RE: TVR 'confident' on first Griffith in 2022
RE: TVR 'confident' on first Griffith in 2022
Tuesday 26th January 2021

TVR 'confident' on first Griffith in 2022

Production of all-new model set for next year thanks to additional £2m loan



TVR chairman Les Edgar says his brand is on course to begin production of the new Griffith next year, thanks to the latest injection of £2 million via the UK Government’s Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme. Financial backer Fiduciam secured the loan for TVR to ensure the British firm can build the cars to supply an order bank worth £40m – an amount said to represent a full year of production at the Ebbw Vale facility, which is currently undergoing extensive restoration.

It was the Rassau Industrial Estate site that provided TVR with its first major hurdle last year, when inspections revealed its entire 180,000ft roof structure needing replacing. On top of the pandemic. There's no indication of how far along that work has come, although Edgar's assurance that the manufacturer is on track for first customer deliveries in 2022 suggests it is progressing. TVR confirmed its engine supply deal with Ford last year, meaning it will receive 5.0-litre V8 Coyote motors with the Cosworth components the concept previewed back in 2017. It is set to produce 500hp and use a six-speed manual gearbox with rear-wheel drive. 

Speaking of the new loan and its importance to delivering on that promise, Edgar said that “Fiduciam has been a reliable financial partner for TVR as [the firm] develops the new Griffith sport car. Raising funds is always a challenge and even more so for manufacturing projects in Covid-19 times. We appreciate that Fiduciam has always been willing to roll up the sleeves to fully understand our business plan. We have endured a further delay because of Covid-19, but we are confident we are now into the final straight to commence manufacturing, with the first cars being delivered in 2022.” 


Fiduciam chief executive, Johan Groothaert, added: “Since we granted our first loan, TVR, together with Gordon Murray Design, has been able to design an excellent new sports car. It has introduced an innovative assembly concept, which allows for much smaller production runs. We are pleased that TVR, with its strong and committed management team, has overcome the many hurdles on the road to launching the new Griffith. We are looking forward to seeing the new Griffith rolling off the production line and our financing relationship with TVR continue for many years to come.”

The backer supplied TVR with £6m of cash via a credit facility loan back in March 2016, almost two years before the Welsh Government invested £500,000. The motivation has always been clear: TVR is expected to create 150 new jobs and provide a boost to the local supply chain when fully up and running. Clearly the company feels that additional funds have paved the way for that to happen. We live in hope. 





Author
Discussion

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Original Poster:

2,914 posts

176 months

Tuesday 26th January 2021
quotequote all
How does a "business" qualify for a £2 million via the UK Government’s Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme when there was no business to interrupt ? scratchchin

Adrian250

167 posts

158 months

Tuesday 26th January 2021
quotequote all
Really can't see the appeal of this car anymore. Will be due a facelift before its on sale! Residuals will be cack and for the money there are a lot better things out there. Don't get me wronged id love to see them succeed, but I just can't help thinking they are flogging a dead horse..

Stuartamc

5 posts

240 months

Tuesday 26th January 2021
quotequote all
After seeing the Ford Scorpio article yesterday, I can't help feel the front of this car is a sporty update of it, sadly.

ducnick

2,276 posts

273 months

Tuesday 26th January 2021
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but something small, lightweight, with Coyote power is going to be epic..... even if the front end does look a bit like a 90's ford.... I really hope it eventually makes it into production before ford kill off the coyote.

P-Jay

11,407 posts

221 months

Tuesday 26th January 2021
quotequote all
I hope they succeed, not only as motoring fan, but as a tax payer.

HarryW

16,040 posts

299 months

Tuesday 26th January 2021
quotequote all
Wish them every success.

anonymous-user

84 months

Tuesday 26th January 2021
quotequote all
The likelihood of this car ever actually going on sale gets less and less every day, let alone its going to be incredibly outdated if it ever does arrive!

mwstewart

8,581 posts

218 months

Tuesday 26th January 2021
quotequote all
HarryW said:
Wish them every success.
Ditto.

Sandpit Steve

15,296 posts

104 months

Tuesday 26th January 2021
quotequote all
Groundhog Day on PH today.

We have TVR confident, Bloodhound project up for sale and new Lotus models, all sitting next to each other on the front page...

Good luck to all of them though!

clarki

1,366 posts

249 months

Tuesday 26th January 2021
quotequote all
MonkeyMatt said:
The likelihood of this car ever actually going on sale gets less and less every day, let alone its going to be incredibly outdated if it ever does arrive!
I kinda agree. Although I do still like the look. A front end update to improve the terrible looking headlights and it works for me.

Bright Halo

3,990 posts

265 months

Tuesday 26th January 2021
quotequote all
I really want this to succeed but just not sure the marketplace for circa £50k sports cars exists in the U.K. any more.
What there is of it is sawn up by Porsche. The Supra and Alpine 110 are not exactly massive sales successes here and Nissan is not even bothering to bring the new Z here at all.
This is my type of car though but sadly few people other than on PH seem to share the passion.
I do hope it happens though.

DanielSan

20,038 posts

197 months

Tuesday 26th January 2021
quotequote all
For those who haven't seen the pictures on the other thread of the factory site. There's fk all hope of that car being in production by next year, at least it's another 2 million quid wasted because a crook is blaming covid for something.

MDL111

8,915 posts

207 months

Tuesday 26th January 2021
quotequote all
Bright Halo said:
I really want this to succeed but just not sure the marketplace for circa £50k sports cars exists in the U.K. any more.
What there is of it is sawn up by Porsche. The Supra and Alpine 110 are not exactly massive sales successes here and Nissan is not even bothering to bring the new Z here at all.
This is my type of car though but sadly few people other than on PH seem to share the passion.
I do hope it happens though.
Good that it is a nearly 100k then smile

Addymk2

334 posts

202 months

Tuesday 26th January 2021
quotequote all
Bright Halo said:
I really want this to succeed but just not sure the marketplace for circa £50k sports cars exists in the U.K. any more.
What there is of it is sawn up by Porsche. The Supra and Alpine 110 are not exactly massive sales successes here and Nissan is not even bothering to bring the new Z here at all.
This is my type of car though but sadly few people other than on PH seem to share the passion.
I do hope it happens though.
£50k? This is going to be at least double that by the time it hits forecourts


Miserablegit

4,444 posts

139 months

Tuesday 26th January 2021
quotequote all
These are the companies house accounts
https://find-and-update.company-information.servic...


Accounts are interesting -
What was TVR deposit amount? Are they being kept in a separate trust account as there doesn’t seem to be much reported in the accounts.

And what the press aren’t saying is that on 25 Jan 2021 two charges in favour of “Fiduciam Nominees” were satisfied.
Presumably the charges were put in place as security for debt owing to Fiduciam.
Release of the security might indicate that debt is no longer owing
And they have just taken £2m of CBIL loans...

sdiggle

217 posts

120 months

Tuesday 26th January 2021
quotequote all
Sandpit Steve said:
Groundhog Day on PH today.

We have TVR confident, Bloodhound project up for sale and new Lotus models, all sitting next to each other on the front page...

Good luck to all of them though!
Maybe we'll have the TVR Griffith 'Bloodhound Edition' tuned by Lotus as a run out special in 2023?

AMGSee55

687 posts

132 months

Tuesday 26th January 2021
quotequote all
As an ex-owner of a Chimaera I'd love to see this get off the ground, but you have to worry about about a business that's already limping along well before they've got anything they can actually sell. £2m is the sort of figure that Porsche probably spend on designing wing mirrors, yet here it's being heralded as a lifeline for the whole operation!

Anyway, I don't have the means to buy a new Griffith, but I hope for everyone's sake that this comes to fruition and it's worth the wait for those who've paid their deposits smile

Electronicpants

3,142 posts

218 months

Tuesday 26th January 2021
quotequote all
AMGSee55 said:
£2m is the sort of figure that Porsche probably spend on designing wing mirrors
On a Tuesday.

Miserablegit

4,444 posts

139 months

Tuesday 26th January 2021
quotequote all
I think this is a significant date for all the wrong reasons.

Why would a secured creditor get out now?

Seems odd to need a £2m government lifeline arranged by the secured creditor who is getting out ( at least in part)

UTH

12,332 posts

208 months

Tuesday 26th January 2021
quotequote all
MY old man has a beautiful racing green old Griffith, and has had a deposit down on the new one for ages. I'd love to see both of them next to each other in the garage.

Edited by UTH on Tuesday 26th January 12:03