The Tamora is a 3.6-litre, six-cylinder, two-seater sports car derived from the Tuscan, although it shares no exterior bodywork with that model. Just as the Chimaera was a less hectic version of the Griffith, says TVR, so the Tamora is a more conservative version of the Tuscan. It has a more conventional fold-down roof - and targa-style roof panels, like the Griffith and Chimaera - less extreme head- and tail-light designs and generally looks more conventional, by TVR standards at least.

The interior could hardly be called conventional, however. Extravagantly sculpted and dressed in irresistibly textured leather, it features beautifully presented instruments and plenty of TVR's trademark aluminium switchgear. The analogue speedo and tachometer are supplemented with digital displays monitoring other systems, as well as a gearshift warning light.

The straight-six TVR engine is tuned to deliver 330 bhp at 7200 rpm and is controlled by a drive-by-wire throttle. Variable-length induction trumpets fatten a torque curve that serves 280 lb ft of pulling power at 5500 rpm. A titanium exhaust pokes from under the rear valance in provocative style and, according to TVR, trumpets a rather different exhaust note compared with TVRs past.

The Tamora has double-wishbone suspension all round, set up, says TVR, to provide 'benign' handling, which should prove a contrast to the sometimes over-exciting road manners of other models in the range. Lightweight construction techniques have allowed TVR to pare the weight back to 1000 kg, making this the lightest and potentially most wieldy car in the range.

TVR is claiming that the Tamora will go into production next spring, pointing out that the high parts commonality with the Tuscan should make that achievable. Which is another way of saying that delivery may not be as late as it has been with new TVRs in the past. And when it does turn up, the Tamora Speed Six, to give it its full title, will cost £36,500.

TVR’s second new car at the show was this two-seat convertible, christened Tamora. With production of the Griffith coming to an end and the previously best-selling Chimaera moving to ‘built to order’ status, the Tamora is TVR’s new ‘entry-level’ car.

The Tuscan forms the basis of the new car, donating its chassis and other key components including its straight-six engine, though for the Tamora it’s downsized from 4.0 to 3.6 litres. Mind you, it still manages to produce 330bhp at 7500rpm and 280lb ft of torque at 5500rpm.

Performance will be similar to the Tuscan’s because the target weight is 1000kg, some 100kg less than its bigger brother. Expect 0-60mph in under five seconds and a top speed of around 160mph.

The weight loss is thanks to the smaller body, which features shorter overhangs and different construction methods. The Tamora features composites in several areas, including the seats – leather trimmed race-style buckets that are simpler and offer much more support than previous TVR seats. The hood design is similar to the Griffith’s, with a folding rear section and a removable hardtop that stows in the boot.

Inside, it’s pure TVR, with plenty of swoops and curves and in-house-manufactured switchgear and gauges that are a development of the designs first seen in the Tuscan. The instrument pack comprises two circular dials with a large digital read-out in the centre. Oddly, the dials don’t have any markings – they’re there only so that you can see the rate at which speed or revs are being gained. Shift-lights are provided to help the driver achieve perfectly-timed gear changes. Meanwhile in the footwell lurk the Tuscan pedals – beautiful looking, floor-hinged aluminium tombstones.

Brakes are even larger than those of the Tuscan – 304mm at the front with 282mm at the rear – and squeezed by four-pot callipers hiding behind Tuscan-style 16 inch alloys.

The look of the car garnered mixed opinions. There are hints of Griffith at the front, with its faired-in headlamps and bonnet vents. Side-on there’s a hint of Suzuki Cappuccino, with the short overhangs and tight wheel clearance. The rear looks like a huge shark’s head. It’s tall so that it can take the roof panel vertically. Sprouting from the black section is a tailpipe that looks like a six-inch diameter can, borrowed from a Japanese superbike.

The lights on the car have an added aluminium flashing around them, which doesn’t seem very TVR, but it was Peter Wheeler who insisted they appeared that way so they’re here to stay!

Expect the car to be available at dealers early next year as production of demonstrators starts next month. The list price of £36,500 makes it roughly the same cost as the 5-litre Griffiths and Chimaeras.

The TVR Tamora is the next model in the new generation of TVRs. In the same way that the Chimaera was engineered to be a more accessible sister to the Griffith, so the Tamora is based on the Tuscan Speed Six, whose platform it shares.

With more conservative styling than its bigger stablemate and more easily recognisable TVR styling cues, the Tamora has been designed to be less extreme and indeed simpler in some aspects. For example, the car is a full convertible with the roof mechanism being the acclaimed stowable hard-top design from the Griffith and Chimaera. The covered headlights and clean lines have echoes of Griffith and Chimaera but are right up to date.

The engine is a new 3.6 litre version of TVR's own straight six, pushing out 330 bhp at 7200 rpm and 280 ft. lb. of torque at 5500 rpm which will give the car extremely brisk performance. Maximum revs is at 7500 rpm. It features many new high-tech features such as a drive by wire throttle and variable length induction trumpets as well as a stainless steel and titanium exhaust which will give it a different engine note to the other TVRs with straight sixes. The engine is also wet sump with belt driven cams and bucket tappets. The water pump is electric and the engine utilises the latest sequential injection technology. It has coil on plug ignition and knock control to manage the very high 11:1 compression ratio.

Handling will be benign but involving with double wishbones and coil springs over gas filled shock absorbers and the ride will make it easy to use every day. Brakes are considerable cross drilled and ventilated discs all round (304mm front and 282mm rear) with four piston callipers at the front and the front roll cage and door beams are manufactured out of very strong T45 steel. Despite all this hardware, the composite bodywork and weight-saving construction methods means that this car will be the lightest of the current generation of TVRs at 1,000 kg.

It is again the interior where the stylists and engineers have surpassed themselves with a multi-function digital display, shift lights and two analogue dials for quick glance down viewing of speed and engine revs. There are two leather trimmed race-style bucket seats made out of lightweight composites to hold the driver and passenger in place and a floor mounted pedal box which is mounted through to the chassis. The window mechanism is of the Tuscan/Cerbera generation in that the window will slide up into the seal for less wind noise at speed.

The car is named after Tamora, who was a Queen of the Goths.