Smoke and mirrors with no transparency.

Smoke and mirrors with no transparency.

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Discussion

Tazar

Original Poster:

466 posts

192 months

Tuesday 10th May 2022
quotequote all
What really is happening at TVR ?
Autocar magazine in their most recent Editorial Comment state that there won’t be a future TVR if they don’t start making and delivering the Griffith. They say that despite it being five years since a production version was revealed not one customer car has been driven out of the still unfinished factory in South Wales.
TVR say they are supposed to move into the factory in the coming months but they’ve been saying this for some years now. Once they do Autocar say it will need 18 months to fit it out with manufacturing and assembly lines. Despite this TVR say they will begin “making Griffiths in the meantime “.
Surprisingly there is a vagueness who the components manufacturers are for this car and companies mentioned over the last few years seem unwilling to confirm that they will be involved.
TVR are saying they are progressing with bringing electric variants of the Griffiths to the market for 2024 having arranged a joint venture with a South American mining company for batteries. They have also sponsored two Formula E events in London and Monaco.
Some years ago they started taking deposits from interested parties for the new Griffiths. I believe many placed deposits for this still not manufactured sports car. Where are the deposits that have been taken being held ?
If you go into the open for public inspection Companies House website and look at the various TVR company records or those for TVR directors you won’t see any details of available funds for the manufacturing of a new sports car.
I’ll be grateful if anyone reading this who has more positive information can let us know.
If the motoring press are now questioning this shambles something can’t be right. I know if I took money from someone on a promise and kept making excuses for not delivering my promise I’d be in trouble. If I did this to many people I’d be accused of some fraudulent act.

Ri Orus2

144 posts

162 months

Tuesday 10th May 2022
quotequote all
Your mild confusion, suspicion and cynicism is well placed.
There are 3 threads chronicling this debacle, the most recent of which is here:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

To summarise many hundreds of pages... You've concluded it pretty accurately already.
Supposedly there has been some 'investment' recently which has allowed TVR to encourage a very small minority of the faithful, say some stuff about electrification and put up some advertising at formula E. However, in terms of meaningful output; no car, no manufacturing, no workforce, no engagement with supply chain.

Here's wishing they prove me and many others wrong.

Gareth9702

370 posts

132 months

Tuesday 10th May 2022
quotequote all
I thought the main point of the Still Under Wraps threads was that you needed a greenhouse to grow chillis.

pincher

8,558 posts

217 months

Tuesday 10th May 2022
quotequote all
Ri Orus2 said:
Your mild confusion, suspicion and cynicism is well placed.
There are 3 threads chronicling this debacle, the most recent of which is here:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

To summarise many hundreds of pages... You've concluded it pretty accurately already.
Supposedly there has been some 'investment' recently which has allowed TVR to encourage a very small minority of the faithful, say some stuff about electrification and put up some advertising at formula E. However, in terms of meaningful output; no car, no manufacturing, no workforce, no engagement with supply chain, no chance.

Here's wishing they prove me and many others wrong.
EFA

glow worm

5,844 posts

227 months

Tuesday 10th May 2022
quotequote all
Gareth9702 said:
I thought the main point of the Still Under Wraps threads was that you needed a greenhouse to grow chillis.
or a South facing windowsill smile

Tazar

Original Poster:

466 posts

192 months

Thursday 12th May 2022
quotequote all
Has anyone with a deposit placed been in contact with Gordon Murray Design or Cosworth to find out progress?
I realise that client confidentiality might get involved but if they said things are progressing nicely then that’s reassuring.
If they say we are no longer involved or we’ve never been contracted then that’s a bit worrying.
Independent British car manufacturers are getting to be a bit scarce. Morgan and Lotus might still make cars but they are part of bigger companies. Who else is there?
Such good hopes for TVR when Les Edgar bought the rights but he never had enough money to do a proper job. It needed a Lawrence Stroll type character with billions. Maybe a rock millionaire who is into his cars and then we wouldn’t have these delays.

bad company

18,573 posts

266 months

Saturday 14th May 2022
quotequote all
Lots of promises but still no cars. My wallet is staying in my pocked until there’s something to see and drive.

glow worm

5,844 posts

227 months

Saturday 14th May 2022
quotequote all
Tazar said:
Maybe a rock millionaire who is into his cars and then we wouldn’t have these delays.
Rick Wakeman didn't improve the situation with Mellings' Hellcat smile

Gazzab

21,091 posts

282 months

Saturday 14th May 2022
quotequote all
Tazar said:
Has anyone with a deposit placed been in contact with Gordon Murray Design or Cosworth to find out progress?
I realise that client confidentiality might get involved but if they said things are progressing nicely then that’s reassuring.
If they say we are no longer involved or we’ve never been contracted then that’s a bit worrying.
Independent British car manufacturers are getting to be a bit scarce. Morgan and Lotus might still make cars but they are part of bigger companies. Who else is there?
Such good hopes for TVR when Les Edgar bought the rights but he never had enough money to do a proper job. It needed a Lawrence Stroll type character with billions. Maybe a rock millionaire who is into his cars and then we wouldn’t have these delays.
Cosworth lost interest 3 years ago

Sagi Badger

590 posts

193 months

Sunday 15th May 2022
quotequote all
Been silent on this topic as was hopeful of positive news but...

Devil is in the detail.. I was told this by a mentor when he explained why the product we were making was late on delivery. Expand this and you get development time, and cost, lots of both needed to get to a product design that will meet expectations, especially when it is a first off. The prototype is a long way off production level and the work to get it up to scratch is expensive, you also need a team who understand/recognise the product DNA, but think the typical TVR buyer has moved on to something else so maybe not so important.

When I heard the news, long time back, that a new TVR was expected I thought mistake, it has been too long already, the T cars were looking dated and under the skin they definitely were, but this "new car" did address that but in my opinion not by enough as the market was ahead of where the new Griff landed. I thought surely it would be better, quicker and cheaper, to develop a car for a single make race series. Hook Dom T or another up to build/seal engines and issue a list the control parts and sell either "built" cars or kits and get em racing. OK not big returns but the brand would be on track and interest would be generated. You could develop on from that and sell a few "road" cars a year with purchasers being allowed to assemble some of the car in the factory guided by a TVR technician, don't laugh GM allow this on their Performance Engine line (when they have crankshafts... and people pay for the pleasure). Road cars, as we all know, require so much development and product would be compared to products from mainstream manufacturers that benefit from so much TVR, or any junior manufacturer, could not afford.

So now we have people hanging on to deposit receipts, lots of "news" and a market place that has changed dramatically. Even I am thinking time to retire to the coast and just keep one or two classics and walk the dog not chase around dodging idiots on the M25, yet when we all heard about Mr. LE and his offering I thought..."I quite fancy one of those". Taken too long man, need to strike while its hot, and I don't think money would have helped this one, he did try but a lot to chew through and he started late.

S'what I think anyway.
J