need some information about TVR

[wen]

Hi,
I am a postgraduate student in UK. Now I am studying TVR and trying to come up some strategies for the company.

I have some questions and hope someone can provide your precious opinions.

1. Who will like to buy TVR?
Young people? rich people? middle age rich people?

2. Do people care about "safety equipment" when buying a sports car?
e.g. air bag, ABS, etc

3. What is TVR's core competences?
People said TVR is unique, but what is his uniqueness? What is the most different factor between TVR and other sports car?

4. Do people care about price when choosing a sports car?
If TVR created a new brand which sells cheaper module. Do you think it can attract people who have limited budget?

5. Who is TVR's direct competitor do you think?
Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Lotus, Porsche,etc


Sorry, I got so many questions.

Edited by wen on Monday 4th December 00:30

[Ballistic Banana]

wen said:

Hi,
I am a postgraduate student in UK. Now I am studying TVR and trying to come up some strategies for the company.

I have some questions and hope someone can provide your precious opinions.

wen said:

1. Who will like to buy TVR?
Young people? rich people? middle age rich people?

All of the above IMHO you get all age of owners for old and new cars

wen said:

2. Do people care about "safety equipment" when buying a sports car?
e.g. air bag, ABS, etc

Not really with a TVR, The drivers the safety equipment

wen said:

3. What is TVR's core competences?
People said TVR is unique, but what is his uniqueness? What is the most different factor between TVR and other sports car?

Loud and not frightened to be different in Design

wen said:

4. Do people care about price when choosing a sports car?
If TVR created a new brand which sells cheaper module. Do you think it can attract people who have limited budget?

Yes deffiantly, its what many owners are worried about with the newer models becoming more and more expensive.[quote=wen]
5. Who is TVR's direct competitor do you think?
Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Lotus, Porsche,etc

err non of the above, I guess they would like to compete with Porsche but I think they need to go a long way yet to be able to do that.

Good luck

BB

[fairclp]

wen said:

Hi,
I am a postgraduate student in UK. Now I am studying TVR and trying to come up some strategies for the company.

I have some questions and hope someone can provide your precious opinions.

1. Who will like to buy TVR?
Young people? rich people? middle age rich people?

2. Do people care about "safety equipment" when buying a sports car?
e.g. air bag, ABS, etc

3. What is TVR's core competences?
People said TVR is unique, but what is his uniqueness? What is the most different factor between TVR and other sports car?

4. Do people care about price when choosing a sports car?
If TVR created a new brand which sells cheaper module. Do you think it can attract people who have limited budget?

5. Who is TVR's direct competitor do you think?
Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Lotus, Porsche,etc


Sorry, I got so many questions.

Edited by wen on Monday 4th December 00:30

1) Those who can afford
2) No
3) Needing a spare pair of trousers
4) Nope
5) None

Nikolai ? Shouldn't you have asked these questions before buying?

[Paul V]

wen said:

Hi,
I am a postgraduate student in UK. Now I am studying TVR and trying to come up some strategies for the company.

I have some questions and hope someone can provide your precious opinions.

1. Who will like to buy TVR?
Young people? rich people? middle age rich people?

2. Do people care about "safety equipment" when buying a sports car?
e.g. air bag, ABS, etc

3. What is TVR's core competences?
People said TVR is unique, but what is his uniqueness? What is the most different factor between TVR and other sports car?

4. Do people care about price when choosing a sports car?
If TVR created a new brand which sells cheaper module. Do you think it can attract people who have limited budget?

5. Who is TVR's direct competitor do you think?
Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Lotus, Porsche,etc


Sorry, I got so many questions.

Edited by wen on Monday 4th December 00:30

1. All of these, but not limited to these, plenty of people on average pay still save for these cars.

2. Not something many existing owners worry about.

3. Design, both innovative but stylish

4. Price is a factor in anything you buy, of course the more you get for the money the better. a cheaper product could bring in more orders but using cheaper components and parts bin stuff could see TVR getting the kit car image back.

5. Lotus, Marcos and noble are all competing for a place in the market but their products vary quite a lot.

[gazzab]

1. Who will like to buy TVR?
Young people? rich people? middle age rich people?
Traditionally all types. The newer shapes have driven out some of the older customers.

2. Do people care about "safety equipment" when buying a sports car?
e.g. air bag, ABS, etc
Yes - that is cerainly a reason why many people dont consider TVRs. I like the built in roll cage in my TVR. I appreciate the ABS and traction control in my merc. I am hppy that the TVR has neither.

3. What is TVR's core competences?
People said TVR is unique, but what is his uniqueness? What is the most different factor between TVR and other sports car?
Big Hairy Audacious Balls.
Noise
Event
Emotion

4. Do people care about price when choosing a sports car?
If TVR created a new brand which sells cheaper module. Do you think it can attract people who have limited budget?
New brand ? Not relevant. Sort the current 'brand'. A more affordable TVR would work (it did last time).

5. Who is TVR's direct competitor do you think?
Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Lotus, Porsche,etc
Porsche and BMW in the main (Boxster, Gayman, 911, Z4 Coupe, M3....).

[bluebottle]

My thoughts;

1. TVR seems to transcend the age and wealth barrier on account of several factors imo;
TVR has developed a cult status over the years for unique innovative styling that has always managed to capture essence of what sports cars should be - desirable looks, stunning performance that easily matches that of many supercars and a price tag that is half that of its rivals.
Or at least it used to be, until Lotus [Elise], Porsche [boxster], BMW [Z series], Audi [TT series], Honda [S2000] etc realised that there was a big market for affordable fun sports cars and raised their game. Which is part of the reason TVR started to struggle (before reliability issues, poor management and lousy PR came in) IMHO.

2. The essence of TVR is raw "back to basics" driving passion that both exhilarates and gets the adrenaline flowing. Most of TVR’s competition has the ability to switch these safety aids off in order for its owner to get that feeling. If you have to switch it off to get that, why fit it? It only serves to increase the price tag.

3. TVR has always been an underdog trying to bite at the heels of it of the more polished competition and like a stick of Blackpool rock, its cars have "British" stamped right the way through them. Brits are patriotic people who have a tendency towards supporting underdogs. If a company can produce a product that “does exactly what it says on the tin” at an affordable price, it will always be a winner. TVR managed this for many years.

4. This is where much of TVR’s success has come from and why the purchasing demographics is so wide and varied – Exclusive product that looks the part, built to the individual customer’s specification. This gets the customers with the money to buy more exotic cars (kudos, snob factor or just plain lovers of pure sports cars with a sporting heritage), and the price tag gets the custom of those who aspire to the more exotic but can’t really afford or justify the cost of them.
5. Anyone who produces a high performance sports car. It used to be the "usual suspects" that you mentioned, but now as stated in point 1 above that market has been diluted by cheap "fun" sports cars from the mass producers, that hits many of the factors TVR have been good at hitting – desirable looks, good performance and exclusivity (limited production runs) which for me has always been a key factor as I didn’t want to spend “my” hard earned cash on a “company car”.

[Don]

wen said:

Hi,
I am a postgraduate student in UK. Now I am studying TVR and trying to come up some strategies for the company.

I have some questions and hope someone can provide your precious opinions.

1. Who will like to buy TVR?
Young people? rich people? middle age rich people?

2. Do people care about "safety equipment" when buying a sports car?
e.g. air bag, ABS, etc

3. What is TVR's core competences?
People said TVR is unique, but what is his uniqueness? What is the most different factor between TVR and other sports car?

4. Do people care about price when choosing a sports car?
If TVR created a new brand which sells cheaper module. Do you think it can attract people who have limited budget?

5. Who is TVR's direct competitor do you think?
Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Lotus, Porsche,etc

1. Age isn't the issue. Enthusiasts buy TVRs.
2. People care a lot. That's why they don't buy TVRs. Enthusiasts care less. So they sometimes do.
3. Making cars that have a very high power to weight ratio whilst retaining some practicality.
4. Yes people care about price a great deal. TVRs used to be absolute performance bargains. They are less so now...
5. TVR compete with Noble, Marcos and possibly Lotus. They don't actually compete with Porsche - although some Porsche and TVR enthusiasts may make a choice between the two I can't believe they are a major part of the market. Ferrari, Lamborghini etc are in a totally difference pricing league.

[andymadmak]

wen said:

Hi,
I am a postgraduate student in UK. Now I am studying TVR and trying to come up some strategies for the company.

I have some questions and hope someone can provide your precious opinions.

1. Who will like to buy TVR?
Young people? rich people? middle age rich people?

2. Do people care about "safety equipment" when buying a sports car?
e.g. air bag, ABS, etc

3. What is TVR's core competences?
People said TVR is unique, but what is his uniqueness? What is the most different factor between TVR and other sports car?

4. Do people care about price when choosing a sports car?
If TVR created a new brand which sells cheaper module. Do you think it can attract people who have limited budget?

5. Who is TVR's direct competitor do you think?
Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Lotus, Porsche,etc


Sorry, I got so many questions.

Edited by wen on Monday 4th December 00:30

1, TVR buyers are car enthusiasts, with a desire for performance and to own something a little different to normal German, Italian and Japanese alternatives. The profile is changing over time. I suspect TVRs owner profile is ageing slightly, when compared with (say) the 1990s

2, 1990s TVR owners (ie, people who bought from new) did not care about safety per se, although a car that is perceived as very unsafe would not sell either. TVRs were perceived as tough enough to protect their owners, rather than safe by dint of ABS or airbags. This was not a problem in the 1990s when ABS and airbags were the exception rather than the norm in most cars. These days however, I suspect the lack of active safety in a TVR does put off a lot of potential buyers. Some will question why, if a £5k Hyundai can have airbags and ABS, why not a £50k TVR? In short safety does not sell, lack of safety acts as a barrier to sales.

3, The overall experience. Beauty, combined with performance, practicality and a feel good factor when driven that is un matched in anything at or around the same price. Like a tamed wild animal, but with enough features to surprise and delight with their sophistication and individuality.

4, Yes. All purchases are price sensitive to some degree. The greater issue is with perceived value and brand appeal. If the brand appeals only to people who could never afford to buy it, then the company has a problem. (as it does) If there is little perceived value in the product (no sophisticated safety technology, poor reliabilty, poor assembly, leaky cabins etc) then those who could afford the cars will not buy them either, regardless of price point.

5, As a feel good car maker, in the mid-upper price sector TVR sits in there with Lotus, Nobel, Morgan and Porsche. However, TVRs over reliance on a 1990s model format has meant that whilst the competition has moved to provide products which are relevant to the market place of the 2000s, TVR has been left in a backwater, its products being seen as increasingly irrelevant to its principal market. TVR has forgotten (or never knew) what REALLY made it succesful in the 1990s. Until it rediscovers this, and repackages it to make it relevant to todays market then it is doomed to failure.

Andy

[chassis 33]

1. There is no real "traditional" TVR buyer, in my eyes, and this is a very general statement as everything I'll write is, a "trackday" enthusiast wanting a sports car will get a Lotus, in whatever conterpory flavour it be, these days Elise or Exige. The "gentleman" wanting a sports car to blow the cobwebs away will get a Morgan. The bloke wanting to show how big their Christmas bon(e)us is will get a Porsche or 'rarri. The sports car enthusiast wanting power and presence will get the TVR

2. In this day and age yes people do care, but ultimately the greatest safety device in any car is the person behind the wheel, if you start relying purely on electronic accident prevention or mitigation in a high performance car, you'll soon get yourself in trouble by finding a scenario that 1's and 0's cannot cope with. Personally I hate ABS/TC/ESP etc etc, I feel they dull and alienate the driving experience. In a convertible car, there are several scenario's where last thing I would want is an airbag forcing my head up, eg in the extreme case of rolling a car.

3. The uniqueness the passion the cars create in you, you can forgive many of the faults of a TVR for the simple fact that when you drive one you have a grin nothing can match, the noise, the power, the presence is something ethereal. Also because they are low volume they are something quite different to what the company is now pretending to be, even with the 6000 odd Chimaeras built they're not an every day sight for the vast majority of people.

4. Yes very much so, I've long said in private, a model priced maybe 10% above an MX5 would sell like hot cakes, and serve as a stepping stone to other TVR models. Folks would spend that extra 10% to get what I've mentioned in 3. that you don't get out of an MX5.

5. For the past 20, maybe 25 years, TVR has had no natural competitors, prior to then TVR competed against many kit manufacturers and the like of MG, Triumph etc. TVR seemed to weather the storm while MG, Triumph etc got lost in British Leyland/Austin Rover. Marcos seemed to be the only other car company capable of giving TVR a run for their money, living off a very similar format of car. More recently TVR have created competition for themselves by moving out of the niche that was theirs, the niche that was the creators of low volume, loud, fast, offensive, and lets face it cheap sportcars, and tried to take on the likes of Porsche, A-M, etc. What if TVR had of produced a Porsche beating car for half the price, and called it something like the Griffith, or Chimaera, arguably the most stable and healthy period in TVR's history. Why? 'cos nothing could match the performance for the price, and we could forgive the niggles with the car because of it...

My 2p.

Regards
Iain

[andymadmak]

chassis 33 said:

1. 4. Yes very much so, I've long said in private, a model priced maybe 10% above an MX5 would sell like hot cakes, and serve as a stepping stone to other TVR models. Folks would spend that extra 10% to get what I've mentioned in 3. that you don't get out of an MX5.

Regards
Iain

Mate, this just isn't going to happen. An MX5 sells at the dealers from £16k, rising to £20k with the all singing and dancing auto folding metal roof. (and thats before haggling a discount)
A TVR that sells for around £20k will have to cost around £10k to build, allowing for taxes, VAT, dealer mark up, warranty etc. There's no money in that, especially given TVRs contruction method. Getting the required levels of performance will be tough, and people will expect some safety, which will further erode profit (?) margins.
Besides, the S cars may have been good sellers for TVR, but they never really made any money for the company. Turnover is vanity, only profit makes for sanity!

Andy

[chassis 33]

Yes, I agree it would be bloody difficult to turn any sort of a profit at that price, however if it was seen as the entry level to one of the more profitable models then it could start to make sense. Sadly I'm one of these people who sees where I want to be and tries to manipulate reality around that, instead of recognising where I am and being realistic as to where I can get to.

Regards
Iain

[Mr.Cerbera]

Sorry if my comments pale into insignificance against the well-put points of Andy and Chassis but here, for the demographics if nothing else:

1. People who like performance but have a budget restriction. People who tend to be attracted to English products. People tend to not take ‘the sensible’ decision in life

2. People care but consider themselves ‘above’ safety ‘gimics’ and consider it secondary to good driving tecniques. There are a lot of totalled TVRs that have been driven by such thinkers.

3. Building small, light, powerful cars with classic lines and lush interiors within achievable budgets.

4. Most do !

5. Lotus, Marcos, Noble - most models, Porsche - 911, Boxter, BMW - Zeds, Nizzan – Zeds, Mazda – MX & RX, Toyota - MR2, Chevrolet - Vettes
There is only a small group of people with enough cash to buy the Italian exotica who also think of TVR when looking.

In your future studies would you please reduce your use of the word 'got', It is a lazy substitute for so many verbs and verbal phrases this language has to offer. 'Have' would have been sufficient here.

Edited by Mr.Cerbera on Monday 11th December 17:21

[ajcerb]

Of course this could just be the TVR ex-marketing department asking the question to try and figure out where they went wrong

[ajcerb]

and well said Mr Cerbera regarding the excessive use of the word 'got' in everyday usage, and still worse its bastard transatlantic cousin, 'gotten', that has weedled its way into the Queen's English. With you all the way on this