How well is TVR known?
Discussion
The longer I own a TVR the more I'm convinced that their demise is because that they were not known well enough. Two latest examples;
backing the out of the garage and a delivery man walks up the drive:
'nice car mate, is it a kit car'
Walking back to the car in a car park and three blokes stood around it:
'That's what you call a car, very nice, did you build it yourself'
The answer to both were 'no its a TVR' and they had not got a clue what I was talking about.
I would say at least 80% of the people I meet do not know what a TVR is let alone what the model is, this has got to have some affect on sales surely?
backing the out of the garage and a delivery man walks up the drive:
'nice car mate, is it a kit car'
Walking back to the car in a car park and three blokes stood around it:
'That's what you call a car, very nice, did you build it yourself'
The answer to both were 'no its a TVR' and they had not got a clue what I was talking about.
I would say at least 80% of the people I meet do not know what a TVR is let alone what the model is, this has got to have some affect on sales surely?
bit of both i would say,the first time i saw a tuscan i had no idea what it was (just knew i wanted one)until it went past and i saw the tuscan badge,istill had no idea of the make
all that said they are a car for a certain type of owner,personally i love the idea of a handmade car that is outrageous in its performance and design but still uncommon enough to be a real crowd puller,if they were really popular would they be more common and perhaps less appealing.!!!?
anyway does not look like we will be seeing any more of these british road rockets..such a shame

all that said they are a car for a certain type of owner,personally i love the idea of a handmade car that is outrageous in its performance and design but still uncommon enough to be a real crowd puller,if they were really popular would they be more common and perhaps less appealing.!!!?
anyway does not look like we will be seeing any more of these british road rockets..such a shame
It seems to me that TVR are much better known and loved in Europe than in the UK (generalising I know). Recently driving through France at ever stop, someone would come up and say what great cars they were - Dutch guys looking to buy one - German guys wanting to know which engine size it was..hoteliers noting staight away that they are a British V8 etc. etc.. Lack of avertising probably doesnt help, but to me it just seems that we knock everything of our own until it know longer exists, then we look back with rose tinted glasses and say what great British cars they were and its a shame theres no industry anymore... Other countries seem to support their own products so much more..
I have had a lot of "is it a Triumph" in Germany.
Last week I had a "TVR, I have heard of them but never seen one"
And last month was the best, drove past a group of young German custom car enthusiast.
Looked in my mirror to see four cars chasing me. 50km/h zone so I was surrounded by mobile phone cameras.
Then as they peeled off, one cut me up to take a right going much to fast and stuffed his Opel something
into a junction island. Laugh, I nearly p###ed me pants.
Last week I had a "TVR, I have heard of them but never seen one"
And last month was the best, drove past a group of young German custom car enthusiast.
Looked in my mirror to see four cars chasing me. 50km/h zone so I was surrounded by mobile phone cameras.
Then as they peeled off, one cut me up to take a right going much to fast and stuffed his Opel something
into a junction island. Laugh, I nearly p###ed me pants.
I would have thought must people knew about tvr's, until a couple of week's ago. When i went to knockhill racing course. Were you would think the people would know about cars. Well when i first turned up a man told he me that he liked my kit car, he said this jokely so i thought he was taking the piss. Yet when returning to the car i saw a family around the car all with racing jackets on and the first think there asked me was who makes this or is it a kit car?
Andy11 said:
The longer I own a TVR the more I'm convinced that their demise is because that they were not known well enough. Two latest examples;
backing the out of the garage and a delivery man walks up the drive:
'nice car mate, is it a kit car'
Walking back to the car in a car park and three blokes stood around it:
'That's what you call a car, very nice, did you build it yourself'
The answer to both were 'no its a TVR' and they had not got a clue what I was talking about.
I would say at least 80% of the people I meet do not know what a TVR is let alone what the model is, this has got to have some affect on sales surely?
No, I think you just had the misfortune to bumb into 4 classic examples of what now makes up the majority of the population of this country: Ignorant, futureless, cannon fodder.backing the out of the garage and a delivery man walks up the drive:
'nice car mate, is it a kit car'
Walking back to the car in a car park and three blokes stood around it:
'That's what you call a car, very nice, did you build it yourself'
The answer to both were 'no its a TVR' and they had not got a clue what I was talking about.
I would say at least 80% of the people I meet do not know what a TVR is let alone what the model is, this has got to have some affect on sales surely?
In the past they would have been sent in the initial waves against French or German artilary, but becasue this no longer happens they have over bred and now fill the country.
There is certainly no point in spending money marketing a product to people who could never afford it.
My wife knows that TVR are in Blackpool and that they make beautiful plastic cars (or made). She could not spot one at 3 foot away, but the other day I slowed down to let a nice Tuscan Overtake me on a B road and said "We're going to be blasted by a beautiful car" As it went past she said "what's that then" I says "TVR" She says "NICE" I says "Yes" She says "Yes"
1st thing we've agreed on this year !!!!
1st thing we've agreed on this year !!!!
ray_von said:
Horse_Apple said:
Ignorant, futureless, cannon fodder.
bumb,artilary,becasuePot,kettle,black

Even with that disability it hasn't stopped me from knowing a kit car when I see one
Or finding a job where other people write my letters. 
Don't have an excuse for artillery though

Hmmmmm, uneducated ? Not too sure about that. It is, after all, a very small contributer in a very large international market.
It has been a great experience over here in Lux. The car always turns heads and most observers are very enthusiastic. There are several, both male and female, who know exactly what she is but all, even those who have no clue, all say ".... but it is British, Yes ?".
I walk on, six inches off the floor.
It has been a great experience over here in Lux. The car always turns heads and most observers are very enthusiastic. There are several, both male and female, who know exactly what she is but all, even those who have no clue, all say ".... but it is British, Yes ?".
I walk on, six inches off the floor.
I've had several instances of people not knowing what my TVR was, most notably a Traffic cop in Chelmsford who pulled me over in my Griff for a slight misdemeanour. On the form he gave me to take with my documents to the police station, he had entered 'Griffith 500' under the 'make of car' section after looking at the badge on the back of the car!!
Had another one on the way down to le Mans this year in my Tuscan, after parking up in one of the service stations on the autoroute out of Calais. A middle aged chap in a UK-registered DB7 parked nearby and I heard his wife asking him in an incredulous tone what my car was! He, at least, was able to enlighten the dear lady. Again with my Griff, I used to get the odd 'is that a Triumph?' after I'd told someone it was a TVR. I guess the confusion stems from the TR bit. A sad and telling reflection on TVR's own corporate failings rather than the public's ignorance, I would say.
Had another one on the way down to le Mans this year in my Tuscan, after parking up in one of the service stations on the autoroute out of Calais. A middle aged chap in a UK-registered DB7 parked nearby and I heard his wife asking him in an incredulous tone what my car was! He, at least, was able to enlighten the dear lady. Again with my Griff, I used to get the odd 'is that a Triumph?' after I'd told someone it was a TVR. I guess the confusion stems from the TR bit. A sad and telling reflection on TVR's own corporate failings rather than the public's ignorance, I would say.
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TVR, is that a Triumph?