The TVR 390SE arrived in October 1984 as the most powerful wedge yet. It was a 350i with a blueprinted, larger-capacity Rover V8, and because TVR never put it through British Type Approval it was technically sold as a 350i with special equipment fitted.
TVR 390SE at a glance
| Maker | TVR Engineering, Blackpool |
|---|---|
| Introduced | October 1984 |
| Engine | 3,905 cc Rover V8, blueprinted with Andy Rouse |
| Power | 275 bhp claimed, 85 bhp more than the 350i |
| Engine work | high-lift camshafts, gas-flowed heads with large valves, Cosworth pistons |
| Driveline | stronger clutch, limited-slip differential, wider Yokohama tyres |
| Body | deeper front air dam, rear underbody aerofoil, flared arches, different sills |
| Brakes and wheels | ventilated front discs, 15-inch wheels |
| Series 2 | 1988, most obviously a rounder nose |
| Built | about 100 |
| Engine supplier | mostly North Coventry Kawasaki (NCK), later TVR Power |
Based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the TVR 390SE.
History of the TVR 390SE
TVR Engineering worked with the Rover tuning specialist Andy Rouse to produce a blueprinted engine that turned out an extra 85 bhp, taking the claimed output to 275 bhp. Capacity grew to 3,905 cc, and the extra power came from high-lift camshafts, gas-flowed cylinder heads with large valves and Cosworth-machined pistons. A stronger clutch, a limited-slip differential and wider Yokohama tyres were fitted to put it down onto the road, while ventilated front disc brakes and 15-inch wheels completed the package.
The styling was revised too, with a deeper front air dam and a rear underbody aerofoil; later cars gained flared wheelarches and different sills. A Series 2 appeared in 1988, its most obvious difference a rounder nose. Production of the modified Rover V8 passed between engineering companies during the car’s life, with most units built by North Coventry Kawasaki, a firm TVR later bought to become its in-house engine division, TVR Power. About 100 390SEs were built.
British Type Approval rules made it uneconomical for TVR to homologate such a small-volume model separately from the 350i, so the customer was invoiced for the car and the engine work separately. As a result most 390SEs are officially registered as 3.5-litre cars. At a customer’s request the same engine work could be taken further, to 4.2 litres, creating the 420SE: only seven were built in 1986 and 1987, and they were development cars for the 4.2-litre V8 used in the wilder 420 SEAC. The SE had more restrained bodywork and milder camshafts than the SEAC, and because each car was handbuilt its specification is likely to differ from the next.
Design and features
- Andy Rouse engine: a blueprinted 3,905 cc V8 claiming 275 bhp.
- Aerodynamics: deeper front air dam and a rear underbody aerofoil.
- Chassis upgrades: limited-slip differential, stronger clutch and wider tyres.
- Paperwork quirk: most cars are registered as 3.5-litre 350is.
TVR 390SE versions
- 390SE (1984–88): the standard car.
- Series 2 (1988): rounder nose and flared arches.
- 420SE (1986–87): seven development cars with a 4.2-litre engine and milder cams.
The 390SE grew out of the 350i and led directly to the 420 SEAC. More cars are in the TVR collection.
Video: My Wedge: a TVR 390SE…
Video by David Kloppenborg on YouTube.
Sources
- TVR 390SE, English Wikipedia: engine, styling, production, registration
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