Friday 24th September 2004

TVR confirms limited run production plan

500 Sagarises and that's your lot.

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TVR has confirmed that it plans to build only 500 serial-numbered examples of each model of car before replacing it. PR man Ian Law also confirmed that this could mean that, given TVR's current four-model range and TVR boss Nikolai Smolenski's plan to build 2,000 cars a year, it could mean that TVR ends up building four new cars a year.

However, as Law pointed out, "It's going to take us a while to get to 2,000 cars a year. It's not going to happen overnight, and we won't be building all 500 at once -- they'll be mixed in with each other".

We also tried to talk to Smolenski himself to find out more, but "he never talks to the media", said Law. "That interviewer from Autocar was incredibly lucky. Nikolai spends his time talking to people here, in meetings." As soon as we do get to speak to him, PistonHeads visitors will be the first to know.

Unfortunately we won't be able to speak to TVR's previous owner, Peter Wheeler, either, because he's left the company, the consultancy role he was due to occupy having lasted only a week or two before Peter stopped turning up.

It seems that TVR only needs one boss.

[White_van_man]

I dont think this is the best idea he has come up with, he is going to have to work very hard and very quickly to produce 4 new models a year. he is going to have to use exising chasis because there is no way you can develop 4 different ones every year maybe he will just be making slight modifications to existing modelslike they have done to the tuscan ie tuscan, tuscan s and tuscan convertable

[Apache]

would the plural of Sagaris be Sagari?

[Graham]

I dont quite get the point really unless there is a legal issue on the number of cars...

it normally takes tvr more than 500 to get the model somewhere near right, and the smart money was on never buying a new tvr untill it had been out for two years..

if its just a body thing and they are standardising on one chassis then maybe its to do with the life of the moulds or somthing


G

[stin hambo]

Yes but we are assuming that the models are completely different.

Is there really that much difference between a Ferrari 550 and a 575?

[Antwerpman]

500 'Sagari' at 50K per time is £25 Million which is not short change considering what he paid for the company....and at 2000 cars per year with an average value of 45K (probably a bit in the conservative side) then he is looking to pull in £90 million per year. Quality control better be a MAJOR priority at those levels or you can quickly find yourself swamped with problems and unable to keep up with production because you are too busy dealing with the recalls.

Good luck to him though and I sincerely hope he manages to do it - I certainly think that whilst TVR has been one of the most inspirational car designers, they have taken their eyes off the ball in terms of quality and needed someone to take over on this front. Lets hope the designs continue to be as beautiful as they currently are.

PS The Sagaris is THE most beautiful car of the moment in my eyes (without talking rock star money)

[justthetip]

So, not only is NS going to up standards to be able to ship cars to the US and Middle East (where, let's not forget, "people have the money to pay"), but he's only going to do a run of 500 of each model. No prizes for guessing what will happen to the cost of TVR's......
And where has PW gone? Has he been removed from his role Russian stylee??

[Guy Humpage]

PH said:

Unfortunately we won't be able to speak to TVR's previous owner, Peter Wheeler, either, because he's left the company, the consultancy role he was due to occupy having lasted only a week or two before Peter stopped turning up.

[bridgdav]

As I read it...TVR will not be developing 4 new cars per year for some time... TVR do not have the production facility to make 2000 cars in any 1 year, so the production of 500 cars will be spread over time...

When TVR can produce 2000 improved quality cars in a given year, they might be in a position to develop 4 models as well...

[Graham]

bridgdav said:

TVR do not have the production facility to make 2000 cars in any 1 year

Urm wernt they building almost 2000 cars a year at the height of the Chimaera sales..

[catretriever]

Damnit! Lost the 'Battle of the Threads'

[gaston]

Much of the TVR range in recent years has looked so similar that Joe Public probably can't tell the difference anyway. Further diversification makes future parts supply a huge challenge.

[bridgdav]

Graham said:

Urm wernt they building almost 2000 cars a year at the height of the Chimaera sales..

Easier to build, less complicated body manufacture, more off the shelf standard parts, proven engine delivery, fewer models in production......

[CiderwithCerbie]

Guy Humpage said:

PH said: Unfortunately we won't be able to speak to TVR's previous owner, Peter Wheeler, either, because he's left the company, the consultancy role he was due to occupy having lasted only a week or two before Peter stopped turning up.

Did he jump or was he pushed?
Either PW's done a great escape job, or this is a Beria style assisted exit.
BS's goose is clearly also cooked. Well, it's an ill wind.....

[Control]

Graham said:

I dont quite get the point really unless there is a legal issue on the number of cars... it normally takes tvr more than 500 to get the model somewhere near right, and the smart money was on never buying a new tvr untill it had been out for two years.. if its just a body thing and they are standardising on one chassis then maybe its to do with the life of the moulds or somthing G

I'm pretty sure its to do with the approval process they use as a small manufacturer. They avoid the hugely expensive and lengthy process used by the major manufacturers and instead use some form of single vehicle approval. But that is capped at 500 cars a year of any one model to stop the majors getting around the regs.

BTW, Sagaris - best looking new car this year. Absolute masterpiece with the serpentine styling at the front.

>> Edited by Control on Friday 24th September 09:48

[swilly]

I think what they mean is that they will build 500 cars of each model BUT over a couple or three years.

This will mean they build say 8 different models at 250 cars each per year to reach the 2000 annual mark.

So currently they have the Tam, T350C, T350T, Sagarris, Tuscan & T2, Tuscan & T2 S, Tuscan2 Convertible, T400, T440, Typhon.

[WildfireS3]

To be honest I'm a bit dissapointed by this news, I think 500 per model is a little too limiting.

[griff2be]

If you stand still and sniff deeply....

....you will detect, just faintly....


....the unmistakeable odour....



....of transatlantic bullsh1t




LA - time will tell mate. PRW stopped going into the factory because he wasn't wanted. No-one asked him anything, NS made widespread changes and PRW realised after a week that there was nothing for him to do. When you speak to him, he refers to TVR as they, not us. Having spoken with him a couple of times now I think PRW has given his last input to TVR. As he said on Saturday - NS is a 24 year old Russian. He's about as far away from me as you can get.

As for BS, wait and see.

[PetrolTed]

Los Angeles said:

CiderwithCerbie said: BS's goose is clearly also cooked. Well, it's an ill wind..... And I can assure you, Ben's situation is Blackpool rock solid.

He's left Blackpool actually. He's gone to work in London for one of NS's other ventures.

[HAWTHORNS LTD]

Just phoned TVR, Ben Samuelson no longer works for TVR, receptionist confirmed he was working in one of NS's "other" companies, but won't start until monday next, for what it's worth, or indeed if anyone is interested.

To cofirm what Griff2b said, PW told me that he just wasn't involved any further, plus the same comment re 24 year old etc etc, mind you, I've not seen him as relaxed as he was for years, total change in the man, enjoyed his company, so to speak, and for the first time in at least 7/8 years, fun to race with.

>> Edited by HAWTHORNS LTD on Friday 24th September 10:54

[the pits]

A someone with a Sagaris on order I'm over the moon! It should definitely help residuals which is something that should help entice the Porsche owners back to TVR. I agree it's a silly assumption that they will build 500 of each model each year and all that four new cars a year. They could easily do it making one new model a year eg T30T as opposed to T350C. Besides0 that's what they've always done anyway. 'What's a motorshow without a new TVR...'

The trouble is it could be a bit like BMW's 155mph limiter on a 735i - the car never could reach 155 anyway but the 'limiter' (ie it's shape and lack of power) was a stroke of marketing genius. They've already admitted that they haven't made 500 tamoras yet and that's been around how long? 3 years? TVR need to sell a lot more cars to shift 500 of each.