P.W. in the Telegraph...
Discussion
Apologies if this has been seen before but it's a good read nonetheless...
www.motoring.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/main.jhtml?xml=/motoring/2003/06/06/emfwheel07.xml
Walking tall
(Filed: 07/06/2003)
Once the manufacturer of notoriously unreliable sports cars, TVR is now gearing up for Le Mans. Peter Dron looks at how Peter Wheeler has tried to make Blackpool more famous for its cars than for trams and illuminations
Even if you ignore the fact that he is a Yorkshireman who lives and works in Lancashire, Peter Wheeler is unique in the worldwide motor industry. Active in every area of his company – conception, design, detail engineering, finance – he also races his own cars. Wheeler's story is the opposite of that of the man who bought the razor company because he liked the product so much: he was so frustrated as a TVR owner that he ended up buying the company.
Peter Wheeler: he became so frustrated as a TVR owner that he bought the company
At that time, TVR's ramshackle collection of sheds in suburban Blackpool (the factory has since been modernised, but the management block still resembles a 1950s Scout hut) struggled to produce 180 cars per year and was in severe financial difficulties. After the German takeover of Rolls-Royce and Bentley, TVR revelled in the status of Britain's leading independent car manufacturer. Since BMW extricated itself from Rover, TVR has had to be content with the second step of the podium but for several years its production total has exceeded 1,000 cars annually and – surprisingly – the company recently enjoyed its best-ever first quarter, with orders 50 per cent up on last year; there is no sign of a decline in demand.
The key to this success has been simply to produce what customers want: exciting, attractive cars that make a nice sound and go fast. Thrills are regarded as more important than frills, such as airbags (which Wheeler insists were introduced because the Americans were unwilling to make seat-belt wearing compulsory) or anti-lock brakes. An advanced form of traction control might be used in some future models, however.
Wheeler, now aged 59, was a successful businessman before buying TVR 22 years ago. A qualified chemical engineer, he founded a chemical engineering company in 1972, selling it for a handsome profit nine years later. What it actually produced is unclear. Says head of marketing and communications Ben Samuelson, "I have never got to the bottom of it. I think his kit separated something from something else… something to do with oil…" Wheeler himself merely says that he was "quite a pure chemical engineer."
In the old days TVRs were often rapid, but did not always ride or handle well. They were also notoriously unreliable and, usually, ergonomically poor. Since Wheeler took over, they have at least become very comfortable, especially for tall drivers, and they are faster than ever (we leave it to owners to send paeans of praise about their cars' reliability to Honest John). The comfort improvement is undoubtedly related to Wheeler's exceptional height. He claims: "I was six-foot-six, but I think I might have shrunk a bit." It must have been all that chain-smoking that stunted his growth, but he has been off the evil weed for several years now.
The external appearance of TVRs has also changed dramatically in the Wheeler era. When he arrived, the cars were wedge-shaped: all sharp angles and relatively flat surfaces. They are now curvy and in some cases, especially the 1990 Griffith and the current Tuscan road car, objects of great beauty. The engineering has advanced too, though the basis is still a spaceframe chassis clothed in GRP bodywork.
The biggest change, and Wheeler's boldest move, has been the switch from bought-in engines (although the Chimaera still has a version of the old Rover V8) to Blackpool's own range of high-performance AJP engines, in straight-six and V8 form. There is also a V12, used in the company's GT racer (a version of the engine being raced at Le Mans next weekend). There was supposed to be a roadgoing customer variant, the Cerbera Speed Twelve, but even Wheeler decided that 900bhp was "plainly ridiculous" in a road car.
The modus operandum at TVR is unconventional. Some years ago, while preparing an article about the Griffith for a design magazine, I asked if I could use some of the original renderings for the interior. "Oh, we don't have any design drawings, except for the chassis and driveline," Wheeler told me apologetically. For the facia, he said, "We just talked about it and then set about the clay with scalpels until we'd got it the way we wanted." He looked thoughtful for a moment, and added, "But I'll tell you what. I'm sure we could do some drawings for you, if it would help."
Then there is Ned the famous dog, alleged to have changed the front-end styling of one model by biting a chunk out of it, obliging the stylists (who are more in favour of symmetry than BMW's design chief Chris Bangle) to imitate his efforts on the other side of the car. Ned is now "in semi-retirement and a bit grey round the muzzle", but still comes in once a week to eat the secretaries' sandwiches.
I was on the grid at Donington Park for the first-ever round of the TVR Tuscan racing series in 1989. As 24 identical 400bhp cars growled away on the warming-up, my wife was watching from TVR's trackside hospitality area. Wheeler casually remarked to her, "I think people who race these cars must be absolutely bloody mad." As if to prove this theory, Wheeler himself later joined in the fun, and has competed in all the races since 1991, which has limited the opportunities for his earlier hobby, shooting.
Other competitors have often noticed that the chairman's car has an extraordinarily good turn of speed in a straight line. Wheeler's best result was at Brands Hatch several years ago, when he led the race from pole position until the last corner of the last lap. "I hear that the driver who overtook him is really competitive in the highest echelons of Uzbek motorsport nowadays," says Samuelson, who also competes in a Tuscan. This often involves a no-holds-barred battle with his boss: no team orders there.
So far, more than 20 competitors have signed up for this year's series, with surprisingly few visual changes to the cars (they are largely unrelated to the road car of the same name), although they, too, have switched from enlarged Rover V8 power to the AJP V8. Says Samuelson: "I'm rather hoping for a last-minute influx of richer, older, slower drivers whom I can easily beat, thereby making myself look really quick. There's only so much you can do with a new pair of gloves."
A while ago, a report in the Mail on Sunday ("That speaks for itself") suggested that TVR was in financial difficulty, specifically because the company accounts, due to be published last October, had not yet appeared. That was in January, and they still have not appeared. TVR shrugs this off. "It's true that we haven't got our accounts in on time this year. It doesn't mean anything, as we don't employ an accountant, and we've never had our accounts in on time. It would be against our mission statement, if we had one."
Modern TVRs are highly original down to the smallest detail, and also, compared with rivals, not expensive. If they are not always perfect, they undeniably demonstrate a commitment to engineering and design excellence; it was to achieve this that Peter Wheeler bought the company in the first place.
Edited to remove large spaces.
Phil
>>> Edited by mannginger on Tuesday 10th June 22:55
www.motoring.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/main.jhtml?xml=/motoring/2003/06/06/emfwheel07.xml
Walking tall
(Filed: 07/06/2003)
Once the manufacturer of notoriously unreliable sports cars, TVR is now gearing up for Le Mans. Peter Dron looks at how Peter Wheeler has tried to make Blackpool more famous for its cars than for trams and illuminations
Even if you ignore the fact that he is a Yorkshireman who lives and works in Lancashire, Peter Wheeler is unique in the worldwide motor industry. Active in every area of his company – conception, design, detail engineering, finance – he also races his own cars. Wheeler's story is the opposite of that of the man who bought the razor company because he liked the product so much: he was so frustrated as a TVR owner that he ended up buying the company.
Peter Wheeler: he became so frustrated as a TVR owner that he bought the company
At that time, TVR's ramshackle collection of sheds in suburban Blackpool (the factory has since been modernised, but the management block still resembles a 1950s Scout hut) struggled to produce 180 cars per year and was in severe financial difficulties. After the German takeover of Rolls-Royce and Bentley, TVR revelled in the status of Britain's leading independent car manufacturer. Since BMW extricated itself from Rover, TVR has had to be content with the second step of the podium but for several years its production total has exceeded 1,000 cars annually and – surprisingly – the company recently enjoyed its best-ever first quarter, with orders 50 per cent up on last year; there is no sign of a decline in demand.
The key to this success has been simply to produce what customers want: exciting, attractive cars that make a nice sound and go fast. Thrills are regarded as more important than frills, such as airbags (which Wheeler insists were introduced because the Americans were unwilling to make seat-belt wearing compulsory) or anti-lock brakes. An advanced form of traction control might be used in some future models, however.
Wheeler, now aged 59, was a successful businessman before buying TVR 22 years ago. A qualified chemical engineer, he founded a chemical engineering company in 1972, selling it for a handsome profit nine years later. What it actually produced is unclear. Says head of marketing and communications Ben Samuelson, "I have never got to the bottom of it. I think his kit separated something from something else… something to do with oil…" Wheeler himself merely says that he was "quite a pure chemical engineer."
In the old days TVRs were often rapid, but did not always ride or handle well. They were also notoriously unreliable and, usually, ergonomically poor. Since Wheeler took over, they have at least become very comfortable, especially for tall drivers, and they are faster than ever (we leave it to owners to send paeans of praise about their cars' reliability to Honest John). The comfort improvement is undoubtedly related to Wheeler's exceptional height. He claims: "I was six-foot-six, but I think I might have shrunk a bit." It must have been all that chain-smoking that stunted his growth, but he has been off the evil weed for several years now.
The external appearance of TVRs has also changed dramatically in the Wheeler era. When he arrived, the cars were wedge-shaped: all sharp angles and relatively flat surfaces. They are now curvy and in some cases, especially the 1990 Griffith and the current Tuscan road car, objects of great beauty. The engineering has advanced too, though the basis is still a spaceframe chassis clothed in GRP bodywork.
The biggest change, and Wheeler's boldest move, has been the switch from bought-in engines (although the Chimaera still has a version of the old Rover V8) to Blackpool's own range of high-performance AJP engines, in straight-six and V8 form. There is also a V12, used in the company's GT racer (a version of the engine being raced at Le Mans next weekend). There was supposed to be a roadgoing customer variant, the Cerbera Speed Twelve, but even Wheeler decided that 900bhp was "plainly ridiculous" in a road car.
The modus operandum at TVR is unconventional. Some years ago, while preparing an article about the Griffith for a design magazine, I asked if I could use some of the original renderings for the interior. "Oh, we don't have any design drawings, except for the chassis and driveline," Wheeler told me apologetically. For the facia, he said, "We just talked about it and then set about the clay with scalpels until we'd got it the way we wanted." He looked thoughtful for a moment, and added, "But I'll tell you what. I'm sure we could do some drawings for you, if it would help."
Then there is Ned the famous dog, alleged to have changed the front-end styling of one model by biting a chunk out of it, obliging the stylists (who are more in favour of symmetry than BMW's design chief Chris Bangle) to imitate his efforts on the other side of the car. Ned is now "in semi-retirement and a bit grey round the muzzle", but still comes in once a week to eat the secretaries' sandwiches.
I was on the grid at Donington Park for the first-ever round of the TVR Tuscan racing series in 1989. As 24 identical 400bhp cars growled away on the warming-up, my wife was watching from TVR's trackside hospitality area. Wheeler casually remarked to her, "I think people who race these cars must be absolutely bloody mad." As if to prove this theory, Wheeler himself later joined in the fun, and has competed in all the races since 1991, which has limited the opportunities for his earlier hobby, shooting.
Other competitors have often noticed that the chairman's car has an extraordinarily good turn of speed in a straight line. Wheeler's best result was at Brands Hatch several years ago, when he led the race from pole position until the last corner of the last lap. "I hear that the driver who overtook him is really competitive in the highest echelons of Uzbek motorsport nowadays," says Samuelson, who also competes in a Tuscan. This often involves a no-holds-barred battle with his boss: no team orders there.
So far, more than 20 competitors have signed up for this year's series, with surprisingly few visual changes to the cars (they are largely unrelated to the road car of the same name), although they, too, have switched from enlarged Rover V8 power to the AJP V8. Says Samuelson: "I'm rather hoping for a last-minute influx of richer, older, slower drivers whom I can easily beat, thereby making myself look really quick. There's only so much you can do with a new pair of gloves."
A while ago, a report in the Mail on Sunday ("That speaks for itself") suggested that TVR was in financial difficulty, specifically because the company accounts, due to be published last October, had not yet appeared. That was in January, and they still have not appeared. TVR shrugs this off. "It's true that we haven't got our accounts in on time this year. It doesn't mean anything, as we don't employ an accountant, and we've never had our accounts in on time. It would be against our mission statement, if we had one."
Modern TVRs are highly original down to the smallest detail, and also, compared with rivals, not expensive. If they are not always perfect, they undeniably demonstrate a commitment to engineering and design excellence; it was to achieve this that Peter Wheeler bought the company in the first place.
Edited to remove large spaces.
Phil
>>> Edited by mannginger on Tuesday 10th June 22:55
a nice piece 
......."It's true that we haven't got our accounts in on time this year. It doesn't mean anything, as we don't employ an accountant, and we've never had our accounts in on time. It would be against our mission statement, if we had one."
Made me smile big time
, definately 'my train set' attitude which is refreshing to see in this day and age. Harry
There is also a V12, used in the company's GT racer (a version of the engine being raced at Le Mans next weekend).
Ned is now "in semi-retirement and a bit grey round the muzzle", but still comes in once a week to eat the secretaries' sandwiches.
Phil great effort to get all the txt in. Not sure about some of the points though, Ned died several weeks before the article was printed and the T400R being used for Le Mans has a speed 6 engine not a version of the v12 surely !! not to belittle your efforts in any way Phil, give the rest of the article shame they didn't tidy up some of the lose ends!
d_drinks said:
There is also a V12, used in the company's GT racer (a version of the engine being raced at Le Mans next weekend).
Ned is now "in semi-retirement and a bit grey round the muzzle", but still comes in once a week to eat the secretaries' sandwiches.
Phil great effort to get all the txt in. Not sure about some of the points though, Ned died several weeks before the article was printed and the T400R being used for Le Mans has a speed 6 engine not a version of the v12 surely !! not to belittle your efforts in any way Phil, give the rest of the article shame they didn't tidy up some of the lose ends!
I agree about some of the errors. Also I have to admit that getting the text in was pretty easy. I was emailed the motoring.telegraph bulletin last night and just copied the info over, taking out the odd advert along the way!
Still, it's good to see TVR getting some reasonable press without too much mention of previous unreliability.
Phil
Edited to remove some of my own errors. DOH!
>> Edited by mannginger on Wednesday 11th June 18:34
Saw the article, and must admit the mistakes grated a bit, and I'm surprised that they hadn't perhaps run a copy of it by TVRs PR dept/Baldrick. Then again, maybee they did!
Shame also about the pic of the Tuscan racer with the article, which was simply a well raced (i.e. damaged) bonne.
Shame also about the pic of the Tuscan racer with the article, which was simply a well raced (i.e. damaged) bonne.
MikeE said: actually the statement about the V12 and the T400 at LE Mans isn't entirely untrue. AFAIK the Speed12 is essentially 2 Speed6's sharing a common crank (and a hand fabricated block)
Yes that's true the speed 12 engine is in basic terms two speed six engines together in a v. However the speed six is an engine in it's own right and it's this engine that has been used by the likes of Shortie in the Roll Centre Tuscan R (as was) and this season has seen CDL take over the car, there are 2 other cars in the British GT series. All of these cars run the speed six engine as do the road versions of the T400T440R. TVR are racing at Le Mans with a Speed Six engine which is not derived from the Speed 12 engine !! I shall now climb off of my
and scream at the peasants from the window 
Modern TVRs are highly original down to the smallest detail, and also, compared with rivals, not expensive. If they are not always perfect, they undeniably demonstrate a commitment to engineering and design excellence; it was to achieve this that Peter Wheeler bought the company in the first place.
How refreshing - You may feel able to fault PW on some of his omissions, but despite a lack of a "mission statement" (crappy American office-speak anyway), this is the finest erm, "aspiration statement" a car company could have. Full marks to PW for it!! Bless his oversize socks
!! Thanks for that Phil.
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