1998 TVR Chimaera 4.0 V8 - Single Owner From New

Highlights

• One owner from new for 28 years, confirmed single keeper since 1998

• 89,101 miles with a continuous specialist service history from day one

• Desirable late-spec 1998 model year car

• Freshly MOT'd to June 2027 with a clear HPI report

• Sonorous 4.0-litre V8 with five-speed manual and all the right noises

• Comprehensive folder of invoices covering every service and repair since 1999

• Ready to enjoy with a classic V8 burble that sounds absolutely fantastic

Overview

The Chimaera was TVR's best-selling model, with around 6,000 examples built between 1992 and 2003. Great to look at, even better to listen to, and pretty darned fine to drive, it remains one of Blackpool's most accessible and rewarding sports cars. Owners regard it as a very rugged, reliable car, and a good quality example will be a joy to drive with a sound you'll never get tired of. The 4.0-litre Rover V8 produces a healthy 240bhp, delivered to the rear wheels through the strong and proven Borg Warner T5 five-speed manual.

And then there's the story. This particular Chimaera has been in the same hands since 24 June 1998, making it a genuine single-owner-from-new car with 28 years of unbroken history. That's extraordinarily rare. The vendor tells us they didn't just own it, they lived with it, driving it daily for work, taking it to TVR Car Club track days, and entrusting its care exclusively to a recognised TVR specialist in Ballygowan, Co. Down. The result is a folder of invoices that reads like an autobiography, covering every service, every repair, and every considered upgrade from the first 5,636-mile check right through to the present day.

Finished in Ash Green Metallic over a Biscuit half-hide interior, it presents as an honest, well-used, and well-maintained enthusiast's car. It's not a concours trailer queen, and it's all the better for it. This is a Chimaera that's been properly driven, properly looked after, and properly loved. What more could you want?

History and Documentation

• First registered 24 June 1998; single owner from new with zero previous keepers

• Full folder of service invoices from new, initially through a franchise dealer then exclusively through a recognised TVR specialist (Ballygowan, Co. Down)

• Service record: Dec 1999 @ 5,636mi, Mar 2000 @ 12,421mi, Apr 2000, Jul 2001 @ 19,280mi, Oct 2001 @ 20,085mi, Sep 2002, Oct 2002 @ 22,575mi, Jun 2003 @ 25,115mi, Jul 2003 @ 25,727mi, Apr 2006 @ 33,850mi, undated @ 35,098mi, Apr 2007 @ 38,135mi, Jul 2007 @ 39,731mi, Jul 2008 @ 44,470mi, Oct 2008, Jul 2009, Aug 2009 @ 49,249mi, Feb 2011, May 2011, Jun 2011 @ 58,600mi, Dec 2011 @ 59,990mi, Apr 2012 @ 61,572mi, Dec 2012 @ 64,012mi, May 2013, Aug 2014 @ 71,309mi, May 2016 @ 75,337mi, Jun 2017 @ 78,976mi, Aug 2017 @ 79,530mi, Jan 2018 @ 81,076mi, Feb 2018 @ 81,310mi, Mar 2018 @ 81,310mi, Nov 2018, Jul 2019, Oct 2020

• Notable work includes: complete suspension overhaul (Oct 2002), full brake disc and pad replacement (Jun 2003), complete clutch assembly (Apr 2007), chassis restoration with sandblasting, zinc primer, and Waxoyl (Jul 2007), outriggers fabricated and fitted (Aug 2009), steering rack remanufacture with full front suspension rebuild and geometry reset (Aug 2017), and major pre-MOT work including steering rack, front brake caliper, radiator recondition, and chassis gusset plate weld (Jul 2019)

• Nine DVA Northern Ireland MOT tests on record; current MOT valid until 13 June 2027

• HPI clear on all checksCurrent mileage: 89,101 miles

• One key with immobiliser

• Spacer spare wheel included; spare set of alloys with worn tyres available for track day use

Interior

• Biscuit half-hide leather and magnolia trim throughout; condition consistent with 28 years of genuine use

• Wood veneer dashboard with magnolia TVR-branded gauges (clock, fuel, temperature, oil pressure); some age cracking visible in the veneer

• TVR-badged three-spoke steering wheel in good condition

• Driver's seat leather shows wear consistent with age and mileage; no tears or significant damage

• The central locking button in the centre console does not function at present but the doors lock and unlock fine with the immobiliser remote

• Pioneer DEH-P544R head unit with CD and upgraded speakers; removable faceplate included

• Leather centre console with gear lever gaiter in reasonable order

• Biscuit carpets present; the vendor notes floor mats are needed

• Boot with recently replaced gas strut; rear bulkhead with courtesy light

Exterior

• Ash Green Metallic presents well overall with good depth of colour

• Post-facelift styling with updated triple-circle rear lights, reshaped boot, crossbar grille, and hidden door releases beneath the mirrors

• Scratches and stone chips around the driver's side headlight area, right front wheel arch, and bootlid; consistent with regular use over 28 years

• On the leading edge of the bonnet there is a small crack in the fibreglass

• Small chip in the windscreen

• Stitching around the rear window in the hood has deteriorated

• Carbon fibre and mohair roof panel fitted

• Five-spoke alloy wheels in very good condition with Michelin 225/50R16 tyres showing plenty of tread

• Front bumper shows light scuffs consistent with age

• Specialist completed a full chassis restoration in Jul 2007 including sandblasting, zinc rust primer, and Waxoyl underbody sealant; further chassis gusset plate welding followed in Jul 2019

• "Prentice The Motor People" TVR dealer surround on rear plate

Mechanical

• 3,952cc (4.0-litre) Rover V8 producing 240bhp; desirable two-fan cooling system

• Borg Warner T5 five-speed manual gearbox; rear-wheel drive with power steering

• The vendor tells us the car starts well, drives really well, and stops fine

• Classic V8 burble from the exhaust; sounds fantastic

• Reconditioned differential fitted

• New clutch (plate, pressure plate, release bearing) fitted in Apr 2007

• Steering rack remanufactured with full front suspension rebuild and geometry reset at 79,530 miles (Aug 2017)

• The engine compartment is not squeaky clean as it has never been steam cleaned or power hosed

• Radiator reconditioned as part of major service work at approximately 85,000 miles (Jul 2019)

• Failed its MOT in August 2023 on two minor items (handbrake adjustment and a small leak from a steering rack gaiter); garaged since with a new battery fitted and maintained on a trickle charger

• Freshly passed its MOT in June 2026 at 89,101 miles with no advisories noted

Summary

Twenty-eight years, one owner, one specialist, and a folder of invoices that tells the whole story. This Chimaera is a genuinely rare thing: a single-owner-from-new car with an unbroken service history, maintained by a recognised TVR specialist from its very first service. It's not a garage find or a restoration project. It's a car that was driven daily, taken on track days - confined to disciplined, marshalled TVR Car Club track days and never raced, and looked after properly every step of the way.

With a freshly passed MOT, a clear HPI, and that wonderful 4.0-litre V8 burble, it's ready to be enjoyed immediately. The Ash Green Metallic over Biscuit combination looks lovely, and the honest, age-appropriate condition only adds to the charm. You're not buying a show car. You're buying 28 years of one enthusiast's dedication to a car they clearly adored, and that's worth more than any amount of fresh paint.

To arrange a viewing, click the Book Viewing button located under the Place Bid button. Viewings can be booked up until the day before the auction ends, after which the option will change to Contact Seller for further enquiries. This seller is located in Northern Ireland.