RE: No more cars from TVR, says Smolensky

[thelost]

300bhp/ton said:

But that's my point. TVR had none of this in the earlier days when they became popular. This only happened later... mostly during their decline and demise.


What I'm saying is build something like this:



And sell it at £25-35k. It doesn't even need to be a V8 for the entry level, just a turnkey car that someone can buy and drive.

You might be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is already happening (and at what I would still consider to be reasonable for what you could get). Personally, I love it (though I'd like to ditch the black trim for something more authentic looking).

http://www.cwrcars.com/showroom/index.php/showroom

You could spalsh out on a really well built small block but I think I'd rather go for this:

http://store.vacmotorsports.com/vac---m60--m62-race-engines-p1448.aspx

[900T-R]

spercy said:

If Jason at Str8six can build a tuscan and sell it for a lot less than £100k

From an existing bodyshell built at Bristol Avenue...

[gutu12]

caduceus said:

Bellendski

[J4CKO]

[redacted]

[JonRB]

thelost said:

You might be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is already happening (and at what I would still consider to be reasonable for what you could get). Personally, I love it (though I'd like to ditch the black trim for something more authentic looking).

http://www.cwrcars.com/showroom/index.php/showroom

I have to say that I rather like that.

[Podie]

900T-R said:

spercy said:

If Jason at Str8six can build a tuscan and sell it for a lot less than £100k

From an existing bodyshell built at Bristol Avenue...

Exactly - assembly of a kit of parts to a known design.

Sale price = cost of parts + cost of labour + profit margin

[flashygee]

Man! Smolensky is the Son of a typical Russian "Businessman" Elite.
These Guys have all a KGB background,go with the flow with Putin
and make lots of money in Drugs,Weapons,Uran,Stolen Cars or as Girl Dealer
Moneylaundry and so on -the list is endless.
These Guys havent the Talent or the will to make a Company successful with legal things.(Note:Viktor Wechselberg,check Google)
Thats only Thiefs,Murders or Short-Criminals and Parasites but with extreme much Money mostly made overnight.
The Finish of these Deals can you see with the Future of TVR.
Why is Wiesmann so Successful!?-i think you can answer yourself.
Windturbines-what for a Joke...

[V8 GRF]

J4CKO said:

stuff

I'm sure that 944 you own requires quite a bit of fettling these days so you're nearly there.....

The fact that so many threads here and stories elsewhere abound even in the mainstream motoring press sugggest your observation that only a handfull of diehards care is wrong.

TVRs actually do most of the things you list but you plainly don't get 'it' and not owning one means you won't until you actually do/did.

However I suspect you wouldn't be willing to take the 'risk' as you probably see it, but surely you're aware that all manufacturers without exception have horror stories attached to ownership it's just that they have better marketing machines to cover up the failures, Porsche and Ferrari come to quickly to mind, I'm sure there are others.

J4CKO said:

we arent the bulk of the market, girl in our office has just bought an SLK, a ten year old TVR just wasnt a contender and there are 500 like her of her for every Prospective TVR purchser.

I would love to see them re-appear, slightly updated at reasonable prices but I cant see it happening, the business has changed, the market has changed and so has the legislation.

TVRs never were the bulk of the market and didn't/don't need to be to be successful.

Yes the market and legislation has changed but there is still a market and a legislation niche for a TVR'esque company.

Edited by V8 GRF on Wednesday 11th July 13:45

[Podie]

flashygee said:

Man! Smolensky is the Son of a typical Russian "Businessman" Elite.
These Guys have all a KGB background,go with the flow with Putin
and make lots of money in Drugs,Weapons,Uran,Stolen Cars or as Girl Dealer
Moneylaundry and so on -the list is endless.
These Guys havent the Talent or the will to make a Company successful with legal things.(Note:Viktor Wechselberg,check Google)
Thats only Thiefs,Murders or Short-Criminals and Parasites but with extreme much Money mostly made overnight.
The Finish of these Deals can you see with the Future of TVR.
Why is Wiesmann so Successful!?-i think you can answer yourself.
Windturbines-what for a Joke...

I trust you're familiar with the libel laws?

[900T-R]

Podie said:

I trust you're familiar with the libel laws?

My thoughts exactly...

[LukeSi]

If someone did have a go at bringing TVR back a dealer network would be no problem what so ever. Most of the dealers, Racing Green, STR8SIX, Fenhurst, etc... would jump at the opportunity to sell new TVRs. Because they are enthusiastic about the brand. Build 3 or 4 press cars, magazines like Evo would be all over it. Topgear and 5th gear would both want to test the cars. Get good reviews, things like getting Clarkson to come out with "Gone are the reliability issues of old, this is a car that can be used everyday and starts on the key first time" getting a good review from him alone would kick start sales. Some off the shelf engine choices, LSx, Ford Ecoboost, etc and some parts bin components, such as an off the shelf climate control system, off the shelf satnav/radio. Get good publicity and the brand would launch itself. The ford Ecoboost engines would also mean that the cars with those installed would be easy on the road tax.
As we know, TVR as a brand has a huge following, people who aren't even into cars know about TVR and if they were shown to be a reliable sensible choice would go for them.

[900T-R]

Erm, I can just about guess what Clarkson would have to say about a modern TVR with a Ford four-banger under the bonnet...

[Podie]

[redacted]

[odyssey2200]

Podie said:

900T-R said:

spercy said:

If Jason at Str8six can build a tuscan and sell it for a lot less than £100k

From an existing bodyshell built at Bristol Avenue...

Exactly - assembly of a kit of parts to a known design.

Sale price = cost of parts + cost of labour + profit margin+ Overheads+marketing costs+ Huge cost of homologation and chasing moving goal posts+...

My bold

The fact is that it is becoming more and more difficult to justify building any car.
Even the big boys are joining forces to share costs.

Type approval and in particular the cost of meeting ever changing emissions standards are horrendously expensive as are things like crash testing.

The fact remains that while we can all lament the death of TVR we all share a part of the blame for it's demise.

We didn't buy anywhere near enough cars to keep them going.

Maybe the guy that owned it before Moleskins (Wheeler?) saw the writing on the wall and off loaded it?

All of you guys posting about how a "cheap TVR would sell" ask yourself this

If there was such a car how many of you would DEFINATELY but one?

Sports cars suffer from the baby polar bear syndrome.
Everyone sees one and goes "ahh, isn't that lovely" but no one wants to own one in reality.

Many would just like TVR to exist (myself included) but only car sales pays the bills not those with their noses pressed against the showroom window with a dream and a disapproving wife/bank manager.

[JonRB]

LukeSi said:

If someone did have a go at bringing TVR back a dealer network would be no problem what so ever. Most of the dealers, Racing Green, STR8SIX, Fenhurst, etc... would jump at the opportunity to sell new TVRs.

I suspect they wouldn't. Not unless there were cast-iron guarantees that they wouldn't get royally shafted again.

[LukeSi]

900T-R said:

Erm, I can just about guess what Clarkson would have to say about a modern TVR with a Ford four-banger under the bonnet...

• cough**cough* They do a V6 ecoboost. The 4 banger would be entry level.

[Podie]

[redacted]

[JonRB]

odyssey2200 said:

Maybe the guy that owned it before Moleskins (Wheeler?) saw the writing on the wall and off loaded it?

Maybe.

[Podie]

[redacted]

[J4CKO]

V8 GRF said:

J4CKO said:

stuff

I'm sure that 944 you own requires quite a bit of fettling these days so you're nearly there.....

The fact that so many threads here and stories elsewhere abound even in the mainstream motoring press sugggest your observation that only a handfull of diehards care is wrong.

TVRs actually do most of the things you list but you plainly don't get 'it' and not owning one means you won't until you actually do/did.

However I suspect you wouldn't be willing to take the 'risk' as you probably see it, but surely you're aware that all manufacturers without exception have horror stories attached to ownership it's just that they have better marketing machines to cover up the failures, Porsche and Ferrari come to quickly to mind, I'm sure there are others.

944 does need a little fettling, and I am nearly there in terms of getting a TVR (944 is a halfway house re-introduction to RWD and no nannies), it is only finances that stops me, I am playing devils advocate to a certain extent.

Buying any car is a risk, people buy Astra's for 15 - 20k as a safe bet and then lose 10 plus grand in three years, the actual risk financially is probably less from the TVR but actual risk versus perceieved risk is a big difference, doubt a TVR bought right would lose much, if any money now.

i think TVR's can be less reliable than the average car but partly I think that is down to age, lack of daily use and improper maintenance, there is nothing inherantley complex or unusual about them, in fact they are far less complex than the average car nowadays. Danger wise, treated with respect they are fine but they can and will bite the unwary or ham fisted and there are a lot of those about, not even counting the over enthusiastic petrolheads.


I think Pistonheads should take it over as has been mentioned, PH is the spiritual home of TVR on the net, cant see that happening but would be fantastic.

Anything to save us from the Grey Goo of premium german silver diesels and white korean appliances.