TVR Cerbera Speed 12, low res

[Sledgehammer]

The Beginning:

The TVR Cerbera Speed 12, originally known as Project 7/12, was an ultra high performance concept vehicle designed by TVR in 1997. (see pic #2) Based in part on the TVR hardware at that time, the vehicle was intended to be both the world’s fastest road car and the basis for a GT1 class Le Mans racer. The original 7/12 concept was unveiled at the 1996 Birmingham Motor Show and it immediately generated immense interest within the press and public alike. The '7' part of the name referred to the 7.7 litre engine, and '12' referred to the number of cylinders.

TVR have dipped their toes into the GT waters on a couple of occasions in recent years. A Cerbera V8 was used a few years ago, but with restrictors on the 4.5 litre V8 reducing power to a measly 380bhp, it just wansn't competitive enough for a long term campaign. Originally a styling exercise, The TVR Speed 12 ended up becoming a race car. Constructed in traditional TVR style with a body dropped over a spaceframe chassis it wasn't not an ideal format for a race car. Quick access to components just wasn't possible.

From an engineering perspective the Speed 12 wasn't ideal either on a number of counts. The number of welds required to construct the chassis and to include a full roll cage made the geometry of the chassis too imprecise.

The vehicle’s engine, displacing 472 cui and having twelve cylinders, was reportedly capable of producing nearly 1000 horsepower, although an exact measurement was never made. It’s performance was said to be astonishing, and by all calculations it would have been capable of hitting sixty miles per hour in the low-three second range and power to well over 240 per hour.

The first concepts shown were based on the in-development FIA GT1 class race-car that was current at that time. The racer was restricted to a more modest 660 bhp but the weight was kept at roughly 1000 kilograms. The road car would weigh the same, but without the restrictors the power was greatly increased. It also had a specially built 6 speed transmission and clutch. The engine consisted of two TVR AJP6 engines mated together onto a single crank.

In 1998 the car was named the TVR Speed 12. The GT1 racer was almost ready to go, TVR wanted to race at Le Mans, but unfortunately that never happened. The Speed 12 GTS managed to compete in a few races in the FIA GT championship in the GT1 class, though sudden rule changes and the demise of the GT1 class suddenly rendered the Speed 12’s existence obsolete. In order to not let all that work go to waste TVR immediately set about creating the road-going Speed 12, although the project would not be completed for another year.


Saftey:
Safety is paramount in the design of these cars. The driver sits within the rigid safety cell with its cross-bracing across the door openings and even across the windscreen. Although the windscreen brace might interfere with the driver's view slightly, it does provide 20% of the rigidity of the cell. A factor also to be considered when designing the cell is that the driver needs to be able to extracate himself from the car in only 7 seconds to comply with regulations.

The chassis is composed of three modules bolted together to form the whole unit. The engine is in it's own frame which can be unbolted and wheeled away once the front bodywork has been removed. The driver then sits in the central cage with the rear subframe hosting the suspension. Even the dry sump is a load bearing component. Rather than just using a bolt on unit, TVR have made their own sump which is actually part of the structure once attached to the chassis. Also included within the chassis is a hydraulic jacking system allowing the car to raise itself off the ground as soon as it is stationary.

TVR Speed 12 / Cerbera Speed 12 #1

[Sledgehammer]

The Beginning continued.

Forward to the year 2000, TVR have revealed the TVR Cerbera Speed 12. Like its predecessor, the true power output of the engine was never officially revealed, although, the original engine (which produced 800bhp) was employed yet again. The weight was kept down to 1000 kilograms and TVR reminded people that they were making a car that they thought would beat the McLaren F1 with the words ’over 240 miles per hour’ mentioned a few times. The new car would also be built in parallel with a new race car, although they had to opt for GT2 as there was no longer a GT1 class. The new race car managed to run for a few seasons in the British GT championship and had some success, winning a few races. The race car was geared for a maximum of 185mph at which point the rev limiter cuts in. It had been intended to run the car in the Le Mans 24 hours.



Problems:

It's not clear why the Speed 12 didn't make it to Le Mans but a contributory factor may be that the FIA governing body required its horsepower reduced to 660bhp from the 1000+bhp being quoted. It did however have problems with reliability which often led to the car retiring frequently. The original installation of the V12 engine also caused some engineering challenges. The exhausts were routed down the middle of the car along the transmission tunnel, again as seen with the road cars. This, coupled with the transmission tunnel being a load-bearing part of the structure created two problems. Firstly it forced the driver's seat closer to the side of the car due to the size of the tunnel. This isn't desirable in a race car when side impacts are likely. Secondly the immense amount of heat generated by the exhausts made the cabin unbearably hot in race conditions.

The design TVR came up with allows the chassis loads to be absorbed around the outside of the space-frame rather than along the transmission tunnel allowing the driver to be moved inboard to a safer position. The exhausts are now routed down the outside of the chassis, to alleviate the problems experienced with the original race car.



From Race Prototype, to the Road:

Much work has gone into the aggressive body styling of the Cerbera. A chainsaw was taken to a standard bodyshell and four inches added into each wing. The chassis and body have been stretched by four inches too between the door pillar and the front wheel. The additional width and length made the car look very squat so both the roof line and the boot lid have been raised by forty millimetres giving the shape we see today.

The bodywork is carbon fibre. Effort that is well rewarded with a the front section of the Cebera weighing in at 8kg compared to around 22kg for a GRP version. The composite version also weighs in at a hefty £14,000 though!



On the Road

Meanwhile, the road car was almost ready and TVR had taken a good number of orders and deposits for it. With a price of £188,000, it certainly wasn’t cheap; it would be the most expensive TVR in history.

Peter Wheeler, who owned TVR during the car’s development, once declared that TVR had tried to record the car’s power on an engine dyno. The dyno was rated at 1000 bhp but the test resulted in the dyno’s input shaft being broken. To get an approximate figure TVR engineers tested the engine again but they tested each bank individually; the result was 480 bhp per bank. This would suggest a rating of 960 bhp in total. Although this didn’t provide an exact figure, it was far closer than the original estimates were. The real figure is still unknown. This was the beginning of the end for the Speed 12’s production hopes. Peter Wheeler drove one of the finished prototypes home and he concluded that the car was unusable on the road. It was simply too powerful. Wheeler was no newcomer to high performance cars, he even raced in the TVR Tuscan challenge for a number of seasons.


The deposits were returned, the production plans were cancelled, the remaining prototypes were carted around to various car shows and one by one they were taken apart and used as spares for the Speed 12 race cars still racing in the British GT championship. But that wasn’t the end of the Speed 12. In August 2003 TVR placed an advert in Auto Trader for none other than the TVR Cerbera Speed 12, registered W112 BHG. What TVR planned to do was to rebuild one of the prototypes and sell it on to an enthusiast. Buying the car wasn’t as simple as ringing up and saying "I’d like to buy your car please". You had to go and meet Wheeler who would then make sure you were the right sort of person for the car, and then he would consider you as a potential buyer. The deal was done and the Speed 12 was rebuilt and handed over to its new owner. Since the original bodywork had been destroyed, TVR had to use a remaining shell from one of the GT racers which was really no bad thing. With the increased downforce the car would be even faster round a track than before. On top of that TVR did some more work on the engine and the ECU. According to UCP's user :Exige:, the work was done by Reverie. The car even featured in the May 2005 edition of Evo Magazine in which it was described as "awesome" and "terrifyingly quick". The car still hasn’t been fully performance tested, but the power is still estimated at somewhere over 960 bhp depending on the cams fitted and the ECU mapping. It is rumored that it was fit with mild cams and ECU mapping which reduced the power to 880 bhp.


TVR Speed 12 / Cerbera Speed 12 #2

[Sledgehammer]

Technical overview:
International GT rules suggested a flat floor and a tubular steel roll cage and so the primary chassis of the car consists of a T45 steel tubular safety cell which is integrally braced by the flat aluminum honeycomb floor and bulkheads.

This hybrid construction followed both the racing rules and allowed for the car to be quite simple to assemble. The front bulkhead was immediately behind the engine whilst the rear one lies directly ahead of the rear wheels. This allowed the exhausts to exit cleanly away from the engine and then turn ahead of the foot-well to run down the sills, and the driver to sit as far rearward as possible.


Body & chassis:
The bodywork was all manufactured in house out of carbon fiber pre-preg composite with a mixture of Nomex and Kevlar reinforcement, the overall style being that of a "Cerbera on steroids"
The entire front and rear were one piece mouldings for quick and easy access whilst the cabin section was bonded to the honeycomb bulkheads and sides to form the sealed passenger compartment. Particular attention was paid to the air flow with the intention of minimizing under bonnet turbulence and cooling, both for the engine and brakes and also for the driver. The front screen contained a heating element for elegant demisting whilst rear vision is perhaps described at best as "adequate", given the imposing presence of the rear wing.

Engine:
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p197/Sledgehammer_Vet/96-6_7w.jpg
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p197/Sledgehammer_Vet/SpeedTwelve.jpg
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p197/Sledgehammer_Vet/AJP83.jpg
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p197/Sledgehammer_Vet/AJP8.jpg

The engine was fitted by removing the entire front end of the car, without the necessity of disconnecting any oil or water pipes. The outermost ends of the sub-frames were terminated in aerospace alloy billet bulkheads that fulfilled both structural and practical roles. At the front side two bulkheads back to back, machined from solid plates, form a void that is the oil dry sump tank; providing all the mountings for the front suspension and steering rack and physically connected the open sub-frame tubes. The original engine design was conceived by Al Melling, the head of a small British company called MCD. Since then, John Ravenscoft, TVR's in-house engine man developed it dramatically.


At the rear a similar bulkhead machined from solid plate seals the rear of the differential housing and provides mountings for the rear suspension. The differential housing provides a structural load path between the rear subframe and the cabin section via a fabricated casing that also locates the rear lower wishbones.


TVR Speed 12 / Cerbera Speed 12 #3

[Sledgehammer]

Suspension:
The suspension was composed of classic double wishbones all round, with coil over gas dampers operated by pushrods and with rising rate anti-roll bars front and rear. The centre lock magnesium wheels ran on steel hubs within exquisitely fabricated aerospace steel vaned uprights to allow cooling air to reach the massive (15") brake discs and calipers. At the rear the driveshaft CV joints were integrated within the hub/bearing assembly. All of the suspension joints pivoted on spherical bearings.

Specs:
engine: 90º V12 w/High Molybdenum EN14T steel block, EN40B nitrided steel crankshaft, EN24B conrods, and Dry Sump Lubrication
valvetrain: 4 Valves per Cyl
displacement: 471.7 cu in / 7730cc
compression: 12.5:1
transmision: 6spd hollinger sequential
power 960 bhp: @ 7250 rpm
130 bhp per litre
bhp/weight: 960 bhp per weight
torque: 650.0 ft lbs @ 5750 rpm
drive wheels: RWD w/Harrop LSD
body / frame: Carbon fibre body over aluminum honeycomb tub, tubular T45 steel rollcage and subframes

Body:
Weight 2149 lbs
Wheelbase 104.0 in
Length 169.3 in
Width 77.2 in
Height 43.3 in
Passenger space 3,960 litres (1,046 gallons)

Tires and Wheels:
front brakes Vented Discs,14.9 in
rear brakes Vented Discs, 10.7 in
front wheels F 45.7 x 27.9 cm / 18 x 11 in
rear wheels R 45.7 x 33.0 cm / 18 x 13 in
front tire size F 285/35ZR18 Goodyear F1 Fiorano
rear tire size R 345/35ZR18 Goodyear F1 Fiorano
front suspension Double Wishbones, Coil Shocks over Gas Dampers, Anti-Roll Bar
rear suspension Double Wishbones, Coil Shocks over Gas Dampers, Anti-Roll Bar

Performance:
Top speed 240.0 mph
0 - 60 mph 2.9 seconds
0 -100 mph 6.3 seconds
Turning circle: 10 m (385.8 inches)


TVR Speed12 Timeline - Earliest to Latest
click on picture to enlarge
1. 7/12 - Mock Up
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p197/Sledgehammer_Vet/712speed12.jpg (http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum/attachments/multimedia/236709d1175789659-tvr-cerbera-speed-12-low-res-97-6_0w.jpg)
2. TVR Speed12
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p197/Sledgehammer_Vet/TVR2.jpg (http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum/attachments/multimedia/236729d1175790123-tvr-cerbera-speed-12-low-res-speed12_2.jpg)


TVR Speed 12 / Cerbera Speed 12 #4

[Sledgehammer]

TVR Speed12 Timeline - Continued
click on photo to enlarge
3. TVR Speed12 GT racer
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p197/Sledgehammer_Vet/TVR3.jpg (http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum/attachments/matts-hi-res-hide-out/236551d1175702326-tvr-cerbera-speed-12-the_speed_12.jpg)
4. TVR Speed12 Concept
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p197/Sledgehammer_Vet/TVR5.jpg (http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum/attachments/multimedia/236999d1175839650-tvr-cerbera-speed-12-low-res-92-8w.jpg)
5. TVR Speed12 Racer Test Car
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p197/Sledgehammer_Vet/TVR4.jpg (http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum/attachments/multimedia/236738d1175790205-tvr-cerbera-speed-12-low-res-trv-cerbera-speed-12-2000.jpg)
6. TVR Cerbera Racer 1 2000
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p197/Sledgehammer_Vet/TVR6.jpg (http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum/attachments/multimedia/236718d1175789969-tvr-cerbera-speed-12-low-res-cerbera_poster_large.jpg)
7. TVR Cerbera Racer 2 2000
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p197/Sledgehammer_Vet/TVR7.jpg (http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum/attachments/multimedia/237706d1176059869-tvr-cerbera-speed-12-low-res-tvr-speed-12-race.jpg)
8. TVR Speed12 Road car
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p197/Sledgehammer_Vet/TVR8.jpg (http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum/attachments/matts-hi-res-hide-out/236509d1175669259-tvr-cerbera-speed-12-4_full.jpg)
9. TVR Cerbera Racer 2001
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p197/Sledgehammer_Vet/TVR9.jpg (http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum/attachments/multimedia/237713d1176060235-tvr-cerbera-speed-12-low-res-2000-tvr-speed-12-race.jpg)
10. TVR Cerbera Racer 2002
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p197/Sledgehammer_Vet/TVR10.jpg
11. TVR Cerbera Speed12 Road Car
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p197/Sledgehammer_Vet/TVR11.jpg (http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum/attachments/matts-hi-res-hide-out/236557d1175705419-tvr-cerbera-speed-12-07.jpg)
12. TVR Cerbera Speed12 Road Car Rebuild 2004
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p197/Sledgehammer_Vet/TVR12.jpg (http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum/attachments/matts-hi-res-hide-out/236545d1175702242-tvr-cerbera-speed-12-2005-speed-12_b.jpg)

*infomation provided by Andrew Avararii from Car News and reviews, videos, wallpapers, pictures, free games and more. - Topspeed (http://www.topspeed.com) , Piston heads (http://www.pistonheads.com/tvr/cerbera/gt2_3.htm), Speed12.info (http://www.aauk.biz/Speed12/history.htm), and numerous websites not all that I remember. If I quoted the owner without representation, please message me and I will include necessary info.


TVR Speed 12 / Cerbera Speed 12 #5

[silverhawk]

great pics. can anyone tell me about the second car in the first post??

[Coventrysucks]

great pics. can anyone tell me about the second car in the first post??

That is the 7/12; a hunk of fibreglass and balsa.

It was shown as the "concept" of the Speed 12, the car that morphed into the Cerbera Speed 12, then languished in the TVR yard. I think it may have finally been destroyed fairly recently whilst the company was in the midst of going belly-up.

[Sledgehammer]

TVR Cerbera Speed 12 #6

[Sledgehammer]

TVR Cerbera Speed 12 EVO article, May 2005

[Sledgehammer]

TVR Cerbera Speed 12 #7

[70cuda88]

beautiful car, competition to the Buggati?

well, the side really resembles the side of a viper GTR

[Sledgehammer]

TVR Cerbera Speed 12 #8

[Sledgehammer]

TVR Cerbera Speed 12 #9

[Vaigra]

beautiful car, competition to the Buggati?

well, the side really resembles the side of a viper GTRIt's not really a competitor for the Bugatti Veyron, this car as the 7/12 concept was first shown at the Birmingham motorshow in 1996 and was to be the fastest road car at that time and also spawn a GT1 endurance race-car.

Oh, and BTW, you're probably one of the few people who would call this car beautiful ;)

[Pando]

Oh, and BTW, you're probably one of the few people who would call this car beautiful ;)Well, its not Jessica Alba - beautiful, more like I am a monster that eats children - beautiful.

[Sledgehammer]

TVR Cerbera Speed 12

Picture set # 10

[whiteballz]

Fap. needstobehere

[Sledgehammer]

TVR Cerbera Speed 12

Picture set #11

[Sledgehammer]

Picture set #13

[Coventrysucks]

An enigma wrapped in a mystery wrapped in confusion wrapped in bacon.

[Coventrysucks]

3rd pic. Chassis at the front.

Edit:
5th Pic. Chassis in the middle somewhere.
6th Pic. The guts

[Sledgehammer]

Who ownes the chassis in the third pic? Do you know what has happened to misc TVR parts after the bust?

[Coventrysucks]

Who ownes the chassis in the third pic?

I would guess TVR does.

Peter Wheeler still owns the site of the factory, so when the company wound up they packed everything up and stuck it in storage somewhere.

Everything that was left would, presumably, belong to Wheeler.

Edited to add more pics
Pic 3. The Daddy, Cerbera Speed 6 Racer
Pic 4. TVR office pet

[Coventrysucks]

Some more bits of engine.

[Sledgehammer]

Great pics, several their that I have never seen before.

In what year did the blue car race? Post #23 - pic 3

[Coventrysucks]

In what year did the blue car race? Post #23 - pic 3

1996, 1997 & 1998 in the British GT Championship.

'Tis an AJP8, though.

It was Martin Short that built the Speed 6 Cerbera GTO in 2000.

[Sledgehammer]

TVR Cerbera Speed 12 #18

[Sledgehammer]

TVR Cerbera Speed 12 #19

[70cuda88]

whats up with the mouse pic in #23?

[adamfraser]

I remember vividly seeing the black one at a Motorshow a few years ago. Brings back good memories of the TVR stand.

[fisetdavid26]

whats up with the mouse pic in #23?
Apparently it's TVR's office pet... w/e.

[Sledgehammer]

TVR Cerbera Speed 12 # 20

[Sledgehammer]

TVR Cerbera Speed 12 #21

The last three show the Speed 12 where it is currently on display, sitting in between an Enzo and a Ariel Atom.

[Sledgehammer]

TVR Cerbera Speed 12 #22

[pimento]

It's a shame the original Speed 12 shell (the purple one, before it was a Cerbera if I recall correctly) is just being left to rot.

[Mak_Drusy]

Yes, I could use search, but no.

Anyone got high-res album art of the lads work?? For teh iToonz and such.