About TVR
A brief history of TVR
TVR was founded in 1947 by Trevor Wilkinson (see right) (who gave his name to the make - TreVoR) in Blackpool as Trevcar Motors. He built his first car in 1949 using a multi-tubular chassis, Morris 8 mechanicals and a Ford 100E engine to which he added his own design metal bodyshell. This car sadly no longer exists but its successor, TVR No 2 (see below), does and is owned by a current TVRCC member. For full details of No 2, see our dedicated webpage here. Soon Trevor realised that the bodyshell would be much more cost-effective it it were made in GRP and in 1953 started fitting RGS Atlanta bodies to his chassis before the first real production TVR with an in-house produced GRP body, the Grantura (see below), appeared in 1958.
TVR No.2
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TVR Jomar
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TVR Grantura Mk1
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TVR Griffith
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The years since have seen the company pass through tumultuous times and a variety of different models - Griffith 200 and 400 (see above), Vixen (see above), Tuscan V6 and V8, 2500 and 3000M, Taimar, 3000S, Tasmin/280i, 350i, 390SE, 420 and 450SEAC, 400 and 450SE, S1, S2, S3 and S4, V8S , Griffith, Chimaera, Cerbera, Tuscan, Tamora, Sagaris and T400R/Typhon.
Throughout all the changes, Trevor's basic concept of fitting a GRP body to a multi-tubular chassis with front engine and rear wheel drive, with particular attention being paid to power/weight ratios, has produced ever more exciting cars for the enthusiast. The aim is to produce a lightweight car with plenty of power and torque, combined with a front engined rear wheel drive layout to give the maximum pleasure for the enthusiastic driver. The engine is set as far back as possible in the front to give the car a near 50/50 weight distribution. Most models weigh about the same as a small saloon but with 3.5 to 5 times as much power dependent on model.
TVRs were built to order by hand in Blackpool, England with current production figures making TVR probably the largest wholley British motor manufacturer remaining in the 1990/2000s.
Throughout all of TVR’s early history, the company relied on engines from other manufacturers including Coventry Climax, Ford and MG but perhaps the most famous of all these and which was at the heart of most 1980s and early 90s TVRs has been the ubiquitous Buick/Oldsmobile V8 of 1961-1963, more commonly known as the Rover V8. Used in TVRs from the 350i (see below) of 1983, which was the first TVR to be designed under present owner Peter Wheeler’s management and which produced around 190-200bhp, right up to the very last Griffiths and Chimaeras (see below), where in 5 litre form it produced around 340bhp.
TVRs were built to order by hand in Blackpool, England with current production figures making TVR probably the largest wholley British motor manufacturer remaining in the 1990/2000s.
Throughout all of TVR’s early history, the company relied on engines from other manufacturers including Coventry Climax, Ford and MG but perhaps the most famous of all these and which was at the heart of most 1980s and early 90s TVRs has been the ubiquitous Buick/Oldsmobile V8 of 1961-1963, more commonly known as the Rover V8. Used in TVRs from the 350i (see below) of 1983, which was the first TVR to be designed under present owner Peter Wheeler’s management and which produced around 190-200bhp, right up to the very last Griffiths and Chimaeras (see below), where in 5 litre form it produced around 340bhp.
TVR 350i
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TVR Chimaera
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In 1994, however, TVR announced that they would shortly be producing their own in house engine, known as the AJP8, named after the first initials of the three men responsible, engine designer Al Melling, TVR design guru John Ravenscroft and Peter Wheeler himself. This engine, initially of 4.2 litres but later increased to 4.5 was, and still is fitted to the Cerbera range (see below), produces up to 420bhp and 380lbft of torque making the Cerbera one of the world’s fastest 2+2 sports cars.
Cerbera with TVR 4.5 V8 AJP
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TVR Tuscan S
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From this engine the team developed the Speed Six (see right) which now powers most production TVRs (the Rover powered Chimaera is still available). In 4 litre form in the Tuscan S (see above) it produces 390 bhp and 310 lbft or torque which gives true supercar performance of 195mph and a 0-100 time of a fraction over 8 seconds.
Whereas you expect a large motor manufacturer to build most of their cars themselves, in reality it is often the other way around with large companies like Ford and Vauxhall using a plethora of sub-contractors to produce parts for them. TVR is the opposite of this. Not only do they use their own engines, but now virtually everything about a TVR is unique and over 85% of it is produced in house. This can keep costs down and build quality up with small volume production which means that no-one else produces a car of this sophistication and performance which even remotely compares to the price for a TVR. This also comes down to craftsmanship where every worker at TVRs Bristol Avenue factory in Bispham, Blackpool is rightly proud of being part of Britain’s most successful sports car manufacturer. But perhaps mostly it stems from the fact that there are no shareholders and therefore they have not had to compromise unlike most of the competition. But back to the history…
Whereas you expect a large motor manufacturer to build most of their cars themselves, in reality it is often the other way around with large companies like Ford and Vauxhall using a plethora of sub-contractors to produce parts for them. TVR is the opposite of this. Not only do they use their own engines, but now virtually everything about a TVR is unique and over 85% of it is produced in house. This can keep costs down and build quality up with small volume production which means that no-one else produces a car of this sophistication and performance which even remotely compares to the price for a TVR. This also comes down to craftsmanship where every worker at TVRs Bristol Avenue factory in Bispham, Blackpool is rightly proud of being part of Britain’s most successful sports car manufacturer. But perhaps mostly it stems from the fact that there are no shareholders and therefore they have not had to compromise unlike most of the competition. But back to the history…
Trevor left TVR in 1962 and over the next three years the company changed hands – and names – several times and even experienced bankruptcy. However, in 1965, in stepped father and son team Arthur and Martin Lilley who bought the Grantura Engineering and renamed it TVR Engineering. It wasn’t quite a classic case of “I liked the product so I bought the company”, but it was close. Martin had spent his spare time while studying automotive engineering at college building and preparing cars for racing, predominantly Lotus. But a friend ran Barnet Motor Company, soon to become the TVR Centre and after some successes with the Lotus and then an E Type which apparently he spectacularly put into the Armco on the final bend while leading a race at Silverstone, Martin ended up buying his first TVR, a Griffith 400. This also suffered damage whilst racing and was returned to Blackpool for repair, just at the time that Grantura Engineering went into liquidation. Martin’s father, Arthur, had just prior to that been left some shares in Grantura so partly to get his son’s car back but also to ensure that he didn’t entirely lose the value of these shares, the pair of them bought the company in November 1965.
For 16 years the Lilleys steered TVR through good times and bad and introduced several new models including the Vixen, the original Tuscan based on the Vixen and M Series. They were also responsible for a number of innovations: the UK’s first production turbo-charged car (3000M Turbo), first application that used the heated rear window filament as a radio aerial and TVR’s first convertible, the 3000S. Perhaps their most famous act though was the introduction of nude models onto the TVR Stand at the 1971 Motor Show. They certainly ensured that TVRs were centre stage! In 1980, they oversaw the introduction of a radical design departure when the angular Tasmin was launched at the Geneva Motor Show which would be the mainstay of company production for the next 8 years. But it also nearly bankrupted TVR for a third time and so in late 1981, along came another man “liked the product so I bought the company”. Taimar Turbo owner Peter Wheeler was a chemical engineer who had made his fortune supplying specialist equipment to the then embryonic North Sea oil industry had his car serviced at the Factory and got to know the team there very well. He bought one of the first Tasmins in 1980 and towards the end of the following year had bought out control from Martin.
For 16 years the Lilleys steered TVR through good times and bad and introduced several new models including the Vixen, the original Tuscan based on the Vixen and M Series. They were also responsible for a number of innovations: the UK’s first production turbo-charged car (3000M Turbo), first application that used the heated rear window filament as a radio aerial and TVR’s first convertible, the 3000S. Perhaps their most famous act though was the introduction of nude models onto the TVR Stand at the 1971 Motor Show. They certainly ensured that TVRs were centre stage! In 1980, they oversaw the introduction of a radical design departure when the angular Tasmin was launched at the Geneva Motor Show which would be the mainstay of company production for the next 8 years. But it also nearly bankrupted TVR for a third time and so in late 1981, along came another man “liked the product so I bought the company”. Taimar Turbo owner Peter Wheeler was a chemical engineer who had made his fortune supplying specialist equipment to the then embryonic North Sea oil industry had his car serviced at the Factory and got to know the team there very well. He bought one of the first Tasmins in 1980 and towards the end of the following year had bought out control from Martin.
TVR Tuscan V8 at the 1971 Motor Show
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Taimar Turbo – the Lilley’s greatest legacy?
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Peter Wheeler 1981
The Wheeler era ran for over 20 years and perhaps saw some of the most innovative development thus far. From the 2.8 litre Tasmin in both fixed head and convertible guise came an entry level 200 using the Ford Pinto 2.0 litre engine. But this didn’t spark the imagination and despite it’s astonishingly low sub-£10K price tag, only 61 examples were sold in three years. The company had also looked to the other extreme and in 1981 had produced two turbo-charged Tasmins, one convertible and one fixed head. The fixed head in particular had a unique body style but given a desire to move into the emerging markets in the Middle East where Ford’s American connection would, it was felt, affect sales, Peter Wheeler took the decision to squeeze the fuel injected V8 from the Rover SDI Vitesse into the Tasmin chassis to produce the Tasmin 350i. This was an instant hit and spawned the later wilder versions of up to 4.5 litres and although there is one 6.6 litre SEAC, produced originally for the Swedish market, its engine is a one off based upon a Chevrolet V8.
The problem with the Tasmin, or “wedge” as it was affectionately known, especially after the Tasmin name was dropped in 1983, was that you either love the shape or you hate it. Attempts to broaden the market with the introduction of a +2 variant did little to really boost sales with just 47 280+2s and six 350+2s being built. The order book was certainly healthy throughout the mid 1980s, but TVR knew that they were missing a huge chunk of the market who harked back to the more round styling of previous TVRs. So at the 1986 Motor Show, Peter offered his customers the new S Series. With looks blatantly stolen from the Lilley’s 3000S, surprisingly the only shared components are door handles. It used the same Ford 2.8 Cologne seen in the Tasmin/280i although this quickly became the 2.9 litre unit in the S2 and S3.
The problem with the Tasmin, or “wedge” as it was affectionately known, especially after the Tasmin name was dropped in 1983, was that you either love the shape or you hate it. Attempts to broaden the market with the introduction of a +2 variant did little to really boost sales with just 47 280+2s and six 350+2s being built. The order book was certainly healthy throughout the mid 1980s, but TVR knew that they were missing a huge chunk of the market who harked back to the more round styling of previous TVRs. So at the 1986 Motor Show, Peter offered his customers the new S Series. With looks blatantly stolen from the Lilley’s 3000S, surprisingly the only shared components are door handles. It used the same Ford 2.8 Cologne seen in the Tasmin/280i although this quickly became the 2.9 litre unit in the S2 and S3.
TVR 350+2
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TVR S2
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The S sold rapidly and triggered the development of an ES, with a 3.8 litre Holden engine but this did not get beyond the Motor Show prototype. What did was the other project that fello out the S which was the resurrected Tuscan name and which quickly developed from a proposed S Series based road car to the UK’s most exciting one make race series which dominated British motor sport throughout the 90s. There is much more on the history of the Tuscan race series in the Members’ Area.
At the 1989 Motor Show, Peter showed the world the replacement for the wedge, the Speed Eight, which was basically a grown up 400SE with a more curvaceous body but it still had the same basic looks. Again, wedge lovers loved it, the rest didn’t. The following year, the Speed Eight had grown into a proper 2+2 convertible but was shown alongside another prototype project, a funny round looking thing bringing back the name of Griffith. The advanced order book told Peter Wheeler which to proceed with as 32 advanced orders were placed for the Speed Eight but more than ten times that number for the Griff.
With the first customer cars being delivered in early 1992, the Griffith ran for less than a year before being joined by the Chimaera, virtually identical but with slightly softer suspension, a larger boot capable of carrying a set of golf clubs and a different body style and which quickly became TVRs best seller. The Griffith then bowed out to make way for the Griffith 500, basically “more of the same” with a 340bhp, 5.0 litre version of the engine.
At the 1989 Motor Show, Peter showed the world the replacement for the wedge, the Speed Eight, which was basically a grown up 400SE with a more curvaceous body but it still had the same basic looks. Again, wedge lovers loved it, the rest didn’t. The following year, the Speed Eight had grown into a proper 2+2 convertible but was shown alongside another prototype project, a funny round looking thing bringing back the name of Griffith. The advanced order book told Peter Wheeler which to proceed with as 32 advanced orders were placed for the Speed Eight but more than ten times that number for the Griff.
With the first customer cars being delivered in early 1992, the Griffith ran for less than a year before being joined by the Chimaera, virtually identical but with slightly softer suspension, a larger boot capable of carrying a set of golf clubs and a different body style and which quickly became TVRs best seller. The Griffith then bowed out to make way for the Griffith 500, basically “more of the same” with a 340bhp, 5.0 litre version of the engine.
TVR Griffith 500
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TVR Chimaera 400
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TVR continued to go from strength to strength and it looked as though Peter Wheeler could do no wrong. With a bulging order book (the green Chimaera above was ordered at the Motor Show in October 1993 but not delivered until June 1994), TVRs were the sports car to be seen in throughout the middle of the 1990s. But he had more work to do yet. Peter was keen to attract back those customers who sold their Griffith or Chimaera with the onset of a family and thus announced the Cerbera in 1993. But this car was to undergo radical development including a new engine for the original Show Car had a Rover V8 engine. The production version would have TVRs own, the 4.2 litre AJP. This engine, stretched out to a V12, was the powerplant behind possibly the wildest TVR ever, the Speed 12, which though originally designed fom the outset as a race car, spawned a road going version of which one still exists and was tested by Evo recently who gave it “11½ out of 5”. Furthermore, one bank of the Speed 12 effectively became the Speed Six engine which is now at the heart of every TVR.
In an attempt to search out new export markets, in 1998 TVR opened a new factory in Port Kelang, just outside Kuala Lumpar Malaysia. This factory produced only Chimaeras and whilst there was a burgeoning home market for them in Malaysia, most of their production went overseas to Australia, Japan and |south Africa. Interestingly, some were even alleged to have been shipped back to UK to meet the growing demand in the European market.
In an attempt to search out new export markets, in 1998 TVR opened a new factory in Port Kelang, just outside Kuala Lumpar Malaysia. This factory produced only Chimaeras and whilst there was a burgeoning home market for them in Malaysia, most of their production went overseas to Australia, Japan and |south Africa. Interestingly, some were even alleged to have been shipped back to UK to meet the growing demand in the European market.
The original road going TVR Speed 12
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And in race trim at Thruxton
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The Griffith replacement emerged with TVR’s third use of the name Tuscan in 1999 with the first customer cars arriving the following year and then in 2001 the Tamora, to replace the Chimaera. These were joined in 2003 with the T350C and T, a fixed head car that has been described as a spiritual successor to the Vixen and Tuscan of the 1960s. All of these cars used the 3.6 litre version of the Speed Six engine. Towards the end of 2003, the T350 had spawned a wilder version with cooling slots, spoilers and the 4.0 litre engine from the Tuscan S and was known as the Sagaris. It was planned that the Sagaris would run alongside and eventually take over from the Tuscan racer in the TVR Tuscan Challenge. The following year subtle changes were announced to the Tuscan which would become the Tuscan 2 and an all new version would be produced, the Tuscan 2 convertible.
TVR T350
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TVR Tuscan 2 Convertible
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Almost running in parallel to the development of the road cars was the competition department which having cut its teeth on the Tuscan racer and then the Speed 12 through the 90s, looked towards Le Mans. First off was the Tuscan R which appeared at the 2000 Motor Show and although it was shown as a road car that you could take racing, it quickly became an out and out race car and was first seen on the track in 2001 before being renamed the T400R (and occasionally T440R). Development continued the following year until in June 2003, two De Walt liveried T400Rs rolled across the start line for the first time that TVR had been there for 41 years. Sadly, as the history books show, neither car finished but they were back 12 months later in the hands of Synergy Chamberlain Motorsport and this time, to the purple wearing crowd’s delight, both cars crossed the finishing line after 24 hours.
TVR T400R at Le Mans 2004
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TVR T400R at Le Mans 2004
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Nikolai Smolenski
Shortly after this, the TVR world heard a surprise announcement. The company had been sold. The new owner was a young Russian entrepreneur called Nikolai Smolenski and he set about building upon the sterling work that his predecessor had achieved in the past 22 years. With major inroads being made into product development and quality control, the new cars that emerged from Bristol Avenue over the next two years were the best engineered TVRs ever and with a secure financial grounding, the future looked rosy for the company with announcements of a brand new new purpose-built production facility to be constructed at South Shore near to Blackpool airport, together with a move of the company headquarters to a new facility in Lancaster to include a TVR museum. in July 2006, the announcement was made that that the world renowned engineering company Ricardo had been brought onboard to develop the Speed Six engine to meet Euro 5 (LEVII) compliance which would enable Nikolai to realise his plans to make TVR a world beater rather than just simply focussing principally on the UK market.
Proposed TVR Typhoon
However, for a variety of reasons, sales fell off during 2006 and with it so did the plans for TVR's future. The company was initially split into a smaller number of companies including TVR Engineering, TVR Cars Distribution Ltd and Blackpool Automotive, the latter comprising the manufacturing division at Bristol Avenue. The announcement was made on 18 October 2006 that although the company headquarters would remain in Britain, assembly would be outsourced overseas. Over the next few months, speculation was rife amongst enthusiasts as to where this outsourcing would leave the manufacturing division, ranging from Eastern Europe to South Africa with most people believing that it would be Bertone in Italy. However, to date that has been nothing but pure conjecture and no confirmation has been made. During all of this however they also announced that an all new 600bhp supercar, the Typhoon, would be launched at the 2007 Geneva motorshow as reported exclusively by TVR MD David Oxley in the October 2006 issue of TVR Sprint.
The really bitter blow to TVR enthusiasts came on Friday 22 December 2006 when it was announced that Blackpool Automotive had gone into receivership. There was also speculation at the time that the moulds for Sagaris and Tuscan II had been shipped overseas whlst the intelectual property rights and trademarks had been transferred to one of the other arms of the company. However, PKF Ltd, the company appointed to act as receivers, dispelled these rumousr when on 2 February 2007, they placed Blackpool Automotive for sale, including the TVR trademark, in a sealed bid auction. Nikolai then bought back the company - and most importantly the intellectual propertiy rights to the name TVR - for a fraction of what he originally paid for it in 2004.
Rumours then continued throughout 2007 and early 2008 of will he won't he start rebuilding cars. But the exciting news that we had all been waiting for was when these rumours started to come to fruition. Firstly there were these photos of a barn "just outside Blackpool" published on the discussion forums on this website:
The really bitter blow to TVR enthusiasts came on Friday 22 December 2006 when it was announced that Blackpool Automotive had gone into receivership. There was also speculation at the time that the moulds for Sagaris and Tuscan II had been shipped overseas whlst the intelectual property rights and trademarks had been transferred to one of the other arms of the company. However, PKF Ltd, the company appointed to act as receivers, dispelled these rumousr when on 2 February 2007, they placed Blackpool Automotive for sale, including the TVR trademark, in a sealed bid auction. Nikolai then bought back the company - and most importantly the intellectual propertiy rights to the name TVR - for a fraction of what he originally paid for it in 2004.
Rumours then continued throughout 2007 and early 2008 of will he won't he start rebuilding cars. But the exciting news that we had all been waiting for was when these rumours started to come to fruition. Firstly there were these photos of a barn "just outside Blackpool" published on the discussion forums on this website:
Trevor Wilkinson, RIP. 1923-2008 Founder of TVRTrevor Wilkinson, the quiet, unassuming man who first built the car that now carries the three main letters from his name, passed away peacefully in a Menorcan hospital on 6 June 2008. Click here to download the original TVRCC press release covering this sad news. The Telegraph version is here.
Alternatively, click below to listen to the BBC Radio 4 tribute that appeared on The Final Word. |
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TVR at Wesham
Then in June 2008, the Club were approached by David Oxley of TVR and invited to attend an exclusive preview of the new Sagaris 2. The Club was extremely fortunate to have been invited to this as the only other attendees were Dealer Principals; no other members of the press or representatives from other websites were present.
From an overwhelming number of applicants who wanted to attend this event, some 60 Club members' names were drawn out of a hat and these then met on 10 July 2008 at the new TVR development facility in Wesham near to Blackpool from where they drove in convoy to the Great Hall at Mains where they had the opportunity at first hand to view the new car.
You can download the Club report on this exclusive event which was uploaded to this site live from the preview by clicking here.
From an overwhelming number of applicants who wanted to attend this event, some 60 Club members' names were drawn out of a hat and these then met on 10 July 2008 at the new TVR development facility in Wesham near to Blackpool from where they drove in convoy to the Great Hall at Mains where they had the opportunity at first hand to view the new car.
You can download the Club report on this exclusive event which was uploaded to this site live from the preview by clicking here.
From this – Trevor’s own sketch of TVR 1
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To this - TVR Sagaris 2 July 2008
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Unfortunately nothing more came from this relaunch and from then until 2012 various rumours were promulgated on various internet website and in the media but all came to naught. The final nail in TVR's coffin appeared to come in July 2012 when Nikolai's holding company announced that the future of the TVR brand lay in offshore windfarm technology. TVR RIP.
But like the phoenix from the ashes, TVR was to rise again. On 6 June 2013, five years to the day since we lost Trevor, it was announced that the whole of TVR had been sold to a British company; eventually the owner of this company was also revealed, IT entrepreneur and sports car enthusiast, Mr Les Edgar.
Les who made his money initially as a compueter game designer, quckly found himself as the European Vice President of EA Games before turning his attention to Aston Martin and proceeded to build and develop the team that in just three years, took a class win in GT1 at Le Mans with the DBR9. The ideal man to take TVR forward? We think so.
Following the announcement at the November NEC Classic Motor Show that TVR was launching the heritage parts service to keep the existing cars on the road, initially from Griffith onwards but very soon extended to all TVRs, it was with great excitement that news of the new TVR was released to the public, through the TVRCC, on 3 June 2015. For full details, click here.
The knockers will still say that TVRs are unreliable. But we that own them, drive them and love them know better. And we are confident that TVR is in good hands...
But like the phoenix from the ashes, TVR was to rise again. On 6 June 2013, five years to the day since we lost Trevor, it was announced that the whole of TVR had been sold to a British company; eventually the owner of this company was also revealed, IT entrepreneur and sports car enthusiast, Mr Les Edgar.
Les who made his money initially as a compueter game designer, quckly found himself as the European Vice President of EA Games before turning his attention to Aston Martin and proceeded to build and develop the team that in just three years, took a class win in GT1 at Le Mans with the DBR9. The ideal man to take TVR forward? We think so.
Following the announcement at the November NEC Classic Motor Show that TVR was launching the heritage parts service to keep the existing cars on the road, initially from Griffith onwards but very soon extended to all TVRs, it was with great excitement that news of the new TVR was released to the public, through the TVRCC, on 3 June 2015. For full details, click here.
The knockers will still say that TVRs are unreliable. But we that own them, drive them and love them know better. And we are confident that TVR is in good hands...
2015 - TVR to take deposits for new car, and TVR Car Club Members get a discount
TVR Cars started taking deposits on its recently announced new sports car, effective from July 7th 2015.
Decision taken as a direct reaction to the incredible public response generated by the recent announcement of the new car.
Priority scheme and reduced deposit offered to established TVR Car Club members in celebration of its 50 year anniversary.
The discounted deposit offer for TVRCC members ended on July 31st 2015
1st July 2015: Hot on the heels of the news that TVR is to launch an all-new car in 2017, the company has decided that it will start taking deposits for the car from July 7th, 2015. The decision, which has come sooner than originally anticipated, has been made as a direct result of the huge, positive, public reaction generated by announcement that the company will launch the incredible new car. Designed in conjunction with Gordon Murray Design and featuring a Cosworth V8 engine, sports car enthusiasts the world over are lining up to buy what promises to be one of the most exciting new sports cars of the decade.
John Chasey, Operations Director of TVR, says: “We’ve been totally blown away by the reaction to the new car. Our phone lines and online enquiry system went into meltdown when the news was announced, and we decided that we must begin to bring a structure to the enquiries and build a delivery pipeline well in advance of production. Volumes in year one will be limited as we ramp up production, so this allows us to reward those individuals prepared to make a financial commitment at this early stage.”
TVR will take a £5,000 deposit from all interested parties, with detailed specifications to be established at a later stage. However, the company has also announced that it will offer a limited quantity of reduced deposits to TVR Car Club members during July as a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Car Club and as a thank you to the established individuals who have demonstrated continued enthusiasm and loyalty to the brand. Anyone who has been a member of the club for more than 6 months will be offered the opportunity to pay a £2,500 deposit, and TVR will also make a financial donation to the TVR Car Club for each deposit taken from a member.
Les Edgar, Chairman of TVR, says: “We feel it is important to reward those people who have been such enthusiastic ambassadors for the TVR brand. The club is a wonderfully active and loyal community of people who simply love the cars, so it seems fitting that they should be offered a reduced deposit and a promise of some of the early production units. With initial production in 2017 to be in the low hundreds, the early units are likely to be much coveted.”
The company is currently working on building and establishing its UK network of TVR Heritage and TVR Performance partners, many of which will have previously been TVR main dealers, whilst suitable new partners are also being sought. Most of the early cars will be delivered direct from the factory, although a referral scheme will be put in place to reward the network partners for their loyalty to the brand and to assist them in establishing relationships with the new customers in their locality.
For the latest details please visit www.tvr.co.uk
Decision taken as a direct reaction to the incredible public response generated by the recent announcement of the new car.
Priority scheme and reduced deposit offered to established TVR Car Club members in celebration of its 50 year anniversary.
The discounted deposit offer for TVRCC members ended on July 31st 2015
1st July 2015: Hot on the heels of the news that TVR is to launch an all-new car in 2017, the company has decided that it will start taking deposits for the car from July 7th, 2015. The decision, which has come sooner than originally anticipated, has been made as a direct result of the huge, positive, public reaction generated by announcement that the company will launch the incredible new car. Designed in conjunction with Gordon Murray Design and featuring a Cosworth V8 engine, sports car enthusiasts the world over are lining up to buy what promises to be one of the most exciting new sports cars of the decade.
John Chasey, Operations Director of TVR, says: “We’ve been totally blown away by the reaction to the new car. Our phone lines and online enquiry system went into meltdown when the news was announced, and we decided that we must begin to bring a structure to the enquiries and build a delivery pipeline well in advance of production. Volumes in year one will be limited as we ramp up production, so this allows us to reward those individuals prepared to make a financial commitment at this early stage.”
TVR will take a £5,000 deposit from all interested parties, with detailed specifications to be established at a later stage. However, the company has also announced that it will offer a limited quantity of reduced deposits to TVR Car Club members during July as a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Car Club and as a thank you to the established individuals who have demonstrated continued enthusiasm and loyalty to the brand. Anyone who has been a member of the club for more than 6 months will be offered the opportunity to pay a £2,500 deposit, and TVR will also make a financial donation to the TVR Car Club for each deposit taken from a member.
Les Edgar, Chairman of TVR, says: “We feel it is important to reward those people who have been such enthusiastic ambassadors for the TVR brand. The club is a wonderfully active and loyal community of people who simply love the cars, so it seems fitting that they should be offered a reduced deposit and a promise of some of the early production units. With initial production in 2017 to be in the low hundreds, the early units are likely to be much coveted.”
The company is currently working on building and establishing its UK network of TVR Heritage and TVR Performance partners, many of which will have previously been TVR main dealers, whilst suitable new partners are also being sought. Most of the early cars will be delivered direct from the factory, although a referral scheme will be put in place to reward the network partners for their loyalty to the brand and to assist them in establishing relationships with the new customers in their locality.
For the latest details please visit www.tvr.co.uk
What TVR have said about the new car:
When settling on the specification for the all-new TVR we had certain essential criteria in mind.
The new car had to be:
We are privileged to be reviving this great British marque in such an exceptional way. TVR will deliver dreams, so join us on the journey to realise yours!
The new car had to be:
- British in every way
- True to TVR’s DNA and heritage
- V8, front-engined with manual transmission & rear wheel drive
- A two seat coupe/convertible
- Breathtaking in appearance and performance
- Incredible value for money
We are privileged to be reviving this great British marque in such an exceptional way. TVR will deliver dreams, so join us on the journey to realise yours!
PRESS RELEASE: TVR to unveil new car at Goodwood Revival in September 2017TVR announces that it will unveil its new car to the public at the Goodwood Revival on 8th September. TVR is the first car manufacturer to launch a brand new vehicle at the world-renowned Revival event. To celebrate the marque’s 70th anniversary, the new car will be accompanied by a display of historic TVRs. With only 500 Launch Edition cars earmarked for production, TVR will soon stop taking further orders until the public unveiling
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5th June, 2017: The iconic British sports car maker, TVR, is delighted to announce that it will be unveiling its eagerly awaited new sports car to the public at the Goodwood Revival on 8-10 September, 2017.
Created in conjunction with Gordon Murray Design, the 1200 kg car promises incredible 200mph performance and 0-60mph in less than 4 seconds. With the special launch edition car being offered at under £90,000, anticipation and demand for the 400BHP per tonne, five-litre, Cosworth developed V8-powered car is already at fever-pitch.
The unveiling of the car at the Goodwood Revival is a first for the world-renowned Sussex-based event. The new car will go on display in the ‘Earls Court’ building at the Revival, and will be showcased at the centre of a display which features a number of older, heritage TVRs, in celebration of the British marque’s 70th anniversary.
Speaking of the planned public launch, Les Edgar, Chairman of TVR said: “We are incredibly excited to be unveiling the new car at the Goodwood Revival. It’s the first time a global launch of a new car has occurred at the event, and it seems an entirely appropriate place for us to do it, with the marque’s motorsport heritage and an enthusiastic audience of dedicated car fans – and in our 70th anniversary year. After a series of secret private viewings organised for the benefit of existing customers for the new car, we know that we have a surefire hit on our hands, and very much look forward to seeing the public reaction in September.”
Speaking on behalf of the Revival, Lord March said, “We are delighted that TVR will feature so strongly over the Revival weekend this year. It is entirely fitting that TVR, as such an iconic British marque, should unveil what will be a very exciting entrant to the global sports car market at our iconic British event and I very much look forward to welcoming them to the Revival in September”.
TVR has held back a small allocation of the 500 Launch Edition cars for the public unveiling, so will soon close the order book, before re-opening it on the 8th September.
Created in conjunction with Gordon Murray Design, the 1200 kg car promises incredible 200mph performance and 0-60mph in less than 4 seconds. With the special launch edition car being offered at under £90,000, anticipation and demand for the 400BHP per tonne, five-litre, Cosworth developed V8-powered car is already at fever-pitch.
The unveiling of the car at the Goodwood Revival is a first for the world-renowned Sussex-based event. The new car will go on display in the ‘Earls Court’ building at the Revival, and will be showcased at the centre of a display which features a number of older, heritage TVRs, in celebration of the British marque’s 70th anniversary.
Speaking of the planned public launch, Les Edgar, Chairman of TVR said: “We are incredibly excited to be unveiling the new car at the Goodwood Revival. It’s the first time a global launch of a new car has occurred at the event, and it seems an entirely appropriate place for us to do it, with the marque’s motorsport heritage and an enthusiastic audience of dedicated car fans – and in our 70th anniversary year. After a series of secret private viewings organised for the benefit of existing customers for the new car, we know that we have a surefire hit on our hands, and very much look forward to seeing the public reaction in September.”
Speaking on behalf of the Revival, Lord March said, “We are delighted that TVR will feature so strongly over the Revival weekend this year. It is entirely fitting that TVR, as such an iconic British marque, should unveil what will be a very exciting entrant to the global sports car market at our iconic British event and I very much look forward to welcoming them to the Revival in September”.
TVR has held back a small allocation of the 500 Launch Edition cars for the public unveiling, so will soon close the order book, before re-opening it on the 8th September.
TVR Factory Updates
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20 June 2019 - Read here about the Welsh Government's Tech Valleys programme in which aims at creating 1,500 jobs in Blaenau Gwent and the surrounding area. The scheme includes the planned relocation of TVR to the site in Ebbw Vale and is intended to boost employment in the area it will also involve £100 million invested over a 10-year period - South Wales Argus
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Latest Announcements from TVR
30 August 2019 - Dear All, Can Silence be Golden?
It’s been a little while since the last update and we do know that silence is not always golden, but we have been off our feet.
Real progress has been made in the face of significant challenges – the wheels of government grind ever so slowly onwards, but onwards nonetheless, albeit sometimes in a slightly different direction than you may have been led to believe!
Of course we realise it’s been quiet, and never want to mislead any of our supporters. As ever we only bring you news when it’s news - not spin, but we understand that the silence often leads to frustrations. Luckily, the vast majority are willing to wait for a ‘great thing’…and we’re going to deliver it! Thanks to everybody who continues to be part of the history of TVR – you’re going to get a fantastic TVR-designed car, engineered by legendary Gordon Murray CBE, and powered by a mega V8 - what’s not worth waiting for??!
We’ve Always made plain Ebbw Vale is core to our strategy and, as we’ve mentioned previously,the factory is proceeding more slowly than we would like and whilst we are achieving forward momentum, sometimes bureaucratic processes that are designed to assist actually hamper. At last, we are very pleased to announce that we are appointing Jones Brothers (Henllan) in respect of our element of the factory refurbishment and fit-out plans for the site in Ebbw Vale!
Jones Brothers ( jbhl.co.uk ) have extensive and broad experience in the construction and civil engineering sector, as well as being local boys and leaders in their field for nearly 50 years. The range of projects they have worked on in the past is not limited to buildings either, with highway construction being part of their repertoire together with some great projects such as working on the Swansea City Training Academy amongst others. With their highways experience it raised a few suggestions in the canteen over what is done with the perimeter road around the factory for car ‘testing’ … thinking about that, now’s the time for some cool suggestions for things the factory should have – a set of Carlos Fandango wheels goes to the best idea submitted – 2 sets for second place!
Actually, Jones Bros. are a delight to work with and I have the utmost faith that they will produce a facility unlike that of any other sports car manufacturer. The handover of your car at the factory will be an experience, the like of which you are unlikely to find anywhere else.
We understand from Mr Jones that the refurbishment works, repairs to the building itself and fit-out are relatively straightforward, although I’m sure there’ll be some unexpected stuff along the way. We are now waiting to confirm the anticipated start of works on site and, ultimately, the project completion date which will give us (and you!) the necessary info to plan for Start of Production.
Returning to major matters of moment, we’ve always made plain that we have Global ambitions, this is where the long-term, bigger picture lies, not least given Brexit, and this is what has been occupying huge amounts of attention of our small but nimble team. Not to detract from Ebbw Vale, but nor let Ebbw Vale pull us back from our attentions in that direction.
To compete effectively on the worldwide stage on a standalone basis is not something you can do from Walliswood or indeed Ebbw Vale, you need a serious global partner. We have had a number of serious offers but I have to choose the right partner for all of us. TVR is not a brand that I want dissolving into another name. I feel a personal duty to keep the name alive, individual and unique. I look at some sports cars these days and get so confused as to the brand and model - I am determined that will not be TVR. As is often the case, we thought we were ‘there’ with two counterparties (this in fact was the ‘Big News’ we alluded to in a previous update) but for the reasons above, the deals and the counterparties weren’t right. We’re determined not to compromise, even if it means delay, as we’ve always said, and we aren’t going to back off or fail to deliver.
Please remember that all of the team at TVR have skin in the game – we put our own money into this, our own blood, sweat and tears – it’s not just business, it’s very personal for us. Of course, we have to make money to survive and grow and, for all the reasons previously explained, the cash requirement has grown. That means raising more than we had planned in order to grow our business in the way we need to. We’re doing that and now working on the best alternatives. We appreciate that our focus on getting it ‘right’ rather than ‘quick’ means there’s now a stretch between expectation when we were pressed to open the depositor book and current expectation, which we’ll minimise so far as we can while maintaining that focus on ‘rightness’
Actually, Silence is Golden
As a reward to our faithful early supporters who are such an important part of our journey - keeping the faith alongside us in the resurrection of this iconic marque and delivery of this awesome machine - we are devising a scheme to say thank you.
Next month we will let you have details of our proposals to reward those who have been so supportive, those who have placed deposits with us (some before they knew even the most basic details of the new car, or that it would be the next Griffith!). It will reflect our thanks and hopefully acknowledge your support! We are even looking into the issue of (free!) shares to our faithful deposit holders (subject to regulatory requirements)…
In other news….
Fancy being a little alternative?
Here’s something for those overly concerned they won’t be able to drive into cities with a fire-breathing V8 unless they have Hybrid credentials…we’ve got ‘em! It’s probably the case that it will be mandatory to have a hybrid bit nailed to your car for some geographies, even if you don’t believe the powers that be have really thought this whole ecology thing through. Our powertrain partner is Ford, so don’t panic, we’ve got it covered. Note, other food blenders are available!
Next month we’ll update you on all of the above and more.
All the best
Les
TVR Manufacturing Ltd
Also some images of the latest versions of the seats.
It’s been a little while since the last update and we do know that silence is not always golden, but we have been off our feet.
Real progress has been made in the face of significant challenges – the wheels of government grind ever so slowly onwards, but onwards nonetheless, albeit sometimes in a slightly different direction than you may have been led to believe!
Of course we realise it’s been quiet, and never want to mislead any of our supporters. As ever we only bring you news when it’s news - not spin, but we understand that the silence often leads to frustrations. Luckily, the vast majority are willing to wait for a ‘great thing’…and we’re going to deliver it! Thanks to everybody who continues to be part of the history of TVR – you’re going to get a fantastic TVR-designed car, engineered by legendary Gordon Murray CBE, and powered by a mega V8 - what’s not worth waiting for??!
We’ve Always made plain Ebbw Vale is core to our strategy and, as we’ve mentioned previously,the factory is proceeding more slowly than we would like and whilst we are achieving forward momentum, sometimes bureaucratic processes that are designed to assist actually hamper. At last, we are very pleased to announce that we are appointing Jones Brothers (Henllan) in respect of our element of the factory refurbishment and fit-out plans for the site in Ebbw Vale!
Jones Brothers ( jbhl.co.uk ) have extensive and broad experience in the construction and civil engineering sector, as well as being local boys and leaders in their field for nearly 50 years. The range of projects they have worked on in the past is not limited to buildings either, with highway construction being part of their repertoire together with some great projects such as working on the Swansea City Training Academy amongst others. With their highways experience it raised a few suggestions in the canteen over what is done with the perimeter road around the factory for car ‘testing’ … thinking about that, now’s the time for some cool suggestions for things the factory should have – a set of Carlos Fandango wheels goes to the best idea submitted – 2 sets for second place!
Actually, Jones Bros. are a delight to work with and I have the utmost faith that they will produce a facility unlike that of any other sports car manufacturer. The handover of your car at the factory will be an experience, the like of which you are unlikely to find anywhere else.
We understand from Mr Jones that the refurbishment works, repairs to the building itself and fit-out are relatively straightforward, although I’m sure there’ll be some unexpected stuff along the way. We are now waiting to confirm the anticipated start of works on site and, ultimately, the project completion date which will give us (and you!) the necessary info to plan for Start of Production.
Returning to major matters of moment, we’ve always made plain that we have Global ambitions, this is where the long-term, bigger picture lies, not least given Brexit, and this is what has been occupying huge amounts of attention of our small but nimble team. Not to detract from Ebbw Vale, but nor let Ebbw Vale pull us back from our attentions in that direction.
To compete effectively on the worldwide stage on a standalone basis is not something you can do from Walliswood or indeed Ebbw Vale, you need a serious global partner. We have had a number of serious offers but I have to choose the right partner for all of us. TVR is not a brand that I want dissolving into another name. I feel a personal duty to keep the name alive, individual and unique. I look at some sports cars these days and get so confused as to the brand and model - I am determined that will not be TVR. As is often the case, we thought we were ‘there’ with two counterparties (this in fact was the ‘Big News’ we alluded to in a previous update) but for the reasons above, the deals and the counterparties weren’t right. We’re determined not to compromise, even if it means delay, as we’ve always said, and we aren’t going to back off or fail to deliver.
Please remember that all of the team at TVR have skin in the game – we put our own money into this, our own blood, sweat and tears – it’s not just business, it’s very personal for us. Of course, we have to make money to survive and grow and, for all the reasons previously explained, the cash requirement has grown. That means raising more than we had planned in order to grow our business in the way we need to. We’re doing that and now working on the best alternatives. We appreciate that our focus on getting it ‘right’ rather than ‘quick’ means there’s now a stretch between expectation when we were pressed to open the depositor book and current expectation, which we’ll minimise so far as we can while maintaining that focus on ‘rightness’
Actually, Silence is Golden
As a reward to our faithful early supporters who are such an important part of our journey - keeping the faith alongside us in the resurrection of this iconic marque and delivery of this awesome machine - we are devising a scheme to say thank you.
Next month we will let you have details of our proposals to reward those who have been so supportive, those who have placed deposits with us (some before they knew even the most basic details of the new car, or that it would be the next Griffith!). It will reflect our thanks and hopefully acknowledge your support! We are even looking into the issue of (free!) shares to our faithful deposit holders (subject to regulatory requirements)…
In other news….
Fancy being a little alternative?
Here’s something for those overly concerned they won’t be able to drive into cities with a fire-breathing V8 unless they have Hybrid credentials…we’ve got ‘em! It’s probably the case that it will be mandatory to have a hybrid bit nailed to your car for some geographies, even if you don’t believe the powers that be have really thought this whole ecology thing through. Our powertrain partner is Ford, so don’t panic, we’ve got it covered. Note, other food blenders are available!
Next month we’ll update you on all of the above and more.
All the best
Les
TVR Manufacturing Ltd
Also some images of the latest versions of the seats.
TVR Manufacturing Update - Dec 2020 - A major step forward...
Since we were last in touch, we’ve all had to go 'back into lockdown and out again and now back in again', which naturally presented us with a number of personal and operational challenges; nevertheless we have managed to make great strides over the last few months.
We were determined to only get back to you with substantive, positive news, and I am delighted to report that now we have just that…
Big news from Wales
After extensive liaison with our partners in the Welsh Government, we are thrilled (and not a little relieved!) to announce that the factory renovation and enhancement scheme finally received planning permission late last month. This was a long process that ran throughout summer and autumn, primarily because there was a need for additional bat surveys – yes, the factory currently has some tiny squatters…
The news gets better!
Although the Welsh Government had previously confirmed that there was a successful tender for the works to our new factory, we learned today that it has awarded the renovation contract to Jones Brothers (Henllan) Ltd., and that they expect works on site to begin in mid January. This is a fantastic milestone for us to have achieved, and has taken far longer than any of us would have thought, but we hope that you will now be feeling as optimistic as we all are.
A significant amount of work on the factory is anticipated, including replacement of the main building’s roof, recladding of the entire building, extensive groundworks and also preparation of a prototype build area at the side of the main production area, so this will not be an overnight task. Nevertheless, we expect to take possession of the prototype build area early in Q3 2021, and will confirm timing for the full factory fit-out and production preparation as soon as we are able.
So, what does this mean?
Assuming Jones Brothers don’t come across any additional nasty surprises, we aim to start producing a number of prototypes for the Griffith in Q4 next year, and remain very much focused on timing of the start of production of customer cars, and we’ll be aiming to name that date just as soon as possible.
Autocar: sharing our vision with Steve Cropley
While COVID-19 did its best to wreck our summer plans to be out and about with Griffith at various events and TVRCC meet-ups, we did manage to host one of the world’s most respected automotive journalists at our facilities in Surrey. We spent the best part of a full day bringing Steve up to date on our progress to date, our continuing challenges with getting Griffith into production, and our plans for the future.
With a career spanning some 40 years or so, he has seen perhaps all car companies pass through the full gamut of fortunes, so it was encouraging to get his verdict on us:
“TVR cars have a persona that’s well understood, and the reborn company’s desirable-looking first product, the Griffith, does nothing to shake that understanding. Best of all, it has supporters and potential buyers who have already shown impressive loyalty by stumping up actual deposits. These are huge advantages....
...TVR’s management have been steadfast so far in coping with difficulties. So, I’m backing them to make a convincing, saleable car - and look forward to driving one this time in 2022.”
If you missed the original publication, you can find the full article here.
Extensive testing continues…
One of the things we’re focused on is the day-to-day practicality of Griffith – it’s all well and good having a fabulous looking car with stunning performance, but we need to ensure that it’s great to live with and drives as a TVR should, both on the road and on the track.
So, we’ve been racking up the miles during late summer and autumn, from our Surrey HQ and extensive testing through the Sussex Downs and at the gloriously grippy - and famously fast - Goodwood circuit. In fact, you may have spotted us whilst we were down there for a quick visit during Speedweek. The car continues to acquit itself admirably in all environments, I'm pleased to report, and attracts welcome comment and approval from onlookers and the drivers of equivalent machinery alike! More photos are here
Watch out for…
…more media exposure just as soon as the works start at the factory in Rassau in the New Year…
Until then, we sincerely hope that you and yours remain in fine spirits and fit and well, particularly as we all look forward to a break over the Festive period from all that 2020 has thrown at us!
All the best, and thanks as ever for your ongoing support, it is greatly valued and appreciated.
Les
TVR Manufacturing Ltd
We were determined to only get back to you with substantive, positive news, and I am delighted to report that now we have just that…
Big news from Wales
After extensive liaison with our partners in the Welsh Government, we are thrilled (and not a little relieved!) to announce that the factory renovation and enhancement scheme finally received planning permission late last month. This was a long process that ran throughout summer and autumn, primarily because there was a need for additional bat surveys – yes, the factory currently has some tiny squatters…
The news gets better!
Although the Welsh Government had previously confirmed that there was a successful tender for the works to our new factory, we learned today that it has awarded the renovation contract to Jones Brothers (Henllan) Ltd., and that they expect works on site to begin in mid January. This is a fantastic milestone for us to have achieved, and has taken far longer than any of us would have thought, but we hope that you will now be feeling as optimistic as we all are.
A significant amount of work on the factory is anticipated, including replacement of the main building’s roof, recladding of the entire building, extensive groundworks and also preparation of a prototype build area at the side of the main production area, so this will not be an overnight task. Nevertheless, we expect to take possession of the prototype build area early in Q3 2021, and will confirm timing for the full factory fit-out and production preparation as soon as we are able.
So, what does this mean?
Assuming Jones Brothers don’t come across any additional nasty surprises, we aim to start producing a number of prototypes for the Griffith in Q4 next year, and remain very much focused on timing of the start of production of customer cars, and we’ll be aiming to name that date just as soon as possible.
Autocar: sharing our vision with Steve Cropley
While COVID-19 did its best to wreck our summer plans to be out and about with Griffith at various events and TVRCC meet-ups, we did manage to host one of the world’s most respected automotive journalists at our facilities in Surrey. We spent the best part of a full day bringing Steve up to date on our progress to date, our continuing challenges with getting Griffith into production, and our plans for the future.
With a career spanning some 40 years or so, he has seen perhaps all car companies pass through the full gamut of fortunes, so it was encouraging to get his verdict on us:
“TVR cars have a persona that’s well understood, and the reborn company’s desirable-looking first product, the Griffith, does nothing to shake that understanding. Best of all, it has supporters and potential buyers who have already shown impressive loyalty by stumping up actual deposits. These are huge advantages....
...TVR’s management have been steadfast so far in coping with difficulties. So, I’m backing them to make a convincing, saleable car - and look forward to driving one this time in 2022.”
If you missed the original publication, you can find the full article here.
Extensive testing continues…
One of the things we’re focused on is the day-to-day practicality of Griffith – it’s all well and good having a fabulous looking car with stunning performance, but we need to ensure that it’s great to live with and drives as a TVR should, both on the road and on the track.
So, we’ve been racking up the miles during late summer and autumn, from our Surrey HQ and extensive testing through the Sussex Downs and at the gloriously grippy - and famously fast - Goodwood circuit. In fact, you may have spotted us whilst we were down there for a quick visit during Speedweek. The car continues to acquit itself admirably in all environments, I'm pleased to report, and attracts welcome comment and approval from onlookers and the drivers of equivalent machinery alike! More photos are here
Watch out for…
…more media exposure just as soon as the works start at the factory in Rassau in the New Year…
Until then, we sincerely hope that you and yours remain in fine spirits and fit and well, particularly as we all look forward to a break over the Festive period from all that 2020 has thrown at us!
All the best, and thanks as ever for your ongoing support, it is greatly valued and appreciated.
Les
TVR Manufacturing Ltd
