There are certain cars you’re not surprised to see a long-term, single owner. Fox body Ford Mustangs, De Tomaso Panteras, old-school Ferraris – many significant vehicles like this remain with the same caretaker for decades. It’s the cars that surprise you for having generational steward that catch your eye, like this 1985 TVR 280i. While I think these are enormously cool, the 280i is not exactly a vehicle people are known to cherish for four decades. Find it here on Facebook Marketplace for $9,000.
Thanks to Barn Finds reader RichardinMaine for the find. Now, personally, I love the TVR 280i, also known as the Tasmin. It’s wild wedge shape, Ford Cologne powerplant, and British wonkiness are all qualities that truly check the box for me. You see plenty of 28oi’s littering Facebook Marketplace, however, mostly owing to them becoming nuisance projects for someone who heard the words “Ford power” and thought it’d be as easy as a 302-powered Mustang to look after. That was not the case, so finding one that has been with someone who identifies as a British car enthusiast is key.
To be fair, however, there’s a lot that’s quite easy to live with on the 280i. While it is a German-market Ford engine, plenty of vehicles utilized the Cologne V6, so finding parts isn’t as hard as you might expect. The suspension and steering systems are also mostly parts bin components from Ford. TVR wasn’t exactly a thriving car company, and while it typically assembled its cars by hand, it made the production process work by sourcing common parts from other brands. Even the rear differential comes from a run-of-the-mill Jaguar XJ-S.
This 280i has incredibly been with the same owner for almost 40 years. That’s just not a detail you often see in these listings for the classic TVR wedge. Despite being in Maine, the seller notes it was stored in the winter months, which is an essential detail when buying a British car from New England. Silver over red is a striking color combo, and the BBS wheels are a nice bonus as well. With 160 b.h.p. and 162 lb.-ft. of torque, the 280i is a fun drop-top sports car that will stand out in any parking lot it’s in. I still want one, if anyone’s curious.
Why would you say that no one would own one of these long term? TVRs are extremely cool and extremely desirable. I can imagine any owner of one would want to hold onto it. This one is a great example….such a beauty. And it’s flagged as “pending”, so someone else sees the desirability of it.
At what people are asking for ‘junk’ these days, this looks like a bargain at 9K! It is not as desirable as the TVR/Griffiths but I like it….