Chimera
Tvr · on record 1994 to 2025
The TVR Chimaera was a 2 seat V8 roadster developed as a more touring oriented companion to the Griffith. Its large boot, softer suspension options and range of Rover V8 engines made it unusually practical for a small production sports car. Built in significant numbers by TVR standards, it remains one of the more accessible ways into the marque and benefits from a well established specialist parts and restoration community.
DECLINING
Red List classification, from population, five year trajectory and survival against peak. Reviewed each census.
1,591
licensed vehicles
2025 census
2025 census
37.7% of the peak fleet remains licensed
2,151
declared SORN
total surviving
peak 4,224 in 2001 · −78 vehicles a year, five year trend
Population history
Licensed and SORN vehicles at each census. The filters below apply to the family population, MOT and registration figures. They do not alter the generation history above.
Licensed
SORN
Latest census observation
At the average decline recorded over the latest five years, the licensed fleet would reach zero around 2045.
Illustrative projection only; vehicle populations rarely decline linearly. Late fleets typically flatten as surviving examples enter preservation.
Inside the surviving fleet
AutoCensus parses every DVLA variant description, so the fleet can be read by fuel and specification rather than as one number.
First registrations by year
When surviving examples first joined the British fleet.
Recent UK first registrations
This family is no longer sold new. These figures are imports and historic vehicles joining the British register for the first time.
MOT reliability
DVSA test results for this family, 2006 to 2025.
Pass rate by year
| Failure reason | Failures | Share of all tests |
|---|---|---|
| Anti roll bar missing where one is fitted as standard | 2 | 4.8% |
| An obligatory headlamp inoperative, excessively damaged or deteriorated or has a product on the lens or light source so that the light output is well below that required to illuminate the road ahead | 2 | 4.8% |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 2 | 4.8% |
| A rear registration plate lamp not illuminating the rear registration plate | 2 | 4.8% |
| An insecure, split or missing steering rack gaiter | 1 | 2.4% |
| The windscreen washers do not provide enough liquid to clear the windscreen in conjunction with the wiper(s) | 1 | 2.4% |
| A fuel tank cap/filler neck sealing device does not fasten securely such that pressure is not maintained on the sealing arrangement | 1 | 2.4% |
| A switch missing, insecure or faulty | 1 | 2.4% |
Counted across every recorded test, 2006 to 2025. Advisories are excluded.
Where the Chimera remains
Based on MOT test locations, 2025. Test location is a proxy: a vehicle is counted where it was last tested, not where it is kept.
| Postcode area | Vehicles tested | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| ST | 1 | 100% |
| GU | 1 | 100% |
| TN | 1 | 100% |
How this record was calculated
LATEST CENSUS2025
POPULATION SOURCEDVLA VEH0220 annual
HISTORY SOURCEDVLA VEH0120 GB · to 2013
MOT SOURCEDVSA results · to 2025
FAMILY DEFINITIONTVR CHIMERA
PROCESSED20 Sep 2026
Full methodology
Population history combines DVLA VEH0120 Q4 census observations through 2013 with the annual VEH0220 census from 2014 onward. Figures before 2014 cover Great Britain only. Historical VEH0120 is used only when its overlapping UK observations reconcile to the current canonical family definition. Vehicles are grouped into this family using the DVLA GenModel together with durable routing rules for known inconsistencies.
Variant figures are parsed from raw DVLA model descriptions and the original string is always retained. Configuration is only assigned where the model description explicitly identifies it; a blank configuration is not treated as a two door Wrangler. Blank transmission fields are shown as manual because DVLA records the field for automatic vehicles.
MOT figures count tests, not vehicles, and geographic figures count each vehicle at its most recent test location. The decline projection is a straight line fitted to the latest five years and is illustrative only.