New TVR still under wraps!
Discussion
Shmee said:
El stovey said:
AUTODESIGN said:
Oh , I forgot to say. Schmee as an ambassador! Possibly the most annoying journo on the net !
I would think a good vlog or whatever it’s called will do wonders for this project. The emails etc are completely useless so having him giving it all an injection of polished youtube enthusiasm is exactly what’s needed. Just to be super clear, I'm not a TVR ambassador - I'm a fan and deposit holder for a car who also has a large online following. I'm enthusiastic for TVR to succeed and I happen to really quite like the Griffith so I'm keen to show the story and what the car is about wherever I can. As for being annoying, I'm really sorry if I come across that way, the ultimate plan is to share the positivity of cars and in this case, TVR!
This project is totally lacking in PR and information to create interest. I can image having people like you involved with in car will help create much needed positivity.
Obviously it’s the sort of thing TVR should be doing themselves but anyway I hope it all works out well for both you and TVR.
AUTODESIGN said:
To be honest your videos are very factual and you clearly research your cars . It’s the music at the beginning that always grates with me ! More like a horror show than car review . Having said that I recently bought a car based on one of your reviews !
Here we go again. A veiled attempt at criticising the front end eh?Shmee said:
El stovey said:
AUTODESIGN said:
Oh , I forgot to say. Schmee as an ambassador! Possibly the most annoying journo on the net !
I would think a good vlog or whatever it’s called will do wonders for this project. The emails etc are completely useless so having him giving it all an injection of polished youtube enthusiasm is exactly what’s needed. Just to be super clear, I'm not a TVR ambassador - I'm a fan and deposit holder for a car who also has a large online following. I'm enthusiastic for TVR to succeed and I happen to really quite like the Griffith so I'm keen to show the story and what the car is about wherever I can. As for being annoying, I'm really sorry if I come across that way, the ultimate plan is to share the positivity of cars and in this case, TVR!
I find you annoying too, but that's mostly jealousy rather than anything else, so I know it's me who has the issue! Congratulations on your success f
k anybody who cannot appreciate how hard you work. What I will say is that you and I (going on the cars you do buy) have very similar tastes - why is it I can't get on with the looks of the griff and you like it? What am I missing? Yes I have seen it in the flesh and sat in it etc. If you have the time to respond, I would really like your honest opinion e.g. compare it to the AMG GTR or new Vantage.Don't expect me to pay you, but I promise to become a subscriber!
V6 Pushfit said:
AUTODESIGN said:
To be honest your videos are very factual and you clearly research your cars . It’s the music at the beginning that always grates with me ! More like a horror show than car review . Having said that I recently bought a car based on one of your reviews !
Here we go again. A veiled attempt at criticising the front end eh?
AUTODESIGN said:
To be honest your videos are very factual and you clearly research your cars . It’s the music at the beginning that always grates with me ! More like a horror show than car review . Having said that I recently bought a car based on one of your reviews !
Gutless brown noser.You said
AUTODESIGN said:
Oh , I forgot to say. Schmee as an ambassador! Possibly the most annoying journo on the net !
“Most annoying journo on the net”Then you started fawning like a gushing teenage girl when he appeared.
Pathetic.
Excuse me peoples. Mr Shmee is a wonderful chap, obviously. But these posts should be about the update . Why are so few of you commenting on the info?
By no means an expert on all this but it seems to be broadly similar to the last one and the one before that? Its all very well implying there is some major investment/tie up/whatever but it comes across as another empty promise. I was expecting Mr Edgar to finalise the necessary funds in place for full steam ahead but as someone else has already stated, production is a long, long way off. 6 months to 'paint' the factory and the other facility is not up and running. Oh well.
Apart from more delays my concern is with the latest EU emissions and regulations which will be challenging and no doubt adding more costs and setbacks. If the tie up with a major player is a guessing game, how about Ford?
By no means an expert on all this but it seems to be broadly similar to the last one and the one before that? Its all very well implying there is some major investment/tie up/whatever but it comes across as another empty promise. I was expecting Mr Edgar to finalise the necessary funds in place for full steam ahead but as someone else has already stated, production is a long, long way off. 6 months to 'paint' the factory and the other facility is not up and running. Oh well.
Apart from more delays my concern is with the latest EU emissions and regulations which will be challenging and no doubt adding more costs and setbacks. If the tie up with a major player is a guessing game, how about Ford?
N7GTX said:
Excuse me peoples. Mr Shmee is a wonderful chap, obviously. But these posts should be about the update . Why are so few of you commenting on the info?
There isn’t really any info to comment on. It’s just yet another update with no information (apart from more delays) yet again saying there’s going to be big news soon.
Well, I've read it twice now.
Sounds like delays.
Not happy about ride height.
Car looks a couple of inches too slim and tyres look too skinny in the video.
Ford, not sure, wouldn't the Faster Mustangs be direct competitors?
Somebody said Lotus, I could see that, like Noble did earlier - or even Noble!
God, I really hope the car is great or I am just wasting wet dreams on a fantasy.
Sounds like delays.
Not happy about ride height.
Car looks a couple of inches too slim and tyres look too skinny in the video.
Ford, not sure, wouldn't the Faster Mustangs be direct competitors?
Somebody said Lotus, I could see that, like Noble did earlier - or even Noble!
God, I really hope the car is great or I am just wasting wet dreams on a fantasy.
N7GTX said:
Excuse me peoples. Mr Shmee is a wonderful chap, obviously. But these posts should be about the update . Why are so few of you commenting on the info?
By no means an expert on all this but it seems to be broadly similar to the last one and the one before that? Its all very well implying there is some major investment/tie up/whatever but it comes across as another empty promise. I was expecting Mr Edgar to finalise the necessary funds in place for full steam ahead but as someone else has already stated, production is a long, long way off. 6 months to 'paint' the factory and the other facility is not up and running. Oh well.
Apart from more delays my concern is with the latest EU emissions and regulations which will be challenging and no doubt adding more costs and setbacks. If the tie up with a major player is a guessing game, how about Ford?
I recently found a dvd-box with the entire "24 hours" TV-show (Kiefer Sutherland) in the basement. Am watching it whenever i find time to, just this minute finished the 6am-episode (cool thing that he gave her the bulletproof-vest). Missed it back then, but it's a true gem. One strange twist after another and it's never clear who's a good guy. Highly recommended (NO SPOILERS please !!!)By no means an expert on all this but it seems to be broadly similar to the last one and the one before that? Its all very well implying there is some major investment/tie up/whatever but it comes across as another empty promise. I was expecting Mr Edgar to finalise the necessary funds in place for full steam ahead but as someone else has already stated, production is a long, long way off. 6 months to 'paint' the factory and the other facility is not up and running. Oh well.
Apart from more delays my concern is with the latest EU emissions and regulations which will be challenging and no doubt adding more costs and setbacks. If the tie up with a major player is a guessing game, how about Ford?
I am already starting to see parallels to the TVR-story and how this thread evolves
Happy ending yes or no ? Is Autodesign really the villain he appears to be (@AD: sorry, i had to bring this, forgive me 
) ? What's the next red herring ? Will there be a questionnaire and where will it lead us to ? Who stole the keys to factory to fake the pics in the update ? 
No, seriously: i really liked the update. There were explanations for the delays and confirmation that they are still at it. That's what i wanted to hear. That was also the impression of many reporting from the Topcats event.
I don't totally share their idea of communication and i wish there was more explaining going on, but i also understand that being drawn into a discussion in a public forum like this might not be great idea and also that there are things they simply cannot and do not want to tell publicly. Them being silent about all discussions about finances, will they deliver etc. is the only sensible strategy. It's a game you cannot win. This is probably also the reason that Shmee cannot really join the discussion as he probably is much more of an insider and needs to differentiate between what he knows and what he can tell.
I don't know what to make of the big announcement, but it can actually only be a good thing. The video is great, would have liked to see a lot more, so there's hopefully coming more with the next update. Great sound, love it. Confirmed my view that V8 is a must, still not 100% convinced by the looks of the front, but no other car comes close as a package (looks, weight, engine, philosophy, rawness, history, craziness) and most other cars would be compromise, too.
So it all boils down to: "Does it suck that it takes so long ? Will they deliver ? If, when ? And if not, will i get my money back ?" My answers to these questions are: Yes. I really hope so. Soon, please. Won't kill me if not.
So actually it's all said a thousand times and we could put this thread to rest, but that would be boring, wouldn't it ?
Personally I wish the new TVR team all the best, without people like them many of the cars we all enjoy would not be around.
Looking at limited small company accounts really gives very little info of a companies real resources, as they only show what is currently in place not what is available to call upon when needed or any agreements which are being implemented. Plus they are always in the past, look at all the big companies that looked strong and then disappeared !!!!
Marketing is also done in stages, you don't want it to peak to long before you can deliver the product. So it is in the early adopters stage currently and you fulfil those and then build up to the stage where you can fulfil orders quickly enough.
As for Schmee, I like his videos because he buys a lot of cars himself and shows the whole ownership process. My young son is a fan of the videos and when he met Tim at Goodwood, he couldn't have been nicer to him, taking the time to talk etc.
Looking at limited small company accounts really gives very little info of a companies real resources, as they only show what is currently in place not what is available to call upon when needed or any agreements which are being implemented. Plus they are always in the past, look at all the big companies that looked strong and then disappeared !!!!
Marketing is also done in stages, you don't want it to peak to long before you can deliver the product. So it is in the early adopters stage currently and you fulfil those and then build up to the stage where you can fulfil orders quickly enough.
As for Schmee, I like his videos because he buys a lot of cars himself and shows the whole ownership process. My young son is a fan of the videos and when he met Tim at Goodwood, he couldn't have been nicer to him, taking the time to talk etc.
Dearest Schmee . Can you maybe enlighten us all as to what this car is like to drive and your honest opinion when you will get yours ? You obviously read most of these posts and would truly welcome your honest opinions as to what’s happening here . More importantly, did they let you drive the car?
PowersPerformance said:
Testarossa said:
Maybe I’m an optimist or maybe I haven’t read it right, but I don’t get that from the email.
I will say it was a disappointing update though.
Lots of pics a video and the text below.
Hopefully some of you guys can reassure me by analysing his words
Dear Deluded gullible fool
Big News
“Electric cars may not be the solution to global warming” (resident of Drax, N.Yorks.).
“Autonomous cars may be dangerous and boring” (unnamed source from TVR).
“Shock, Horror - Making a great sportscar takes longer and costs more than first thought” (Car Research And Progress Society).
“New TVR costs Less than others to build, but a bit More than we first thought, so Less is More” (same unnamed source from TVR).
Well, the ‘Big News’ we are working on, as alluded to in our last update, is not quite ready to be divulged just yet – sorry, the best laid plans and all that! We are working as hard as we can, and please rest assured that we will share just the minute we can. In the meantime, we felt it best to get this update out now rather than wait any longer.
It’s a truism that things always take longer and cost more than first thought. The rebirth of TVR is no exception. There have been a number of factors that have delayed us, some of which I have previously mentioned. These include the arrival of the new Coyote engine, meaning significant extra (duplicated) work; the hold up with the main factory due to EU regulations requiring a lengthy tendering process EU-wide for the work to be carried out - the Welsh Government are bound by the EU rules in this respect (for the moment at least!); changes to EU regulations governing emissions etc. (we still intend to force our EU cousins to enjoy themselves!) for the medium term which makes homologation more of a challenge, meaning an increase in development costs, and the inevitable impact on timing. However, it’s critical that we make sure the car is not only fit for purpose out of the box, but has a life-span without the need for major modifications in the medium term. On top of all of that, Brexit continues to have an impact on the industry outlook, although happily less so in the niche car market compared to the more mass-market manufacturers.
On top of all the above, we have been presented with a couple of very significant and exciting opportunities that will hugely expand our overall business plan and guarantee not only our short-term success, but also ensure that our 10-year plan can be delivered while enabling us to grow far faster than we ever envisaged when we embarked on this journey – in terms of model platforms, territories, and sales volumes. We are in discussions with a couple of major potential partners in this respect, and will share the news when we are able to, and meanwhile make no apology for ensuring we don’t trip over our shoelaces in finalising what will be the most important deal in the history of TVR, by a huge factor.
Large Box in Wales
Things are progressing with the factory and training units albeit (again!) more slowly than hoped and expected, BUT we can now give you the time line for completion of the works on the refurbishment. We have had confirmation from the Welsh Government that the refurbishment contract (following the recent completion of the 7-month tender process required by the EU) is expected to be awarded to the successful candidate in the coming weeks in readiness for a January 2019 start on site. The refurbishment of the landlord’s ‘shell’ should take approximately 6 months to complete, which will be dovetailed in with our fit-out works. We will be providing updates on progress, including pictures and video, on a regular basis as the works progress. Meanwhile a few are attached of ‘Ground Base Zero’, showing the car in the factory in its raw state following completion of initial clearance works – just needs a lick of paint really, oh, and a coffee machine.
Crack of dawn - Wales
Cleared out, washed down, ready for a clean start
Ok, maybe more than a lick of paint
Filming progressed all day
A little behind..?
Getting creative!
On reflection...
Additionally, the works to complete the smaller training, test and prototype build facility are well under way, and Blaenau Gwent local council have now given us a completion / handover date for this facility of March 2019. It remains an option to complete customer builds in this facility should there be any delays to the main factory programme, although we have no reason to believe that that should prove to be the case.
Car
We have continued with work on the mules and, in particular, with increasing emphasis on the full prototype car. As you know, we are engaged in a serious circuit testing programme, including high speed tyre testing with our partners at AVON. I can tell you that the new tyre compound specially formulated for us by AVON is absolutely fantastic. Bench-tested at over 230mph (and by us at something getting on towards that figure!), the special-compound tyre proudly bears the TVR logo as well as the Union flag. The tread design is particularly efficient at water displacement and the additional grip over the earlier versions is enormous, in both the wet and in the dry. We couldn’t ask for better partners in developing our rubberwear – the unique characteristics of the car (high power / low weight / high downforce and consequent huge lateral grip) brings a unique set of challenges, to which the team at AVON have risen magnificently. It perhaps also bears mentioning that we will be able to keep them to a very sensible price, which is a pretty remarkable achievement considering the amount of bespoke R&D work that has been invested in them.
Running down into Camp corner
Anyway, enough talking about it – a picture is worth a thousand words, as they say, and a film is worth a thousand pictures (as we say!) so we’ve taken the opportunity to take some film of some of the activities, and you can get a feel for how the car is performing from the video sequence below - enjoy! (remember to turn your volume up high!)
Click to view video
Castle Combe Video Teaser
By the way, we have engaged with a film production company to document the rebirth of TVR – following the progress from blank sheet of paper to the first cars rolling off the production line. Interest from the main-stream TV channels, domestic and international is high. The video excerpt linked-to represents a small montage of some of the Castle Combe on-track action.
Additionally, we have been testing various diff/gear-ratio combinations to ensure the car takes off like a scalded cat, without compromising top end performance – it does! It’s amazing how things like this can only be got ‘just so’ by real-world testing in a variety of conditions – as with things like the seating buck that we had hewn from wood by GMD at the outset of the journey, CAD and simulation is great, but by no means a total replacement for the ‘Mark 1 eyeball’ and proper seat of the pants empirical testing and development.
We’ve had quite a lot of enquiries regarding ground clearance on the car and happily it’s something we’ve not only thought about, but got right given the car’s daily usability; normally on a sportscar of this ilk clearance can be a challenge, even on the most gentle of speed humps, pavement crossovers, car park ramps etc.. Please see the diagram below which illustrates clearance and approach angles – a lot better than most sportscars I’ve owned.
In parallel with all of the above, we are working hard with our suppliers to complete all the necessary supply chain logistics. The majority of the key components have now been sourced, and terms with suppliers are beginning to fall into place. Some components are proving a little more challenging to pin down and we are working to find solutions – nothing insurmountable though. Overall, we are approximately 75% complete on the journey of finalising specifications and sources for the complete Bill of Materials.
Officer Dibble
We attended the TopCats event in Aylesbury last weekend and hats off to Warren and Charlotte for an extremely good day indeed. I had the pleasure of taking the famed ‘Shmee’ out for a short burst around the estate in the Griff and, other than a very close encounter with some of the largest pot-holes in the Northern Hemisphere, it was great to be able to open her up; Shmee is a depositor and I think (without stealing any thunder from a no doubt soon to be aired Vlog!) it’s fair to say he loved the car!.
It's Shmarvellous! ??
TopCats LS T350 sniffing the Griffith
TopCats put on a really great display of some of their work in progress projects (impressive!) together with previous performance upgrade examples kindly brought along by their owners. A large and pleasingly diverse selection of TVRs were present, including a very nice pair of wedges (400 and 450) and we had a chance to speak to a good number of depositors and others on the day – many thanks to all for all the feedback! Warren gave us a brief talk on the race cars he had on show – Ginetta, Marcos and Mosler – the latter making an ear-shatteringly great sound on start-up (it’s the first time the Griff’s been upstaged on that front, I can assure you!) The team have had great successes in recent seasons and are building to even higher expectations for the coming year. Thanks again to everybody at Top Cats for a great day!
Looking good!
'TopCats'
TVR-Rebellion
The team continues to excel in the WEC championship. Despite an unfortunate mishap with the #03 car crashing out after exiting the pits on new slicks, we still managed a 3rd at Fuji – next stop Shanghai! We are also doing well in the LMP drivers’ Championship with most of our drivers in 3rd and 4th places. As you may know, this is a ‘Super Season’, extending through to Le Mans 2019, so with 4 more races to go, we have a great chance for a spectacular end to the season!!
Questionnaire
The long-awaited questionnaire is almost finished and will be issued week commencing 12th November. We’d love to get your feedback on this as it will help us finally work through some of the options we will be making available. We will also shortly be uploading some 3D renders of the Griffith on our website for your review.
Comms
Thanks for the great response confirming your details from the ‘Queue Position’ mailing! If you haven’t replied yet, please do so – in case you ticked the 1.6l diesel option by mistake.
We continue to monitor all communications - both directly to us by email and on the various forums. The former we endeavour to respond to within 24 hours, the latter we do not engage with for the usual reasons, although we obviously note, and pay attention to, those where the comments are relevant, factual, rational(!), and so on. All depositors are always welcome to contact us by phone or via the ‘dearles’ email address, at any time, as many of you already have done to date.
I’ll be in touch again w/c 12th November.
All the best
Les
Les
surely this is not Les update ??I will say it was a disappointing update though.
Lots of pics a video and the text below.
Hopefully some of you guys can reassure me by analysing his words
Dear Deluded gullible fool
Big News
“Electric cars may not be the solution to global warming” (resident of Drax, N.Yorks.).
“Autonomous cars may be dangerous and boring” (unnamed source from TVR).
“Shock, Horror - Making a great sportscar takes longer and costs more than first thought” (Car Research And Progress Society).
“New TVR costs Less than others to build, but a bit More than we first thought, so Less is More” (same unnamed source from TVR).
Well, the ‘Big News’ we are working on, as alluded to in our last update, is not quite ready to be divulged just yet – sorry, the best laid plans and all that! We are working as hard as we can, and please rest assured that we will share just the minute we can. In the meantime, we felt it best to get this update out now rather than wait any longer.
It’s a truism that things always take longer and cost more than first thought. The rebirth of TVR is no exception. There have been a number of factors that have delayed us, some of which I have previously mentioned. These include the arrival of the new Coyote engine, meaning significant extra (duplicated) work; the hold up with the main factory due to EU regulations requiring a lengthy tendering process EU-wide for the work to be carried out - the Welsh Government are bound by the EU rules in this respect (for the moment at least!); changes to EU regulations governing emissions etc. (we still intend to force our EU cousins to enjoy themselves!) for the medium term which makes homologation more of a challenge, meaning an increase in development costs, and the inevitable impact on timing. However, it’s critical that we make sure the car is not only fit for purpose out of the box, but has a life-span without the need for major modifications in the medium term. On top of all of that, Brexit continues to have an impact on the industry outlook, although happily less so in the niche car market compared to the more mass-market manufacturers.
On top of all the above, we have been presented with a couple of very significant and exciting opportunities that will hugely expand our overall business plan and guarantee not only our short-term success, but also ensure that our 10-year plan can be delivered while enabling us to grow far faster than we ever envisaged when we embarked on this journey – in terms of model platforms, territories, and sales volumes. We are in discussions with a couple of major potential partners in this respect, and will share the news when we are able to, and meanwhile make no apology for ensuring we don’t trip over our shoelaces in finalising what will be the most important deal in the history of TVR, by a huge factor.
Large Box in Wales
Things are progressing with the factory and training units albeit (again!) more slowly than hoped and expected, BUT we can now give you the time line for completion of the works on the refurbishment. We have had confirmation from the Welsh Government that the refurbishment contract (following the recent completion of the 7-month tender process required by the EU) is expected to be awarded to the successful candidate in the coming weeks in readiness for a January 2019 start on site. The refurbishment of the landlord’s ‘shell’ should take approximately 6 months to complete, which will be dovetailed in with our fit-out works. We will be providing updates on progress, including pictures and video, on a regular basis as the works progress. Meanwhile a few are attached of ‘Ground Base Zero’, showing the car in the factory in its raw state following completion of initial clearance works – just needs a lick of paint really, oh, and a coffee machine.
Crack of dawn - Wales
Cleared out, washed down, ready for a clean start
Ok, maybe more than a lick of paint
Filming progressed all day
A little behind..?
Getting creative!
On reflection...
Additionally, the works to complete the smaller training, test and prototype build facility are well under way, and Blaenau Gwent local council have now given us a completion / handover date for this facility of March 2019. It remains an option to complete customer builds in this facility should there be any delays to the main factory programme, although we have no reason to believe that that should prove to be the case.
Car
We have continued with work on the mules and, in particular, with increasing emphasis on the full prototype car. As you know, we are engaged in a serious circuit testing programme, including high speed tyre testing with our partners at AVON. I can tell you that the new tyre compound specially formulated for us by AVON is absolutely fantastic. Bench-tested at over 230mph (and by us at something getting on towards that figure!), the special-compound tyre proudly bears the TVR logo as well as the Union flag. The tread design is particularly efficient at water displacement and the additional grip over the earlier versions is enormous, in both the wet and in the dry. We couldn’t ask for better partners in developing our rubberwear – the unique characteristics of the car (high power / low weight / high downforce and consequent huge lateral grip) brings a unique set of challenges, to which the team at AVON have risen magnificently. It perhaps also bears mentioning that we will be able to keep them to a very sensible price, which is a pretty remarkable achievement considering the amount of bespoke R&D work that has been invested in them.
Running down into Camp corner
Anyway, enough talking about it – a picture is worth a thousand words, as they say, and a film is worth a thousand pictures (as we say!) so we’ve taken the opportunity to take some film of some of the activities, and you can get a feel for how the car is performing from the video sequence below - enjoy! (remember to turn your volume up high!)
Click to view video
Castle Combe Video Teaser
By the way, we have engaged with a film production company to document the rebirth of TVR – following the progress from blank sheet of paper to the first cars rolling off the production line. Interest from the main-stream TV channels, domestic and international is high. The video excerpt linked-to represents a small montage of some of the Castle Combe on-track action.
Additionally, we have been testing various diff/gear-ratio combinations to ensure the car takes off like a scalded cat, without compromising top end performance – it does! It’s amazing how things like this can only be got ‘just so’ by real-world testing in a variety of conditions – as with things like the seating buck that we had hewn from wood by GMD at the outset of the journey, CAD and simulation is great, but by no means a total replacement for the ‘Mark 1 eyeball’ and proper seat of the pants empirical testing and development.
We’ve had quite a lot of enquiries regarding ground clearance on the car and happily it’s something we’ve not only thought about, but got right given the car’s daily usability; normally on a sportscar of this ilk clearance can be a challenge, even on the most gentle of speed humps, pavement crossovers, car park ramps etc.. Please see the diagram below which illustrates clearance and approach angles – a lot better than most sportscars I’ve owned.
In parallel with all of the above, we are working hard with our suppliers to complete all the necessary supply chain logistics. The majority of the key components have now been sourced, and terms with suppliers are beginning to fall into place. Some components are proving a little more challenging to pin down and we are working to find solutions – nothing insurmountable though. Overall, we are approximately 75% complete on the journey of finalising specifications and sources for the complete Bill of Materials.
Officer Dibble
We attended the TopCats event in Aylesbury last weekend and hats off to Warren and Charlotte for an extremely good day indeed. I had the pleasure of taking the famed ‘Shmee’ out for a short burst around the estate in the Griff and, other than a very close encounter with some of the largest pot-holes in the Northern Hemisphere, it was great to be able to open her up; Shmee is a depositor and I think (without stealing any thunder from a no doubt soon to be aired Vlog!) it’s fair to say he loved the car!.
It's Shmarvellous! ??
TopCats LS T350 sniffing the Griffith
TopCats put on a really great display of some of their work in progress projects (impressive!) together with previous performance upgrade examples kindly brought along by their owners. A large and pleasingly diverse selection of TVRs were present, including a very nice pair of wedges (400 and 450) and we had a chance to speak to a good number of depositors and others on the day – many thanks to all for all the feedback! Warren gave us a brief talk on the race cars he had on show – Ginetta, Marcos and Mosler – the latter making an ear-shatteringly great sound on start-up (it’s the first time the Griff’s been upstaged on that front, I can assure you!) The team have had great successes in recent seasons and are building to even higher expectations for the coming year. Thanks again to everybody at Top Cats for a great day!
Looking good!
'TopCats'
TVR-Rebellion
The team continues to excel in the WEC championship. Despite an unfortunate mishap with the #03 car crashing out after exiting the pits on new slicks, we still managed a 3rd at Fuji – next stop Shanghai! We are also doing well in the LMP drivers’ Championship with most of our drivers in 3rd and 4th places. As you may know, this is a ‘Super Season’, extending through to Le Mans 2019, so with 4 more races to go, we have a great chance for a spectacular end to the season!!
Questionnaire
The long-awaited questionnaire is almost finished and will be issued week commencing 12th November. We’d love to get your feedback on this as it will help us finally work through some of the options we will be making available. We will also shortly be uploading some 3D renders of the Griffith on our website for your review.
Comms
Thanks for the great response confirming your details from the ‘Queue Position’ mailing! If you haven’t replied yet, please do so – in case you ticked the 1.6l diesel option by mistake.
We continue to monitor all communications - both directly to us by email and on the various forums. The former we endeavour to respond to within 24 hours, the latter we do not engage with for the usual reasons, although we obviously note, and pay attention to, those where the comments are relevant, factual, rational(!), and so on. All depositors are always welcome to contact us by phone or via the ‘dearles’ email address, at any time, as many of you already have done to date.
I’ll be in touch again w/c 12th November.
All the best
Les
Les
I see progress..but at snail pace ..totally expected given the amount of funding currently at their disposal. A partnership with a ‘major’ now looks imminent which dramatically changes everything.
Given that they’re using US engine and transmission it seems most likely that Ford are one of the said options.
I would welcome that option...and if it does turn out to be the case..pretty much ‘happy~days’ all round.
There’s plenty of partners I wouldn’t want to see involved...
Edited by spagbogdog on Saturday 27th October 10:04
What I don't understand about most of the negativity here is that it tends to focus on a lack of progress; if the Les mail is any indication, the lack of progress is real but its outside of their sphere of influence. If the EU's dictates slows progress then it slows progress. What on earth do you think TVR, Les, etc. can do about that? Regulatory bodies always slow things more than you expect, even when you've done your research and planned the job to within an inch of its life.
I'm a professional project manager, I've managed the build of a factory (well, a spoolbase); don't underestimate acts of god, or the EU! We had three hurricanes wipe out our foundations. Then swine flu. Suppliers who couldn't hit delivery dates if you put a gun to their heads. Etc.
What TVR are attempting is difficult. Even if information is slow to be provided, if that information is 'no information' then what do you want? Weekly reports saying 'no progress'?
I'm guessing for Les and his team, all of these comments are about as irritating as 'are we there yet?' from a sugar infused pre teen.
I'm a professional project manager, I've managed the build of a factory (well, a spoolbase); don't underestimate acts of god, or the EU! We had three hurricanes wipe out our foundations. Then swine flu. Suppliers who couldn't hit delivery dates if you put a gun to their heads. Etc.
What TVR are attempting is difficult. Even if information is slow to be provided, if that information is 'no information' then what do you want? Weekly reports saying 'no progress'?
I'm guessing for Les and his team, all of these comments are about as irritating as 'are we there yet?' from a sugar infused pre teen.
TVR have been caught by OJEU due to the value of the work and Govt funding source. This should have been foreseen but in any event is an utter PIA and means the project and details have to be advertised in the European Journal to see if any of our erstwhile EU neighbours (contractors) want to tender.
This draws a normal pre tender process out to several months to no benefit of anyone wanting work done so when it’s scrapped next year when we leave Europe it’ll help the construction industry.
Anyway, if anyone has access to the European Journal it will show the full project details, budget, programme, funding etc and maybe some floor plans.
Having said that I think the EU tied that up in knots too so tenderers have to pay to look at tenders they want to apply for to price - so unless I’m wrong on that one we need an employee of a large engineering company to have a look.
This draws a normal pre tender process out to several months to no benefit of anyone wanting work done so when it’s scrapped next year when we leave Europe it’ll help the construction industry.
Anyway, if anyone has access to the European Journal it will show the full project details, budget, programme, funding etc and maybe some floor plans.
Having said that I think the EU tied that up in knots too so tenderers have to pay to look at tenders they want to apply for to price - so unless I’m wrong on that one we need an employee of a large engineering company to have a look.
Testarossa said:
Why are you apologising (unless you are just being respectful)?
I find you annoying too, but that's mostly jealousy rather than anything else, so I know it's me who has the issue! Congratulations on your success fk anybody who cannot appreciate how hard you work. What I will say is that you and I (going on the cars you do buy) have very similar tastes - why is it I can't get on with the looks of the griff and you like it? What am I missing? Yes I have seen it in the flesh and sat in it etc. If you have the time to respond, I would really like your honest opinion e.g. compare it to the AMG GTR or new Vantage.
Don't expect me to pay you, but I promise to become a subscriber!
You mentioned the AMG GT R, which I truly believe is one of the very best and most imposing front ends of any car on the market; low, wide, aggressive, distinct and sporty, yet tidily incorporating all of the cooling and technology required for such a car. It's a daily car but in my mind has been diluted with the introduction since of the same look to just about every single model across the range. I'm a huge fan of the current AMG cars, in terms of the way they drive, the engines and the interior finish, and I make no secret that the GT R is currently my favourite 'go to' supercar available.I find you annoying too, but that's mostly jealousy rather than anything else, so I know it's me who has the issue! Congratulations on your success f
k anybody who cannot appreciate how hard you work. What I will say is that you and I (going on the cars you do buy) have very similar tastes - why is it I can't get on with the looks of the griff and you like it? What am I missing? Yes I have seen it in the flesh and sat in it etc. If you have the time to respond, I would really like your honest opinion e.g. compare it to the AMG GTR or new Vantage.Don't expect me to pay you, but I promise to become a subscriber!
So where is it different.... What I like about the TVR Griffith is that it is unlike another car, you don't look at it and say "Hey, that looks like an xyz" - they managed to make their own design. I'd like them to have made the headlights a little smaller but when you see them in purpose they tie in to the openings beneath for air guidance around the car. You then consider the price bracket and what that normally could get you - a generic 911, an F-Type and nothing else that's really on the same level for me. There has been so much talk about the mouth though that I've gone around in circles in my own mind so much that I don't even know any more what my personal opinion of it actually is. If I was TVR, I would 100% keep it how it is, although I think more may come with regards to the grille within it and that may change impressions slightly. For me, the rear of the Griffith is outstanding, the style of the lights continued through the lower parts, the diffuser, and the way it comes together and equally the interior is great so I take the overall feeling when you add in the driving characteristics and performance that this is going to be a great car to drive and a lot for the money.
The challenge of this comparison is that a Griffith is £90k, whereas my AMG GT R was a desperately low spec and still came in at £159k, and when I did a spec for a Vantage (before I pulled back my deposit) I got to £153k without everything I wanted. There are 500 launch edition Griffiths from an intriguing brand and it will always be a special car; whereas you won't find anything like the same passion or community around either of the others.
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