2016 Tiger Avon

Highlights

• Factory built, ex-demonstrator
• A number of choice upgrades
• Just 3,500 miles on the clock
• Excellent MOT history
• 2-litre Ford Zetec rated at c.175bhp

Overview

Imitation is, as they say, the sincerest form of flattery. And it’s with good reason that so many low-volume sports car manufacturers copy the Lotus blueprint of lightness and simplicity mated to a well-powered, rear-drive chassis. When it comes to extracting maximum enjoyment from every millisecond of a drive, then this recipe just works.

It’s unsurprising then that Tiger Racing, a British manufacturer of lightweight sports cars, should have chosen to base their Avon model on the classic layout of the Lotus 7. As anyone with an ounce of petrol in their veins can tell you, it’s a design that just works.

Adapted and reengineered from an initial design by Phoenix Automotive, the Avon is a handsome and well-proportioned little machine. Reliable, proven mechanical components make it simple to maintain and service, resulting in a machine that’s perfectly suited for either a weekend B-road blast or a day at the track.

While many Avons will have been built by their owners from kits, this particular example has the example of being a factory-built ex-demonstrator model. So when you’re blatting down the B465 or scooting through Druids at Brands Hatch, you won’t be worrying about whether the torque settings on the suspension were dialled in correctly. Because of course they were.

It also benefits from a host of optional factory extras, such as a Quaife LSD, larger Team Dynamics alloys, and disc brakes all round. So not only can you have the confidence that your pretty little sports car has been bolted together properly, but you also know that it’s about as capable as you could ever need it to be. Which is nice.

If you’re the sort of person who dreams of summer days spent zipping around country lanes or adrenaline fuelled weekends clipping apexes at Oulton Park – and you’re reading an article on PistonHeads, so we’ll assume you are – then this delightful little weapon should definitely be on your radar.

History and documentation

• Registered late 2016
• Factory built, ex-demonstrator
• Current MOT with no advisories expires 9th April 2025
• Present owner for about the last 18 months
• Two previous keepers
• V5 present in owner’s name
• HPI clear, checked February 2025
• London ULEZ compliant
• One key
• Invoice for factory upgrades
• 3,500 miles on the clock, with just about 500 covered since the last MOT

Interior

• Black leather-look upholstery to the seats and transmission tunnel
• Yellow piping to seats and Tiger emblem on the headrests
• The seats can be unbolted and repositioned in three locations for different leg lengths
• Black carpeting in the cabin area
• Tiger-branded dials
• Four point harnesses
• A USB socket has been installed in the dashboard
• Short throw aluminium gear shifter
• Neatly trimmed rear storage compartment
• The vendor tells us that all the instruments and switchgear in the cabin works just as it should, with no faults
• There is a lockable storage area at the rear, which contains a puncture repair kit and compressor
• A tonneau cover is present and correct

Exterior

• Bold yellow paintwork with a black stripe over the centre of the car and contrasting black spats to the rear arches
• There is a small scratch to the bonnet section and there are a few stone chips minor scratches present elsewhere, but nothing that would concern us
• GFRP shell over a 1” box steel frame
• The vendor notes there are a few minor hairline cracks in the gel coat
• We’re assured by the vendor that the underneath of the car is in excellent condition, the vehicle having been dry stored and only used in good weather
• Factory upgrade 15” Team Dynamics alloy wheels, shod with a matched set of Toyo tyres
• From what we can see, the underside looks to be very clean

Mechanical

• 2-litre Ford Zetec with twin Webcon throttle bodies and ECU
• Rated at c.175bhp
• Rear wheel drive
• Ford Sierra Type 9 manual transmission
• Overall kerbweight is c.590Kg, for a very respectable power to weight ratio
• Factory option Quaife LSD fitted
• Stainless steel exhaust system, which the vendor tells us sounds fantastic, with some light pops on lift-off
• It should be noted that the car does not have power-steering or assisted braking (a servo)
• Factory option disc brakes all round
• Adjustable front and rear suspension
• Upgraded 1L oil catch tank
• On starting, the engine turns for about 6-7 seconds to fully circulate oil before ignition
• When off the road, the battery is kept on a trickle charger
• We’re assured that the car drives very well, with no issues or mechanical faults to declare

Summary

Small but mighty would definitely be the way to describe the Avon. With as-near-as-damn-it 300bhp per ton and no electronic nannies to get in the way, it’s about as pure a driving experience as you could hope for.

This example has been carefully maintained, and the fact that it comes with so many factory upgrades, as well as having been factory built, is a real boon. You could spend two or three hundred thousand pounds on a supercar, but you probably wouldn’t have anywhere near as much fun or excitement as you’ll have in this brilliant little bright yellow rocket, or go as quickly most of the time. It’s pure, distilled driving pleasure.

To arrange a viewing, click the 'Book Viewing' button located under the 'Place Bid' button. Viewings can be booked up until the day before the auction ends, after which the option will change to 'Contact Seller' for further enquiries. This seller is located in Lowestoft.