Friday 5th March 2010

TVR 'Remanufacturer' Under Scrutiny

TVR Motors officially unimpressed by US company offering 'federalized'(sic) Sags for sale

---

Hot on the heels of our story that PistonHeads 'hero brand' TVR is making a comeback with US V8 power later this summer, comes news from the US that someone else is thinking on the same lines already.

A pic from the US website advert

A new ad on US website carsforsale.com is offering what it calls 'remanufactured' Sags and Tuscans, apparently with a hole under the bonnet for the V8 (or other engine) of the buyer's choice.

Check out the ad here

While a US V8-engined TVR is a terrific idea in principle, we're not sure whether there's going to be much mileage in this new independent effort to make it happen.

That's because PH has just spoken to a very senior representative of TVR Motors: "We'd like to make clear that this has nothing whatever to do with us, and it appears to conflict strongly with what TVR is trying to achieve in future," Mr Smolenski's co-director at TVR Motors' James Oxley told PH in a telephone call from Austria. We further understand that TVR intends to closely scrutinise the operation to ensure its own interests are appropriately protected.

James wouldn't be drawn any further on that, or TVR Motors' own plans to relaunch, but has promised to keep PH abreast of developments as they happen. So we've had to curb our excitement for now, but naturally we'll keep you posted as soon as we hear anything.

[havoc]

Anyone else getting tired of Smolenski's continued sniping and posing without actually DOING much?!?


Besides which...what can an OE manufacturer do about an independent company taking 2nd-hand examples of their cars and putting a new engine in it?!? That happens all the time (V8 & rotary MX-5s spring to mind) in the tuning market...surely this is just the same thing?