HARRY METCALF! TVR
Discussion
Did anyone read EVO this month and Harry Metcalfs report on the conference with NS. At the end he said that he had really warmed to him. I can't believe that he actually fell for the spin. His ego had been warmed up by the fact that he was one of only 7 journos invited. Then Metcalf later on went on about a trip back to Italy in his Zonda and his ego was further massaged by the owner of Zonda phoning him on Christmas day to wish him and his lovely family a Happy Christmas. Makes me sick.
I thought the piece was well written actually. He said he warmed to Smolenski because he believed the lad had been tucked up and had actually done his best and failed but was determined to do better now. At the end of the day he has blown millions and one assumes he didn't set out to lose all that money so Metcalfe's assessment is probably fair. The principle mystery is why he persists with inadequate managers and has never hired proper industry pros to sort things out. Maybe all part of him being tucked up?
unrepentant said:
I thought the piece was well written actually. He said he warmed to Smolenski because he believed the lad had been tucked up and had actually done his best and failed but was determined to do better now. At the end of the day he has blown millions and one assumes he didn't set out to lose all that money so Metcalfe's assessment is probably fair. The principle mystery is why he persists with inadequate managers and has never hired proper industry pros to sort things out. Maybe all part of him being tucked up?
Spot on.
Harry Metcalf just wrote that he warmed to Smolenski as a person. What's wrong with that? The situation at TVR is frustrating (for one I want to know what happens with the 2 years warranty that are left on my car), but I am simply not in a position to pass any judgement on people I have never met or worked with. And if it's sickening for Metcalf to drive to Italy in his Zonda, then what would that make of a person who has fun driving around in his TVR?
I must say I thought it was a good article, I think the press conference was a total joke though.
I also thought the bit where NS said that TVR had survived 60 years so it can survive a couple of months bad press shows how in touch NS is with the marque
I also thought the bit where NS said that TVR had survived 60 years so it can survive a couple of months bad press shows how in touch NS is with the marque
Edited by Lensey on Tuesday 3rd April 11:29
unrepentant said:
I thought the piece was well written actually. He said he warmed to Smolenski because he believed the lad had been tucked up and had actually done his best and failed but was determined to do better now. At the end of the day he has blown millions and one assumes he didn't set out to lose all that money so Metcalfe's assessment is probably fair. The principle mystery is why he persists with inadequate managers and has never hired proper industry pros to sort things out. Maybe all part of him being tucked up?
i think you will find NS likes things his own way, hence no industry pro's..i know he has been approached by industry pro's..but he declined ....he prefers to stick with the team he has, for reasons only known to him..personnally i think he needs to get a proper team in & leave them to it... 
machinehead said:
JONNY TVR said:
Obviously just me then!
i know what you mean, NS talks a good job but has yet to deliver one single thing, apart from a couple of devastating body shots to TVR enthusiasts & his former employees.. Edited by machinehead on Tuesday 3rd April 12:41
Quite agree but I think bullsh1t also comes to mind 
Podie said:
unrepentant said:
I thought the piece was well written actually. He said he warmed to Smolenski because he believed the lad had been tucked up and had actually done his best and failed but was determined to do better now. At the end of the day he has blown millions and one assumes he didn't set out to lose all that money so Metcalfe's assessment is probably fair. The principle mystery is why he persists with inadequate managers and has never hired proper industry pros to sort things out. Maybe all part of him being tucked up?
Spot on.
Re the industry pro's : Surely this is not true because early on he employed an 'ex Lotus' man and a Lambo man too .. both were pushed out the door very sharply - from what I remember..
I guess he had his own ideas.
Sadly with no industry experience - he just wanted yes men.
It was his money to waste I guess..
NS wont hire industry pros because he's too arrogant. The one or two he did get in didn't last 5 mins because he fired them for telling him what to do!!
As for Harry, I disagree with the OP, he's only reporting the way the guy came across to him.....
As for Horacio Pagani, Harry has been friends with him for years. They parked next to me at the Parades Des Pilotes at Le Mans when I drove my Tamora in it for the TVRCC, I even had a chat in broken italian to Mr Pagani who seemed quite interested in my Tamora!
As for Harry, I disagree with the OP, he's only reporting the way the guy came across to him.....
As for Horacio Pagani, Harry has been friends with him for years. They parked next to me at the Parades Des Pilotes at Le Mans when I drove my Tamora in it for the TVRCC, I even had a chat in broken italian to Mr Pagani who seemed quite interested in my Tamora!
Edited by flasher on Tuesday 3rd April 13:32
flasher said:
NS wont hire industry pros because he's too arrogant. The one or two he did get in didn't last 5 mins because he fired them for telling him what to do!!
As for Harry, I disagree with the OP, he's only reporting the way the guy came across to him.....
As for Horacio Pagani, Harry has been friends with him for years. They parked next to me at the Parades Des Pilotes at Le Mans when I drove my Tamora in it for the TVRCC, I even had a chat in broken italian to Mr Pagani who seemed quite interested in my Tamora!
As for Harry, I disagree with the OP, he's only reporting the way the guy came across to him.....
As for Horacio Pagani, Harry has been friends with him for years. They parked next to me at the Parades Des Pilotes at Le Mans when I drove my Tamora in it for the TVRCC, I even had a chat in broken italian to Mr Pagani who seemed quite interested in my Tamora!
Edited by flasher on Tuesday 3rd April 13:32
yep, you are spot on there, he brought some good people in as soon as they started to do the bizz......they were gone !....and hey presto in steps TVR'S saviour D.O........words fail me at this point!!
machinehead said:
flasher said:
NS wont hire industry pros because he's too arrogant. The one or two he did get in didn't last 5 mins because he fired them for telling him what to do!!
As for Harry, I disagree with the OP, he's only reporting the way the guy came across to him.....
As for Horacio Pagani, Harry has been friends with him for years. They parked next to me at the Parades Des Pilotes at Le Mans when I drove my Tamora in it for the TVRCC, I even had a chat in broken italian to Mr Pagani who seemed quite interested in my Tamora!
As for Harry, I disagree with the OP, he's only reporting the way the guy came across to him.....
As for Horacio Pagani, Harry has been friends with him for years. They parked next to me at the Parades Des Pilotes at Le Mans when I drove my Tamora in it for the TVRCC, I even had a chat in broken italian to Mr Pagani who seemed quite interested in my Tamora!
Edited by flasher on Tuesday 3rd April 13:32
yep, you are spot on there, he brought some good people in as soon as they started to do the bizz......they were gone !....and hey presto in steps TVR'S saviour D.O........words fail me at this point!!
DOODoo the muppet its all bol££ks
if he wanted to make cars then why didnt he, d.o says the factory premises were not up to it, but we all who worked their know different as we were staffed up and ready to build 15 cars a week or so, 6 months after he bought tvr he wasent interested in building cars, where has the 50 odd million gone that the tgwu say his books show he had put in.
if he wanted to make cars then why didnt he, d.o says the factory premises were not up to it, but we all who worked their know different as we were staffed up and ready to build 15 cars a week or so, 6 months after he bought tvr he wasent interested in building cars, where has the 50 odd million gone that the tgwu say his books show he had put in.
Motoring journalists are not real life journalists and will always be edited from telling the truth, just look at Evo with there 12 month Porsche advertising contracts with 8 page pull outs and tell me they would dare say anything bad about any Porsche - no way!
..and as for the 2 industry experts taken on by TVR - experts in what? any proof of any achievements...
..and as for the 2 industry experts taken on by TVR - experts in what? any proof of any achievements...
Edited by 16 years on Wednesday 4th April 00:34
16 years said:
Motoring journalists are not real life journalists and will always be edited from telling the truth, just look at Evo with there 12 month Porsche advertising contracts with 8 page pull outs and tell me they would dare say anything bad about any Porsche - no way!
Yep, that's why in our recent Car of the Year feature we slammed the Cayman and placed it 9th out of 12 cars.
For your info, we are never, ever, 'edited from telling the truth'.
Unless you can offer any actual evidence for what you're alleging, perhaps you'd be gracious enough to retract.
Peter T
Mr Tommo said:
16 years said:
Motoring journalists are not real life journalists and will always be edited from telling the truth, just look at Evo with there 12 month Porsche advertising contracts with 8 page pull outs and tell me they would dare say anything bad about any Porsche - no way!
Yep, that's why in our recent Car of the Year feature we slammed the Cayman and placed it 9th out of 12 cars.
For your info, we are never, ever, 'edited from telling the truth'.
Unless you can offer any actual evidence for what you're alleging, perhaps you'd be gracious enough to retract.
Peter T
So the 12month Porsche contract has'nt even the slightest bearing on what is written then, think you will find that most people on here are a cynical bunch mainly as a result of being fed lies untruths and generally having people p*ss up there back's for the past few years.
Have bought your magazine from day 1 without a miss could'nt believe you started issue 1 by buying a quattro [which i owned at the time] to use a benchmark.
You may have to wait a while for a retraction though.
Mr Tommo said:
16 years said:
Motoring journalists are not real life journalists and will always be edited from telling the truth, just look at Evo with there 12 month Porsche advertising contracts with 8 page pull outs and tell me they would dare say anything bad about any Porsche - no way!
Yep, that's why in our recent Car of the Year feature we slammed the Cayman and placed it 9th out of 12 cars.
For your info, we are never, ever, 'edited from telling the truth'.
Unless you can offer any actual evidence for what you're alleging, perhaps you'd be gracious enough to retract.
Peter T
Did that hit a raw nerve there Peter T.
Every one has there own opinion and fee to state it.
While EVO has done some great stuff over the years, I think its gone to far with the adverts. May even be starting to go the way of Performance Car and Fast Lane if it carries on with so much adverts, in to the history books as readers will have more adverts than articles to read.
Thanks for the great TVR stories over the years, pity we may never see another one.
Colin L
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