From the debut race in 1989, Tuscan Challenge racers were powered by a TVR Power developed 4.5 litre variant of the Rover V8 with a power output of over . This was transmitted through a Borg Warner T5 gearbox to its nine-inch (229 mm) wide sixteen-inch (406 mm) O.Z. split-rim wheels with Dunlop cross-ply racing tyres. In the early 1990, as the aging Rover V8 was getting beyond its development limits and Rover's takeover by BMW, plus the then company owner Peter Wheeler's rumoured refusal of having German engines in his cars, Wheeler commissioned engine designer Al Melling to develop the new AJPV8 engine, rated at a higher power output level than its Rover counterpart. With the new V8 engine, the car was capable accelerating to 97 k?/h in over 3 seconds and 0-124 km/h in 6.9 seconds. The cars boasted of per tonne with a claimed top speed in excess of All engines were factory supplied sealed units to ensure a levelled playing field.