The Sagaris is so obviously better made than its predecessors that it easily justifies its higher price. The cabin is not made to the same exacting standards as a Porsche or Aston Martin, but if it were then this much performance would mean a price at least double the one you have to pay here.
In terms of packaging it’s a minor miracle. It manages to appear small on the outside yet inside has bundles of room for passengers and their luggage. Once you’ve acclimatised to the seats – specifically their dramatic shape and how hard they are – you soon realise how good the basic driving position is, how well located the pedals are, how easy to use the digital dashboard actually is and how special it feels inside.
It’s hard to be 100 per cent positive about the safety of a car that doesn’t have traction control, anti-lock brakes or airbags. On the other hand, the Sagaris has fabulous brakes, a full FIA-approved roll cage as standard and more mechanical grip than almost any other rival we can think of.
Equipment levels are pretty good, although the fact that you have to pay extra for air conditioning is pretty poor. Other optional extras include a digital radio, six-disc CD changer, electric lumbar supports and a DVD-based navigation system.
The big question is how much will a Sagaris be worth in four years’ time with 25,000 miles under its wheels? If it manages to hold half its value it will probably be considered a success. It also depends whether TVR’s potential audience believes that the quality issues have been sorted. If the test car is typical then the answer would seem to be yes.
Even so, running a Sagaris is not cheap – it returns between 15 and 24mpg depending on how hard you drive. Emissions are high so it’s a full 35 per cent company car tax machine, and servicing comes regularly (every 6000 miles) and costs plenty each time. On the other hand, it’s hard to imagine another 185mph car that costs less to buy, run and insure than this.