The TVR website has changed
Discussion
I've just noticed the www.tvr.co.uk site (the one with the red/orange Sag saying "we want this to be for the TVR fans so send us your pictures") has disappeared and been replaced with a non-descript holding page for www.tvrmotors.eu.
In the interest of inane discourse, let's speculate as to what this means for the marque.
I'll start.
On discovering TVR's plans to restart production inside the EU with the usual disregard for any form of nanny-state vehicle regulations, Brussels issued and enforced a take-down warrant for the TVR website. It is thought the brand will now be used by a French-led, multi-national automotive coalition in the development of a new compact eco car which runs on red tape.
In the interest of inane discourse, let's speculate as to what this means for the marque.
I'll start.
On discovering TVR's plans to restart production inside the EU with the usual disregard for any form of nanny-state vehicle regulations, Brussels issued and enforced a take-down warrant for the TVR website. It is thought the brand will now be used by a French-led, multi-national automotive coalition in the development of a new compact eco car which runs on red tape.
The site is registered on the name of Nikolai Smolenski and an organisation called Muadib Beteiligung GmbH
Found some info here: http://tvrblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/tvr-and-muadib...
Found some info here: http://tvrblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/tvr-and-muadib...
sweeper said:
The site is registered on the name of Nikolai Smolenski and an organisation called Muadib Beteiligung GmbH
Found some info here: http://tvrblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/tvr-and-muadib...
Nothing different, nothing to see here please move on.Found some info here: http://tvrblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/tvr-and-muadib...
RedLeicester said:
Coming to a garage near you, the TVR Fedaykin, shortly followed by the TVR Crysknife II and the TVR Tleilax (which mysteriously looks like Sagaris. Again).
Whatever there may come (or not come). For sure it will not be "TVR" again. The badge alone is not the soul of TVR imho.
sweeper said:
RedLeicester said:
Coming to a garage near you, the TVR Fedaykin, shortly followed by the TVR Crysknife II and the TVR Tleilax (which mysteriously looks like Sagaris. Again).
Whatever there may come (or not come). For sure it will not be "TVR" again. The badge alone is not the soul of TVR imho.
900T-R said:
What a load of borrocks, it's not like TVR hasn't been though a few bankruptcies, owner changes etc. before... and it still remained TVR. 
Well good for them that they at least already have one potential customer. Change of ownership with is one thing, doing something new from scratch using an old badge another. Storys told included Eastern European production, modern safety standards (?), bolted together in Italy, marketed by two Florida salesmen. Doesn't have to turn out as a bad thing at all, but is as far apart as a Maybach Zeppelin is from a todays Maybach 57 - and just doesn't sound TVR for me.
Then again, it is all theory by now anyway.... so why bother.
)sweeper said:
Well good for them that they at least already have one potential customer.
Change of ownership with is one thing, doing something new from scratch using an old badge another. Storys told included Eastern European production, modern safety standards (?), bolted together in Italy, marketed by two Florida salesmen. Doesn't have to turn out as a bad thing at all, but is as far apart as a Maybach Zeppelin is from a todays Maybach 57 - and just doesn't sound TVR for me.
Then again, it is all theory by now anyway.... so why bother.
I'd agree with the latter sentiment. Change of ownership with is one thing, doing something new from scratch using an old badge another. Storys told included Eastern European production, modern safety standards (?), bolted together in Italy, marketed by two Florida salesmen. Doesn't have to turn out as a bad thing at all, but is as far apart as a Maybach Zeppelin is from a todays Maybach 57 - and just doesn't sound TVR for me.
Then again, it is all theory by now anyway.... so why bother.
Apart from that:
They were not all 'good guys' in TVRs history - for starters around the time Trevor Wilkinson was ousted there were more directors than staff around, most of them hoping to make a quick buck and/or wielding around their self-importance more than anything else.
The cars, however, remained unaffected. As I imagine was the social scene of the owners, motorsport etc.
Adapting cars, procedures and all to increasing legislation has been pretty much a constant for TVR (or any motor manufacturer for that matter), too. Again, it didn't change anything to the essence of a TVR, and neither did it change its surroundings.
No matter who owns it, I'd go as far as to say that 'we' are TVR, and not whoever holds the rights to the logo at one point. Personally, I can't see Smolenski hanging on to the brand forever, anyway. And to be honest, whatever he's been mooting as future models so far, is more within the spirit of TVR than 80% of Porsches churned out today are really, er, Porsches. They would still be tubular spaceframed, composite bodied, front-mid engined, RWD, low, loud and extravagant sports cars. As of yet, no one has proposed to stick the badge on SUVs or four door luxury liners...
I think its impossible to be certain re the impacts of TVR Ltd trading etc upon values. In the same way it is impossible to accurately predict the impacts on prices of the other influences eg rising fuel prices, recession, confidence, value of the £, foreign buyers etc etc. The impacts will be different for different TVR models, different aged cars, condition of cars etc.....
The way to maximise the value of your car is to keep it original, keep the mileage 'reasonable' and keep the servicing and condition tip top.
The way to maximise the value of your car is to keep it original, keep the mileage 'reasonable' and keep the servicing and condition tip top.
900T-R said:
Wot, original 'am I bovvered' ECU mapping, HBE bicycle pu... er, dampers and factory 'alignment', too? 
There is IMHO a grey area regarding originality and improvements.
Clearly changing the mapping, fitting improved dampers, changing castor angles, fitting new tyres, filling it with petrol, topping up the oil, fitting brighter bulbs etc is unlikely to discount a TVR from being considered mint, collectable, original etc...
Fitting a different engine, changing the lights, changing the seats, modifying the body etc are more likely to be considered as changes to the originality of a car.
But hey, we are talking TVRs here and not highly collectable and expensive heritage cars.
I like my cars to look original albeit I do like to fit improved stuff so long as the car doesnt look modified.
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