TVR - the Future

Rumour mill is up to speed once again

Since as early as 1998, there has been a much to-ing and fro-ing behind the scenes at TVR as Creighton Brown - the man who set up McLaren Cars with Gordan Murray - set up a company to build TVRs in South America.

South American Sports Cars Ltda was set up with the sole purpose of building the Tuscan Speed Six under licence in Joinville, Santa Catarina, Brazil. An investment of $25 million was mooted as the sum required to get the project underway. Financiers Meyado (www.meyado.com ) were tasked with raising the money. Considerable effort was put into securing investors with some wealthy TVR enthusiasts offered a piece of the action. Things never quite got into full swing though, with report suggesting that the first significant tranche of money was due on September 11th 2001 and that the World Trade Center disaster scuppered the fundraising plan.

Projected production levels varied according to different sources, but figures of between 200 and 500 Tuscans a year were being mooted along with the potential to build Tamoras too. All were to be left hand drive and were destined for the local market, South America and then possibly the USA although that would be subject to a seperate deal again.

It's our understanding that TVR was to be a shareholder in the company although it was also suggested to us that the major shareholders actually had a long term - and secret - goal of buying out TVR Engineering.

A site for the factory was identified and various licences were granted by the local authorities granting the right to manufacture and have a 2.5 km test track which would also be used for racing at weekends.

As late as October 2003, various permissions were being given to South American Sportscars Ltda by local authorities in Brazil. Local newspapers reported that 204 jobs would be created and that the company had received backing from the Brazilian Government and other local investors in the form of land and direct investment.

From there, the trail goes cold. However, it would appear that there's still a lot of negotiation going on behind the scenes with respect to the US market in particular. Since the launch of Swordfish in the USA, Americans have been desperate to lay their hands on the cars but have been given no clue as to when they can expect cars on forecourts.

Mutterings in the last couple of weeks suggest that perhaps some news might break Stateside soon, with many hoping for an announcement at last weekend's Sebring race.

That was not to be but there are still some waiting with baited breath. The rumour mill is in overdrive currently with the perennial favourite of a takeover of TVR being amongst the loudest and coming from sources close to Blackpool. This time the theory doesn't relate to a major manufacturer taking over though, rather a private consortium.

Peter Wheeler turned the company around, he made the cars desirable worldwide, developed the company to a stage where they are making engines of their own design and and he succeeded in producing cars that race at Le Mans.

Some say there are no more milestones to aim at and that PW will now bow out. We've heard it all before, but that said, the time will come...

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dans

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