New TVR update

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Discussion

T4NGO

Original Poster:

384 posts

235 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
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Just had a nice email update from TVR about the new one...
I am sure someone with PH skills can put it on here

Hughesie

12,568 posts

281 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
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Mmmm, carbon Tubtastic beckons !

Hughesie

12,568 posts

281 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
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Dear TVRists,

Well, it’s been a while since the last update and apologies for that – time flies when you're having fun, as they say, and we've been spectacularly busy on all aspects of the development process and production logistics - there are some major announcements on these fronts which we'll be able to share (and really look forward to sharing!) with you early in the new year, and in the meantime we thought you'd like to hear a bit about some of the exciting stuff we’ve been up to.

"God's Sports Car..... TG"

Car Styling




Looking great! It’s certainly a long process though - there is so much devil in the detail, so much work involved in getting everything to work together properly, to proper modern day standards of fit finish and aero, not to say legislative requirement, while at the same time doing proper justice (in all respects) to TVR's lineage and DNA. Hundreds of iterations in, we are at the point where we have a number of final concepts differing now only in relatively small detail, with only a few decisions left to be made. Suffice to say we're pretty happy with where we are! Incidentally, it may be interesting to know that while we have been using the very latest state of the art CAD software, in parallel we have been working with 'old fashioned' physical seating bucks and scale clay models – in fact far from old fashioned, as even the most modern (read young!) designer will readily confirm that it’s impossible to get the full impact and experience of a physical object via a virtual experience, no matter how good the CAD software is.

One of the great advantages when using the Gordon Murray iStream technology is that the body design can be finalised much later than that of a traditionally ‘stamped’ car. The body is essentially non-structural and provided we don’t impinge on the structural hard points (God forbid - Gordon's not one for compromise I'm happy to say!) can be finally finessed in tandem with the rest of the car.

A God's chassis......

Speaking of the chassis, you may be aware that Gordon Murray announced at the Tokyo Motor show last month the introduction of iStream Carbon. I guess you may be wondering whether this amazing, exciting new technology will be available as an option on the new TVR.... well the good news is that IT WILL and (in line with our promises that early adopters would be treated exceptionally well) it is scheduled to be included as a NO COST option on the LE car!

In terms of timing, we have received a number of enquiries regarding delivery slots and general production timing. In order to be able to tell you when the first cars are going to be delivered, and therefore your place in the queue, there are a number of things that need to be determined. In our next update we will announce the factory location. This has been something we have spent a lot of time on recently. There are a number of important considerations for TVR when deciding where the new home should be. It wasn't a decision to be taken lightly - we didn’t want the location chosen simply because we could build a large shed with grant money. We wanted it to be a statement of our future intent, a place our customers would want to visit, and most of all somewhere all of us associated with TVR - the whole community - can rightly be proud to call TVR's home. We are very close to achieving that milestone in our plan - to make TVR the coolest, hardest-performing hand-built British sports car once more. This time though, it won’t just be designed and built with passion, it’ll be engineered to perform the way no other TVR has done to date. It will be class-leading, mainly because it will define its own class, as TVR has always done and you'd need to spend £1/4 million to find a worthy opponent. A Sagaris wouldn't even see which way it went (speaking as an adoring Sag owner, I hope that that excites you just as much as it does me!)

Once we have announced the factory location together with some other car specifics regarding the car such as price, minimum performance details, and some further details on the styling / packaging, that will also be the point at which we propose to announce the closing of the order book for the LE cars. This announcement will come in the first half of 2016. Once that announcement is made, we will be confirming orders that have already been placed using our deposit system (I want one of those monsters!) and will be able confirm relative positions in the queue
Just Gods, generally......

Engine development

Steve Cropley from Autocar was present when we fired up an early version of one of our V8 engines at Cosworth’s Northampton facility – see it here: Fire up the Cossie. This was the first official showing of the engine, and the first time we had started the unit that will form the initial race car test mule. Clearly there is a lot of work still to do but we’re really pleased with the progress particularly as some of the development work on this unit has flowed back into the road car design, resulting in an expectation of a further additional increase in power for the LE car. The dyno simulated a lap of Le Mans and has the ability to simulate the effect of topography and gear change, and while the unit was not running with either our race or road transmission set up, and the correct aero for the car could not be correctly simulated (‘cos we haven’t finished it yet ;0) - the results were very respectable, nonetheless. And we broke the dyno! However, our focus is very much on the road car at the moment and importantly, I am pleased to report that the power and torque figures and delivery characteristics are very much on target.

The mule car has been munching the miles over the last few months, testing the durability of the engine and drive-train combo. Next step is to combine the complete power train with our chassis into a mule for further testing – given the body is independent of the chassis and running gear, perhaps something familiar could be seen around the Northampton area soon...

A Mule or a Donkey? Definitely NOT a Mustang!


....and yes, before you say it, with wheels, chassis, engine, small stickers etc!


So in essence, you can expect an update on the following early in 2016:
Production – Factory location, ancillary benefits & timing; LE car order book closing details; order confirmations and relative queue positions

Body Styling - further detail of the final design / packaging

Performance – power and torque figures and minimum production deliverables for top speed and acceleration, and kerb weight

Pricing – LE car pricing confirmation

Options – confirmation of basic options including no-cost carbon LE
Well, that’s about it for the moment and I’d like to finish off by thanking you for your incredible support during 2015, and wishing you a very Happy Christmas and a prosperous and healthy New Year from all of us at TVR.

Exciting times now, and ahead!

Les Edgar
Chairman
TVR Manufacturing Ltd
www.tvr.co.uk

FairfieldSteve

2,721 posts

164 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
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Thank you for posting that Hughesie! Great update and a striking image.

crmcatee

5,691 posts

226 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
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I hope that they put the centres of the wheels actually in the centre and not offset as they are at the moment.

philipbrown123

406 posts

116 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
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Looks great. I can detect F type and maserati influences.

essexstu

515 posts

117 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
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looks like one hell of a sexy car! (apart from the wheels) but being an CAD mock up these will no doubt change. No cost option for the carbon version...oh go on then!

chris watton

22,477 posts

259 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
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Looks pretty cool, but didn't Marcos bring out something very similar with a V8 at around the same time the T350 was released?

Griffithy

929 posts

275 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
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Very nice! lick


T4NGO

Original Poster:

384 posts

235 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
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Cheers. I tried copy paste but didn't pull the pics

Snakes

614 posts

252 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
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chris watton said:
Looks pretty cool, but didn't Marcos bring out something very similar with a V8 at around the same time the T350 was released?
Please, please, now is not the time to be negative. It looks an absolute cracker and with a carbon tub as well - Jeez!

chris watton

22,477 posts

259 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
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Snakes said:
chris watton said:
Looks pretty cool, but didn't Marcos bring out something very similar with a V8 at around the same time the T350 was released?
Please, please, now is not the time to be negative. It looks an absolute cracker and with a carbon tub as well - Jeez!
Wasn't meant to be negative! I always liked the Marcos. smile

Rob-s5mok

90 posts

99 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
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I don't want to pee on the fire but the side profile illustration is 99.5% exactly the same as the Autocar render published on 3/6/15 - there's a slight difference in the end of the sill ahead of the rear wheel. I think Les may be being a little slippery: he doesn't say 'this is what it will look like', anywhere!

Or perhaps I'm just too used to auto manufacturers and their games!

ruggy

38 posts

122 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
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I wanted to see what it looked like without the crazy wheels. Note: THIS WAS JUST FOR FUN biggrin



mart 63

2,068 posts

243 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
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Very nice indeed. But if thats the design, i take it they wont be making a full convertible version.

anonymous-user

53 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
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I quite like that in the same way I quite like a lot of mainstream manufacturers headline models.

Don't know what they could have done more extreme than that without courting criticism.

Positive? on schedule for cars when suggested?? time will tell. Let's hope so !

Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 22 December 21:22

Zippee

13,445 posts

233 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
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chris watton said:
Snakes said:
chris watton said:
Looks pretty cool, but didn't Marcos bring out something very similar with a V8 at around the same time the T350 was released?
Please, please, now is not the time to be negative. It looks an absolute cracker and with a carbon tub as well - Jeez!
Wasn't meant to be negative! I always liked the Marcos. smile
I agree with Chris smile
Looks nice, hint of F-type, T350 and Maser to it. Certainly changes though when those 'normal' wheels are put on - hopefully they will stay extreme. I was initially very down on the re-emergence, still am as far as it being a TVR goes but it does look good and I have little urges that say I should have placed a deposit.
Lets hope the real thing looks as good.

Griffithy

929 posts

275 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
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The shape does very well yes


RedSpike66

2,336 posts

211 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
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Not sure I'm liking the way it slopes/wraps round towards the rear for some reason...
Is it a bit Ginetta-ish ??

HarryW

15,150 posts

268 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
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Great to get an update this side of Christmas, again making all the right noises. I for one am a happy LE deposit holder....

I think the shape, whether it is the real shape or not, has a lineage to the Typhon. As to the curved rump, that's straight out of the Grifith IMHO.