favorite car on Grand Turismo for the playstation. Never got to see one in real life though. I never knew they were that fast. They have N2O in the UK?

Jeff

I should have added the weights too. The Z28 is 1577kg. The Cerberas are between 1163 and 1178kg. The maths may be hard but the physics is easy to understand.

They do have NOS over here but getting the bottle filled is a litttle more difficult. I don't want to use NOS as I'd end up using it all the time and probably breaking something.