Devils Advocate
Discussion
(asbestos underwear on)
Provoking a discussion.......
I know no-one wants to say this, least of all me as I desparately want a Tuscan, but who thinks TVR will NOT come to US at all.
Lotus has just announced a federalized Elise, but they are having to invest 3 million quid to do it, and they have the manufacturing capacity to meet the expected US sales numbers.
TVR will have to invest significantly more than that to move to the US. They don't have any dealers here and no manufacturing here either.... and they have to get the cars done too.
Anyone else think we are waiting on a "tomorrow never comes" promise ?
Please convince me otherwise, as I am wavering in my belief that they will ever make it
(asbestos underwear off)
Provoking a discussion.......
I know no-one wants to say this, least of all me as I desparately want a Tuscan, but who thinks TVR will NOT come to US at all.
Lotus has just announced a federalized Elise, but they are having to invest 3 million quid to do it, and they have the manufacturing capacity to meet the expected US sales numbers.
TVR will have to invest significantly more than that to move to the US. They don't have any dealers here and no manufacturing here either.... and they have to get the cars done too.
Anyone else think we are waiting on a "tomorrow never comes" promise ?
Please convince me otherwise, as I am wavering in my belief that they will ever make it
(asbestos underwear off)
jpf hit the nail on the head. TVR is WAY too reliant on the UK market. I think I remember PW statng this in an interview he did in Autocar last year. It makes good business sense. 4 years ago, TVR sold almost 2000 cars, and now they are hovering at around 1200 and that's about all they can handle. The cars are SO labor intensive to make, and I think this is deliberate. People are pretty easy to fire and hire, but expensive machines aren't. But they can't rely on the UK market only...
In order for them to move to another market, they simply have no option but to consider building them outside of Blackpool. Brazil is as good a place as anywhere. Lots of manufacturers have plants in South America. Quality is something they have to monitor more closely at the plant. I don't think they could reproduce Bristol Avenue anywhere else. There aren't enough large rocks lying around to hold the moulds together !!
Lets not overlook the dealer network too much. There are 2 kinds of delears over here in the US selling performance cars. Actual dealers (Ferrari, etc) and then there are like performance car warehouses in Florida and California that just sell the cars and leave the service to the dealer networks. TVR must have a dedicated dealer network focused on TVR. Performance cars, by their very nature, are going to be more niggly than an Audi for example, so a dealer that can take care of them properly is very important. Not only that, TVR is not going to be as expensive as these other performance cars (if they follow the same pattern as the UK) and therefore, the people that buy them are going to want dealer support.
I think they have a terrific opportunity over here. I just wish they would say something about it. I wonder how much response they have had from this side of the Atlantic to Swordfish and the SCI article and the various 2 inch columns in Road and Track, Car and Driver that have appeared since Swordfish appeared. There was nothing at the Detroit Show to even compare with a Tuscan S.....
I have a buddy that used to play NFL ball, and when I showed the SCI article to him, he knew about 30 players that would want one !!!
Ramble over....
In order for them to move to another market, they simply have no option but to consider building them outside of Blackpool. Brazil is as good a place as anywhere. Lots of manufacturers have plants in South America. Quality is something they have to monitor more closely at the plant. I don't think they could reproduce Bristol Avenue anywhere else. There aren't enough large rocks lying around to hold the moulds together !!
Lets not overlook the dealer network too much. There are 2 kinds of delears over here in the US selling performance cars. Actual dealers (Ferrari, etc) and then there are like performance car warehouses in Florida and California that just sell the cars and leave the service to the dealer networks. TVR must have a dedicated dealer network focused on TVR. Performance cars, by their very nature, are going to be more niggly than an Audi for example, so a dealer that can take care of them properly is very important. Not only that, TVR is not going to be as expensive as these other performance cars (if they follow the same pattern as the UK) and therefore, the people that buy them are going to want dealer support.
I think they have a terrific opportunity over here. I just wish they would say something about it. I wonder how much response they have had from this side of the Atlantic to Swordfish and the SCI article and the various 2 inch columns in Road and Track, Car and Driver that have appeared since Swordfish appeared. There was nothing at the Detroit Show to even compare with a Tuscan S.....
I have a buddy that used to play NFL ball, and when I showed the SCI article to him, he knew about 30 players that would want one !!!
Ramble over....
Well, the other thing that we haven't really touched on is that TVR may be designing a new car that will be designed and launched in both the US and the UK that will be specifically designed with all the federal emissions and standards adhered to.... especially if they are talking 2 to 3 years. Tuscan will be 5 or 6 years old by then, right?
Myself, I think the Tamora will be modified because the shape seems easier to do (higher headlights), but then they bring in the new "federalized" TVR model.
Just a thought......but a horrible one. Tuscan for me please.....
As for Qvale, Panoz and Maserati. The first 2 sell very small numbers, and Maserati isn't available until next month, but they are aiming for something like 4,000 a year (which is 4 times the Ferrari numbers) in the US.
Myself, I think the Tamora will be modified because the shape seems easier to do (higher headlights), but then they bring in the new "federalized" TVR model.
Just a thought......but a horrible one. Tuscan for me please.....
As for Qvale, Panoz and Maserati. The first 2 sell very small numbers, and Maserati isn't available until next month, but they are aiming for something like 4,000 a year (which is 4 times the Ferrari numbers) in the US.
I don't know why they don't bring a couple of Tuscan's and Tamoras over here, and structure a contract that states if they can't make it meet the regulations you get your money back, and start taking orders. Take them to a couple of Auto shows (not the big ones) and see what the reaction is.
I think they'd be surprised by the numbers they would get....
I think they'd be surprised by the numbers they would get....
It's a fair cop. Slap the cuffs on......
I am more than willing to stand by a Tuscan at an auto show all day and answer questions by the way, Mr Samuelson if you are reading this !!!!
One thing dealers do here is put cars in the malls, and I think that would be another way to do. We've got a new mall opening here in about a month, and I can only imagine the stir a Tuscan would cause sat there in the middle.....
I am more than willing to stand by a Tuscan at an auto show all day and answer questions by the way, Mr Samuelson if you are reading this !!!!
One thing dealers do here is put cars in the malls, and I think that would be another way to do. We've got a new mall opening here in about a month, and I can only imagine the stir a Tuscan would cause sat there in the middle.....
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