One of my favorite automotive brands of all time happens to be British Manufacturer, TVR, who is best known for their production of sports cars across a diverse range of variants. The company was founded in 1946 by Trevor Wilkinson, and mainly started out developing chassis before moving on to completed cars. As of January 2021, the company is still in business and is still making an attempt to place their all-new Griffith model on the market. One of my favorite cars ever produced by TVR is this car shown here, the one-off 1971 TVR SM-250 Zante prototype. By early 1971, TVR was looking to introduce a luxurious GT model, and with the help of designer, Harris Mann, and engineer, Mike Bigland, they were able to create this unique prototype. The SM-250 was a prototype that was built by Specialised Mouldings LTD. of Cambridgeshire, England, on a TVR 2500 chassis, and was actually personally driven for a while by Martin Lilley, who owned TVR from 1965 until 1981. Although the prototype carried a sleek & stylish design, TVR executives at the time decided that the car’s ergonomics and visibility were simply not suitable for a road car. After the car was done touring around various shows, the name was changed from SM-250 to ‘Zante’. The one-off was designed more to be a styling exercise than anything else, therefore TVR never put too much thought into the mechanics or functionality of the vehicle itself. The company shifted focus instead to producing their following M-series cars which were built to replace the previous Vixen-based cars. Once all hope was lost for producing the Zante, the car was shipped back to the TVR factory in Blackpool, England where it would rot away outside for a number of years. Today, the car is believed to be somewhere in Germany in the hands of a TVR enthusiast undergoing, or already have undergone a serious restoration, but we can’t say for sure where it might be!
How many made? 1 of 1 (possible second body built)
Engine: Triumph 2.5L 6-cylinder - unknown power (claimed)
Debut: 1971 Earl’s Court Motor Show
Top Speed: N/A
0-60mph: N/A
Photo Credit: Bob Blackman, tvr.blogspot.com
Research: @rarecarsonly