Wild TVR Scamander Amphibious Prototype Is Now Somehow Road Legal

TVR is often cited for wild cars like the Sagaris or the Cerbera Speed 12. What most don’t know is that its wildest concept had very little to do with going fast. It’s called the Scamander, it’s amphibious, and it’s about to try and get its MOT for the first time in over a decade.

MOT is short for Ministry of Transport, the organization that ensures that cars on UK roads meet certain standards. The Scamander hasn’t needed such a certification for so long because it’s sat mostly unmoved in a garage for around 12 years. Now, Joe Wheeler, the son of late TVR Owner Peter Wheeler, wants to get it on the road again.

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He’s joined by TVR fan and automotive enthusiast Harry Metcalfe. The two originally pulled the wraps off of this barn find a couple of months back. At that time, Metcalfe highlighted the engineering of the Scamander and its mostly intact condition. In this video, we see the results of a recent refresh at the hands of Wheeler. The engine starts right up, the mechanical bits all appear to work well, and it also has mirrors and lights now.

To get the MOT certification, Wheeler decides to take the vehicle over the hill and through the woods, literally. His destination is a testing station some 40 miles away. He even gives the privilege of driving to Metcalfe and the two set off. Just sitting in the Scamander appears to be quite an experience.

The steering wheel flips up to allow easier ingress and egress. It also houses the turn signals and other functions and did we mention that it’s mounted in the dead center of the vehicle? That’s right, this wild amphibious vehicle has three-abreast seating ala McLaren F1. It has three displays just ahead of the driver along with what appear to be six different windows.

Ultimately, the two men arrive at their destination and despite some trouble with the initial testing facility, manage to get the car certified for road use once again. That’ll be beneficial when it goes on display in London at the 2024 Concours event in the Honourable Artillery Company from June 4-6. 

Image Credit: Harry Metcalfe