RE: TVR Confirms 'Vette Power For New Roadster

[TheOrangePeril]

dpbird90 said:

P4ROT said:

Looks like he's planning on slowly removing all of TVRs glorious unique sellings points one by one Wat next? German build quality?

Yeah, they might even fit ABS, traction control and front airbags, its sacriligious.

R.I.P. TVR

[B17NNS]

DJC said:

It will be a cold day in hell before I put another penny in that mans pocket.

He burned every bridge as far as I'm concerned.

The beautiful thing about TVR was that they were British and built in Britain by talented craftsmen and women.

I sincerely hope he fails in every venture he sticks his criminal Russian little fingers.

TVR is dead, long live TVR.

Edited by B17NNS on Wednesday 28th April 13:54

[Ballistic Banana]

Oh look a flying pig

[Ballistic Banana]

Oh look a flying pig

[leon9191]

IforB said:

Tildo430 said:

Nobody cares that Lamboughini is german! It will be great if that happens at Goodwood but i'm not betting money on it.

Nobody cares because they are still built in Sant'Agata. If production was moved to Germany, then people would give a monkeys.

Exactly what I was going to say.

Knowing how fickel people are and how delicate brand image can be, imagine just as an example if corvette moved its production to canada they wouldnt sell another single car to an American ever again!

[RJDM3]

Wheeler knew that the business was in trouble before nikski was even a buyer.

Im sorry but all the blame for the demise cannot be layed at nikski door.

amazing how green people can be over this issue

[Waynester]

Any +ve news re TVR is good, this is taken far to long!
A V8 LS is definitely the way to go...old school - keep it simple.

TVR back to what they do best, fast loud aggressive sport car production.

I'm watching closely

[JonRB]

RJDM3 said:

Wheeler knew that the business was in trouble before nikski was even a buyer.

I think you're probably right. The horse was fit for the Knacker's Yard when Wheeler sold it (god he must have been relieved), it died, and Smolenski has been flogging it ever since.



Having said that, I think some of it was Wheeler's sheer bloody-mindedness and borderline Xenophobia.
Much as I have come to love the S6 engine in my Sagaris, I do think that a crate engine would have been a more sound business strategy.

And finally, if it's built abroad, designed abroad, owned by a Russian, and has almost nobody from the previous company involved, is it still a TVR and is it still British?
I guess the answer to that depends on whether you think Bugatti is French, Italian or German.

[alexpa]

Nobel is using the ZR1 unit in his new car also. Haven't driven the engine, would like to!!

[Derek Smith]

JonRB said:

RJDM3 said:

Wheeler knew that the business was in trouble before nikski was even a buyer.

I think you're probably right. The horse was fit for the Knacker's Yard when Wheeler sold it (god he must have been relieved), it died, and Smolenski has been flogging it ever since.

Smolenski's bid was one of two. The other was a well resourced consortium which, if it had been successful, probably would have produced some exciting TVRs.

Look at Ginetta. When Tomlinson bought that it was in a parlous state. Now look at it. The G50 could have been the new Tuscan.

The bid from the Tomlinson consortium was not as high at NS' but it was still substantial. I spoke with Wheeler a couple of months after the sale and asked him why he went for NS. Although his answer was less than direct (and didn't mention the substantially higher bid) it seemed to me that he was saying that he expected more members of staff would keep their job under his plans than Tomlinson's.

Smolenski intended to take TVR into bulk production. Rather risable now I suppose.

There is little doubt in my mind that Smolenski impressed Wheeler and he didn't, as many have said, sell out his staff.

I never asked any in the consortium if they intended to 'rationalise' staffing but I reckon it was inevitable.

My opinion, for what it is worth, on this latest guff from Smolenski: he's after investors. It's that simple. I think he's serious though. He carries, I'm told, a lot of conceit and his self image would not benefit from merely wasting money on TVR. So there is hope.

[anonymous-user]

This is SO not going to happen. Seems Nik is scouring (v.intr. 2. To have diarrhea. Used of livestock.) the planet for every auto-related dubious connection he can find. Impressive. Lubinsky discussion - We are not alone

[JonRB]

@Derek - Well, ok, perhaps I was unfair then. I defer to your greater knowledge.

Edited by JonRB on Wednesday 28th April 14:58

[Belfast Boy]

I really want a proper second hand Tuscan, my wife wont let me, she thinks it'll kill me!

[unrepentant]

It's Jackanory time again already?

The wannabee journos at PH really should stop printing anything that Smolenski says as fact. Using words like "confirms" just confuses people who don't remember previous "announcements" and makes them think that something is about to happen.

[cloggy]

unrepentant said:

It's Jackanory time again already?

The wannabee journos at PH really should stop printing anything that Smolenski says as fact. Using words like "confirms" just confuses people who don't remember previous "announcements" and makes them think that something is about to happen.

Ah but they have a direct line to Smolensky.

[Chris-R]

unrepentant said:

It's Jackanory time again already?

The wannabee journos at PH really should stop printing anything that Smolenski says as fact. Using words like "confirms" just confuses people who don't remember previous "announcements" and makes them think that something is about to happen.

Well, I'm glad that we haven't 'confused' you.

(And I don't 'wannabee' a journo, I wannabee a racing driver!)

Edited by Chris-R on Wednesday 28th April 15:29

[0to60]

whinge whinge whinge.

He bought TVR because he had a TVR and loved TVRs. Why would it remain British? If it is costing too much to produce in Britain (reason for its demise and close) then obviously other options need to be sought.

Obviously it is a numbers game. Why would you spend millions and keep on putting money in just for a few enthusiasts to keep moaning and not buy the cars anyway.

A lot of you on here are business minded, so use the business sense

[Stew2000]

0to60 said:

whinge whinge whinge.

I feel like doing that. I don't want a chevy V8 in a TVR. you'll lose the British soul of the TVR sound.

[davidf4]

The British soul of the TVR sound was originally courtesy of the Coventry Climax and other 4 pot motors from BMC and Ford.
Granted, in Supercharged guise.

[emicen]

Stig said:

P4ROT said:

Looks like he's planning on slowly removing all of TVRs glorious unique sellings points one by one Wat next? German build quality?

Hate to say it, but if Wheeler had opted to put the LS engines in TVRs (with decent wiring) instead of developing their own, TVR would probably still be going strong.

Logical and sound move. But I'll believe it when I see it.

I've said this for a loooooong time.

- Could have gone to GM and got an LS variant V8 in different states of tune for different models
- Could have gone to BMW and got the 3.2 straight six from the M3 and 5.0 V8 E39 M5 (S62) engines
- Could have gone to Toyota and bought the 2JZGE straight six, or 2UZFE/1UZFE V8s and seen what throttle bodies and bigger cams did for them or even the V6 Lotus are using

But nah, "We'll build our own. Who cares if every single other small volume sports car maker licences other peoples engines. Not like Morgan, Caterham, Westfield, Ascari, Lotus have a clue..."