Petem95

BBC NEWS | England | Lancashire | Concern over car maker's future

Apparently administrators were called in Friday. I know a lot of people who rant on about how theyre rubbish build etc, and everyone who wants a sports car should just buy a Porsche, but it was nice having a choice - and especially one with some character that was British made too.

RIP!

SwissTony

iTrader: (19)

real shame.....

RLE

iTrader: (2)

On the cards but still a great shame

SCD Simon

iTrader: (1)

I think they look/sound awesome

andythejock01wrx

V sad ! Fun little cars. Lots of go for the cash, and yes, British !

carl

Not the first time they've been bust though. And Aston Martin have been to the receivers a few times, too.

cookstar

iTrader: (6)

There was talk of a Russian buying out TVR a while ago, not headr anymore about that.

Petem95

He bought it... and didnt handle things too well it seems...

Would be surprised if Peter Wheeler bought it back for millions less than he sold it for a couple of years back! Would be a case of fair play if he did!

If they continued with the superb designs and quirky details, but brought in a a big V8 from the Corvette or something they'd be onto a winner I reckon. I dont know why they ever went the way of doing their own engines - just wasnt worth it for such a low volume.

SCD Simon

iTrader: (1)

IIRC a young Russian chap did buy it a while ago.

cookstar

iTrader: (6)

Oh, I look a bit silly now

richie001

iTrader: (3)

he did looks like he did a poor job

pslewis

If you sell a ****e product then you WILL go out of business!!

Yes, I loved the look of them, yes - I loved the sound they made .........

I watched a friend turn into a jibbering wreck with the absolute ****e build quality ... while I enjoyed summer days in my MX5, he sat in his garden with the TVR looking marvellous but going nowhere, AGAIN!!!

I cannot feel sorry for people who throw **** together and then cry when they lose their jobs/company .................................. I shall not miss the name TVR!

Now, all we need is Alfa and the french crap to go the same way and we may have cars that do what they say on the box - get you from A to B without breaking down!

BULLITT

And then everyone drives the same car and that would be boring.

Personally I'd have a TVR over any other sports car out there, regardless of whats supposed to be wrong with them.

unclebuck

New Labour - New Britain.


"They have had a rollercoaster year during 2006 with many being laid off then taken back, then offered the hope of a new factory in the south of Blackpool, then laid off again and told that the business is going to close.
"This has been a dreadful way for the management to treat a workforce who have devoted themselves to building a wonderful sports car which is known throughout the world.

This country is great now.

Merry Christ... sorry I mean - 'winterval' Tony and friends....

BULLITT

Who else can see Tony and friends going the way of Mussolini? Or would that be wishful thinking?

Trout

iTrader: (1)

WTF has this got to do with New Labour.

Company makes decent cars - owner sees the end is nigh and sells out to a young Russian millionaire car nut to fund his pension. Sales dry up as mercurial designer/owner has left. Warranty claims overwhelm bank account, TVR goes bust.

Sounds like any old capitalist story to me.

Get out more - stop obsessing.

_Meridian_

iTrader: (1)

OK, I give up - WTF has this got to do with the government? Are you suggesting that we go back to the days of bailing out rubbish car manufacturers just because they are (sort of) British? Or do you just like whinging?


M

pslewis

UncleBuck is, without doubt, a Xmas ****

Trout

iTrader: (1)

That's complete rubbish Pete...









...it's the same all year around

Neanderthal

iTrader: (6)

Didn't Peter Wheeler keep the rights to the factory?
I wouldn't be surprised if he does buy it back and starts production again.

911

This is all almost routine to TVR, it has been puntuated by such events all it's life.
The car is very simple (compared to a modern 911) so should be simple to build reliably. Pete (L) is right and so are a few others here; build a poor product and Sales will go to someone who can make a reliable 35K sports car with high residuals and biuld quality, and there are a lot of offers out there.

Wheeler coming back will be a good thing, but will he get the backing?

Now, I think this is where the Country bit does have a role.
The Banks in the UK are such a breed that they only back winners with a short term posative return...TVR cannot realy give them a business plan with that ingredient can they?

They need a lot of luck in my opinion and some good people from the Peugeot plant/Jag plant who are real production/quality engineers who can make a product to match the flair but also stand alongside the might of Porsche/BMW/Corvettes and such like, bit of a tough order I feel.

Graham

Diesel

Well I had one and LOVED it for 5 years! A V8 S with no pesky Cats - used daily and did over 60k in it with very little bother. Ultimately sold it as servicing was expensive and lost about 6k

I think where they went wrong was with the more recent Max Power look - the cars were nothing to do with fiddly fashion before this, and the Griff looks as classically fab now as it did 10yrs ago.

Lets hope Wheeler buys it back for a song and reverts to being a bit more Classic British Sports Car about it all.

D

SiDHEaD

Hmmm might be able to get my Sagaris a bit quicker then, the prices may drop like they did with those Rover thingymajigs.

Trout

iTrader: (1)

Graham,

first of all Happy Christmas! I hope you have a great day

I have a couple of questions for you.

First of all regarding banks - the banks are lending out your money - so would you invest your mortgage or life savings on TVRs long term success?

And if it is not the bank - then perhaps the government. As Prime Minister how would you decide to save a couple of hundred jobs in Blackpool making luxury cars (that are not really exported so only really for the priviliged in this country) or perhaps saving a few souls in Africa or setting up a new school or hospital in an underpriviliged area? Tough isn't it.

Of course there is an argument that says that out balance of payments would improve as a few less luxury sports cars from Germany would be imported as there would be less homespun cars to buy - but the difference would be a handful and so at a macroeconomic level TVR will be mourned but not missed.

Of course if your investment plans are winging their way to Peter Wheeler as we speak then good luck to you

Rannoch

911

Take your ponints.

I just feel that the Banks can take a longer term view of these situations. Investments are all risky, and paybacks are not assured.
There are funds though that can be sent to high risk ventures, and new businesses must be high risk, but with TVR's long and short history the risk will be high. Perhaps i should have said Venture Capatilists want short term gains, not Barclays (etc)?

I hill climb with someone with a TVR who loves the thing, but the 'max power' description used above might be justified as it is very fussy and just a bit bling with side exhausts, drilled rear valances and other details.

The Rover engines Griffiths must have been the hayday car for them?

The appeal and the status of the Germans for 35K up sports cars cannot be ignored. Is there any interest in specialist cars like TVR now in a volume to keep a factory viable and able to pay its way and it's investors?

Not at all sure if this is reasonable, but in recent EVO magazines, the TVR range has all but dissapeared in road tests, long term tests etc.
That is a respectable mag and quite objective in its outlook.

A sign of the times?

Just got called down to to do my bit to Christmas day; the washing up, Phase One.

Happy Xmas!

Graham