Martin's Lilley's tenure at TVR was first marked by the new Vixen and Tuscan models exhibited at Earls Court 1967, although their styling was little changed from the Grantura Series IV. The first Tuscan V8 used the Vixen S1 and longer S2 bodywork and was fitted with the Ford 289 cu.in (4727cc) V8 engine also used in the Ford Mustang and AC Cobra. The heritage of the Tuscan was born in America when Jack Griffith tried to put a Cobra V8 engine into a TVR Grantura. The car went back to Blackpool for further development and emerged as the TVR Griffith V8 with virtually all production being sold in America by Jack Griffith. However the TVR Griffith (sold as 'Griffith 200, Griffith 400) was doomed by cooling problems, poor quality and finally a long-lasting American dock strike. However, the idea didn't go cold and once Jack Griffith was out of the picture Martin Lilley created a V8 version of the Vixen model that he named Tuscan V6. Then the Tuscan V8 SE was launched, now using the longer Vixen S2 body. In 1968 the wide body Tuscan V8 was launched, gaining 4 inches in width and revised nose and tail. Only around 60 Tuscan V8s were built from 1967-70. A Tuscan V6 was launched in 1969 for European sales with the Ford Essex 3-litre V6 engine. The TVR M-series replaced Vixen and Tuscan models in 1973.