The last time I met Peter Wheeler, the former owner of TVR, he had just expelled a journalist from his stand at the Birmingham motor show for saying something unkind about one of his cars. This was typical of the man whose passion for his cars came before everything.

Then, in 2004, Wheeler shocked the motoring world when he sold TVR to Nikolai Smolenski, a 24-year-old Russian entrepreneur. Before he left the company Wheeler had overseen development of the T350C, one of the most outrageous sports cars in the world. It continues to be produced today under the new owner, and with used examples now appearing in the classifieds for around £24,000 there has never been a cheaper way to buy a supercar.

With 350bhp from its handbuilt 3.6 litre engine, the T350C is easily capable of 160mph. The 0-60 dash takes just 4.4sec and the 100mph mark is reached in 9.5sec. That’s the kind of performance that puts Lamborghini Countach owners under pressure not to fluff a gearchange. It will also embarrass many a Ferrari and most Porsche 911s — and remember this is a car that you can own for the same price as an Audi TT.

The key to the T350C’s performance is its weight. It weighs only slightly more than a Fiesta diesel, but comes with five times more power. And despite its stunning lines it’s also pretty compact, shorter than a Mazda MX-5.

But small does not mean cramped. It has a very useable boot that is easily accessed by the glass tailgate. The cabin feels wide with generous, if firm, seats and a central transmission tunnel that doubles up as an armrest.

The rest of the interior is, in a word, unique. No other car maker executes its interiors quite like TVR. Every switch is bespoke and every surface is trimmed in leather. Ahead of the driver the speedometer and rev counter take pride of place and the integrated roll cage serves as a reminder that this is a car capable of serious performance.

On the road the T350C is a real driver’s car. There is constant feedback through tyres and steering, the ride is firm and even at speed the body roll is negligible. The performance may be startling but strangely you don’t have to drive quickly to enjoy the car. The glorious engine note and the stunning good looks will attract admiring glances even when the car is standing still.

But of course owning a supercar has its drawbacks. Check out the classifieds and you will not find many with high mileages: as an everyday car it’s a demanding drive. You will also have to return it to a TVR dealer every 6,000 miles for a check-up. At around £500 for a minor service and about twice that for a big one, the bills soon mount up. Plus you will be keen to keep your tyres in top condition. With 350bhp and no traction control you can go through a set in 3,000 miles if driving hard.

Skimping on maintenance is definitely not an option. Used examples with patchy service history are to be avoided. You will also want to make sure your T350C has a nice, snug garage to protect the bodywork. But with warmer days and longer evenings upon us what could be better than rolling your T350C out of the garage and taking it for a summer evening blat? It's just about the most fun you can have in a car costing less than £25,000.

Tyres Rear tyres should last about 8,000 miles, depending on abuse levels, front ones a little more. Expect to pay £250 each for replacements

Service history Absolutely essential. TVR main dealer stamps are most sought after. Check original receipts to confirm additional items that may have been replaced during services

Sills and exhaust Check the underside for evidence of damage. The car is a track day favourite and some can end up in the gravel traps. Standard exhaust system sounds great, but retro-fit systems can increase noise levels with little benefit to power

Brakes No ABS but still awesome braking power. Some owners fit racing pads for track days but standard set-up is more than adequate

Air-conditioning A popular option when new and desirable on used cars as the cabin can get very hot

Colours Titanium and Ice Titanium are popular, yellow can be hard to resell

Gearbox Drivers must engage fifth gear before selecting reverse or the synchromesh will not work

Warranty Since 2005 the T350C has come with a three-year/36,000-mile warranty

VITAL STATISTICS

Model TVR T350C
Engine 3605cc, six cylinders
Power 350bhp
Transmission Five-speed manual
Fuel N/A
Acceleration 0-60mph: 4.4sec
Top speed Over 160mph

THE ONE TO BUY

A 2003 03 registration TVR T350C with 20,000 miles and full TVR service history. Pay £25,500 from a dealer or £23,000 privately

OR FOR SIMILAR MONEY

1989 G Ferrari 328 GTB
1997 R Aston Martin DB7
1998 S Porsche 911 Carrera 4
2001 X Maserati 3200 GT
2002 51 Lotus Esprit V8

Values





Source: estimates based on confidential CAP black book prices. ‘Trade’ is what a dealer would pay to buy your car; ‘Retail’ is what you would pay a dealer