Re: New TVR 'On Sale In 2012' Says Smolenski

Re: New TVR 'On Sale In 2012' Says Smolenski

Monday 18th October 2010

New TVR 'On Sale In 2012' Says Smolenski

TVR's owner reveals plans for Vette-engined MD-1 to Swiss car mag


New MD-1 will be based on Tuscan convertible
New MD-1 will be based on Tuscan convertible
TVR's 'rebirth' could happen in the spring of 2012, according to the comments of the company's owner, Nikolai Smolenski, in an interview for Swiss car mag Revue Automobile.

The new car will be called MD-1 and, as we revealed back in April, the new TVR will indeed receive a 6.2-litre V8 Corvette motor with 638bhp. The MD-1 is based on the Tuscan convertible, but is a little lower and a little wider. It will run on 19-in wheels and there have been various other aesthetic tweaks and technical changes, though the fabric hood and windscreen are carried over unchanged.

But despite its technical relationship to the Tuscan, the MD-1 marks a clear departure from TVR's past, a point that the use of the 'Vette engine neatly illustrates. "We have stopped making our own engines," says Smolenski. "And I would like to draw a line under the Wheeler era once and for all!"

The TVR MD-1 had been scheduled for a launch at the Goodwood Moving Motor Show in July, but a falling-out between Smolenski and the company overseeing car's development put a stop to that. The car's development will now be finished in the UK by Brooklands-based AC Heritage, and should be completed by then end of the year. The car may not be produced in the UK, however.

"Production will be outsourced," Smolenski tells Revue Automobile. "We have received offers from Jimmy Prize in South Africa and plenty of others from England. [...] I would naturally prefer to work with firms such as Caterham or Lotus, but it's unlikely that the former would be able to do it, and the latter wouldn't represent good value for money. But it's equally possible that I wouldn't go back to the UK at all, and could set myself up somewhere in Germany."

Smolenski is sanguine about Revue Automobile's suggestion that a German-built TVR would disillusion a large part of its fan base: "Without doubt British fans will [be disillusioned]. Over there, everything is a bit odd. Within the European community, nobody asks for your passport at border crossings [...] it isn't very important whether you're based in Lancashire or Saxony. What's important is to remain faithful to your brand values: I'm a fan of the classic two-seater. I feel it's important that there is still a mechanical feel and the driving sensations that go with it. I respect the image of TVR."

But the MD-1 isn't the only new TVR in the works... a three-seat MD-2 is apparently on the drawing board, and Smolenski has plans for something "totally different and more imposing" called MD-3. As for the MD-1, it will arrive on sale in spring 2012, and roll out at a rate of 250 cars per year.

So, the new TVR is nearly here? "I've got nothing left to do but build it," says Smolenski. That's kind of the important part, Nikolai...

Author
Discussion

HeMightBeBanned

Original Poster:

617 posts

177 months

Saturday 16th October 2010
quotequote all
The least offensive part of that article is the name for the car, which is rather uninspiring at best.

No doubt the TVRistas are apoplectic with rage at a whole host of points raised.

andyp74199

141 posts

190 months

Saturday 16th October 2010
quotequote all
Not exactly light at the end of the tunnel, but the corvette engine seems like a good idea, well proven etc. I hope MD... Is an internal coding system and they come up better model names!

tallmat

50 posts

189 months

Saturday 16th October 2010
quotequote all
The guy sounds a right ar$e. What set TVR apart in it's latter years was that it was
using it's own engines and the cars weren't just another hand crafted body around a mass produced engine.

I know, I know, the engines had their issues and making small volume powerplants is expensive. And that TVR used Ford and Rover engines..


But looking at the above, it's just yet another low volume sports car using a Yank V8. He'll need to find a completely new customer base. Should go down well on the rough roads in Moscow.

derestrictor

18,764 posts

260 months

Saturday 16th October 2010
quotequote all
As an ex Blackpool Rocker and bar the extrnal appearance, there is nothing to distinguish a foreign built Trebor mint from any other foreign (built and/or owned) attempt at reprising the classic, British slant.

It is the whole point of such things that without a comedy phallus adorning the uncarpeted bulkhead, the inherent, unique quirkiness of the ownership proposition is forgone.

Actively desiring to forget the man whose epoch - however fraught - ultimately brought the name to the fore and cemented the very essence of TVR, defines the wrongness of it.

It will probably be a huge success; again, bought by people who believe i-Products add value/have enriched their lives.

Aused

293 posts

168 months

Saturday 16th October 2010
quotequote all
Smallendski sounds like a grade-A prat! I'm sure not many TVR fans will be willing to send money his way.

Colin L

1,242 posts

266 months

Saturday 16th October 2010
quotequote all
Faithfull to the TVR Image and Brand, bks!!!!

Only 250 to made a year, well stop talking then and build some, actions are bigger than words, no one will believe a word you say till you actually deliver on them.

Come back when we can see, drive and buy.

As for the MD-1 MD-2 MD-3 name range, is that short for Mite Do 1 or Mite Do 2 or even Mite Do 3!!!!


Grow up, grow a set of xxxxx and sell to people who can do, not just talk about doing.

Colin L

JulianHJ

8,733 posts

261 months

Saturday 16th October 2010
quotequote all
I hope the company fails spectacularly, and that NS finally gives up and sells to someone who knows what they're doing. I want the old TVR back.

The article is littered with spelling and grammar errors. Sort it out Riggers!

ed_crouch

1,169 posts

241 months

Saturday 16th October 2010
quotequote all
Yawn. Bored of hearing the bs. Believe it when I see it.

Hitch78

6,100 posts

193 months

Saturday 16th October 2010
quotequote all
I wouldn't get too excited or angry - this seems unlikely to happen. His comments are full of options but he clearly does not have a plan for production if he can't even commit to the continent it will be built on.

chazwozza

724 posts

185 months

Saturday 16th October 2010
quotequote all
Who does this guy think he is? Class a pratt by the sound of it, please go bust, f@@k off and let someone english buy the company and build the car with the correct values...

pddmac

142 posts

260 months

Saturday 16th October 2010
quotequote all
sneaky f**king Russian.

This tit has no idea what the brand is about. One thing for sure, the value of my home grown Cerb has just rocketted.

Frimley111R

15,537 posts

233 months

Saturday 16th October 2010
quotequote all
tallmat said:
The guy sounds a right ar$e. What set TVR apart in it's latter years was that it was
using it's own engines and the cars weren't just another hand crafted body around a mass produced engine.
You opinion but from 'outside' TVR I wouldn't say so. What made them stand out was there fantastic styling. They are still v.much 'wow' cars today.

2 Wycked

2,335 posts

230 months

Saturday 16th October 2010
quotequote all
Smolenski said:
And I would like to draw a line under the Wheeler era once and for all!
Isn't that the chap that made TVR so popular in the first place? Wasn't it during the Wheeler era that the cars were better looking, faster and had some of the most fantastic interiors I've ever seen?

Is Smolenski suggesting that he ultimately wants to start building wedges again?

Derek Smith

45,513 posts

247 months

Saturday 16th October 2010
quotequote all
2 Wycked said:
Smolenski said:
And I would like to draw a line under the Wheeler era once and for all!
Isn't that the chap that made TVR so popular in the first place? Wasn't it during the Wheeler era that the cars were better looking, faster and had some of the most fantastic interiors I've ever seen?

Is Smolenski suggesting that he ultimately wants to start building wedges again?
And drawing a line under yet still using the Tuscan convertible bodyshell - not a very thick line.

j3gme

883 posts

193 months

Saturday 16th October 2010
quotequote all
And the price is....? confused

barefoot

1,050 posts

283 months

Saturday 16th October 2010
quotequote all
Well we have heard this all before but A Tuscan with a Corvette engine throwing out over 630 horses will be awesome! It will most prob use GM's traction control and other electronics associated with the Corvette as well. I like many others on here have been posting since day one when Pistonheads was mainly a TVR only site and a huge TVR fan having had 9 TVR's and living only a few miles from the factory. TVR as we knew it will never resurface and I very much doubt be made in England again. But I would love the Russian to build this car I personally would be very happy a car bearing that name and staying true to the Lilley/Wheeler ideas were to be available to buy again no matter who owned the company or where it was built as it is better than no TVR's at all.

80s Matchbox

3,891 posts

175 months

Saturday 16th October 2010
quotequote all

By some of the quotes by Smolenski above, I think that he's still clueless, and can't forsee a great future for the company under his guidance.

orientdude

11 posts

208 months

Saturday 16th October 2010
quotequote all
Total Tosh!!

Offensive to the fore. The prick even has the tenacity to say we in the UK have no idea, but the fact is the prick is having major problems to get over the passion we TVRistas have for the marque and its history. Ruined his Russian ego!!!!

No other small volume car manufacturer has ever produced such wildly interesting and spectacular cars for the money.

I for one, will not send a penny to the russian prick!

Let's see him break another promise ....

scorcher

3,982 posts

233 months

Saturday 16th October 2010
quotequote all
Does anyone really care anymore? Chances are it won't happen anyway.I wonder what odds they'll offer me down the bookies?

orientdude

11 posts

208 months

Saturday 16th October 2010
quotequote all
barefoot said:
Well we have heard this all before but A Tuscan with a Corvette engine throwing out over 630 horses will be awesome! It will most prob use GM's traction control and other electronics associated with the Corvette as well. I like many others on here have been posting since day one when Pistonheads was mainly a TVR only site and a huge TVR fan having had 9 TVR's and living only a few miles from the factory. TVR as we knew it will never resurface and I very much doubt be made in England again. But I would love the Russian to build this car I personally would be very happy a car bearing that name and staying true to the Lilley/Wheeler ideas were to be available to buy again no matter who owned the company or where it was built as it is better than no TVR's at all.
Agrred! Carwise, it would be a fantastic sight to see a TVR based car reborn. But the prick has no clue with development and manufacturing strategy, only lots of offensive money to turn away an established customer base - not really good business sense!!