Yeah, so whatever happened with that TVR revival..?

"Niquemarshall" (dominiquemarshall) 09/22/2014 at 13:18 • Filed to: None

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Cherry_man1 > Niquemarshall 09/22/2014 at 13:19

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Nothing. (I don't know)

mr_gofast > Niquemarshall 09/22/2014 at 13:20

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as of the 30th of april

Plans to revive TVR are gathering pace. Owner Les Edgar confirmed the opening of a research and development centre in southern England to Autocar magazine on Tuesday, April 22. Edgar was cagey on the exact location of the facility and whether former employees would be involved in building TVR's single new model. Although its Blackpool factory remained closed, the company continued to produce turbine blades for wind-farms. Its old site was re-occupied by specialists for a short while and the local press reported on proposals to turn it into an ice-rink in 2012.

TVR breathed its last in November 2006 under Russian owner-investor Nikolai Smolenski. As the company faltered, promises to retain workers went unheeded. 158 jobs were lost when the Bristol Avenue factory shut its doors. Its website stayed online and a legal document stated that 'we do not manufacture new cars'. Last year a banner appeared in place of the statement, with the phrase 'Never Say Never' – fuelling rumours the company was about to make a re-appearance. 'The distant rumble of rumour has turned to thunder and TVR is back in Britain', gushed the website (issue 181 June 12). So, what's happened since then?

The bones of TVR was interred in a company called Blackpool Engineering (BE), which owned the name, manufacturing rights, blueprints, jigs and spares for previous TVR models. BE, created by Nikolai Smolenski to protect the interests of TVR as it stood, was purchased in June 2013 by a consortium of car enthusiasts headed by Les Edgar. Formerly of Bullfrog Games, a successful computer games publisher in the early 'Nineties, Edgar's three-man team began negotiating with Smolenski after previous approaches proved unsuccessful. The new TVR will make spares and expertise available to current owners, using established suppliers.

The partnership has been gathering a team of production specialists together since its buy-out of TVR was announced in 2013 and says it will be ready to launch a new car within the next three years. It's currently evaluating chassis designs, with traditional tubular spaceframes and a carbon fibre tub being debated. Drivetrain choices are similarly open-ended – previous cars from the Lilley and Wheeler era used Ford V6 and Rover V8 engines. It developed its own engines (the AJP series) when supplies of the former units dried up. If TVR want a new car to sell by 2017, outsourcing would speed up plans for production.

How much of a role Blackpool will play in TVR's future remains to be seen. The wealth of expertise and long history of manufacture at Bristol Avenue should not be ignored when returning this much-loved marque to our roads.

One way or another, TVR is back under British ownership. Its new owners are promising to take up from "where [previous owner] Peter Wheeler left off". With no previous experience of car manufacture, the new partnership has a mountain to climb, but the same was once said of Wheeler – and much of the TVR we recognise today stemmed from his legacy.

http://classic-car-buyer.co.uk/news/news-arch…

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > Niquemarshall 09/22/2014 at 13:25

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They're taking their time getting ready apparently, so that they're less likely to screw up by simply rushing out a new car. At least their website has been update since the last time I checked.

Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD > mr_gofast 09/22/2014 at 13:25

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What this guy says.

OPPOsaurus WRX > Niquemarshall 09/22/2014 at 13:27

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I always thought of TVR as a British Viper. To get back on their feet they should start building off of Viper chassis's. (think Telsa with the Elise but not necessarily electric) I bet there are a few Viper chassis's laying around that they could get for cheap. Make their own body and engine. Once they get going again they can have their own 100% model.

Goshen, formerly Darkcode > OPPOsaurus WRX 09/22/2014 at 16:01

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No, it's the Viper that is an American TVR.

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > OPPOsaurus WRX 09/22/2014 at 16:44

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No, it's Bristol that does that.