The story
The Tasmin swapped TVR's curves for straight lines and a glass panel in the tail. It was expensive to develop and nearly sank the company. Customer Peter Wheeler bought TVR in 1981, fitted Rover V8s and made the wedges seriously fast.
Inside
A low, wide cabin with a tall centre console and pop-up headlamps ahead.
In period colours
Tap a colour to respray the drawing.
The V8 versions that followed were among the quickest cars of the 1980s, with almost no driver aids.
Meanwhile, in 1980
The SAS stormed the Iranian Embassy in London, live on television.
Best-selling single of 1980: Don't Stand So Close to Me by The Police
Before you buy a 1980s car
- Check for rust in the usual places, though many cars from this decade were better protected.
- Electrical and fuel system faults are common, so test everything.
- Parts for mass-market cars are usually easy to find.
General notes, not specific to this model. Check the model's own history before buying.
Rivals of its day
Picked automatically: cars on sale at the same time with similar size, speed and price.
See the real thing
These open in a new tab: the car on Wikimedia Commons, the interior and the badge as Google image searches.
Today's money: the launch price adjusted for inflation to 2026, using the Office for National Statistics price index.