TVR plans to double production with entirely new lineup
Color us skeptical, but here's the latest on British sportscar builder TVR. Autocar is reporting that TVR plans to develop three new models, replacing its current Sagaris, Tuscan and Cerbera. The new models will use both TVR's own inline six-cylinder engine and an outsourced V8. In the vaporware department, a future luxury supercar is rumored for a couple of years down the road.
But wait, there's more... a TVR spokesperson says the currently factory-less company plans to make 5,000 cars a year - more than twice its previous peak output. Apparently this bumper crop of new TVRs is destined for new markets targeted by CEO Nikolai Smolensky, including Dubai, Malaysia and Singapore.
A new manufacturing site could be located in Wales, the Midlands, or "overseas," but in any event, production won't be up and running until this time next year.
[Source: Autocar]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Howard Kerr 11:10AM (5/05/2006)
It almost looks the new owner of TVR is doing what many people say that GM should do. That is, cease production, fire every employee, sell the factory(or in GM's case...factories), then start all over again with tax incentives that will surely be offered by whichever government REALLY wants a car factory as a new source of jobs.
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Gary 11:17AM (5/05/2006)
That "boy" is a genius then. Get rid of the BS and the unions and get people who want to work. I love it!!
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Ford Mustang 12:31PM (5/05/2006)
That rear skirt makes me think of swiss cheese.
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gbh 1:02PM (5/05/2006)
Smells much more like PR to allow time to maximize return on assets, and get himself out of the country without being lynched.
There is some slim chance it could be for real, I guess. The new target market appears to be the oil producer or drug dealer market - a customer base that never runs out of money, but is incredibly fickle.
Unless, of course, this is all about laundering the mob money anyway. Sorta like Lamborghini at one point in the not-too-distant past...
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Adam 1:18PM (5/05/2006)
Actually being factory-less is a benefit for a niche builder like TVR. Sub-contracting production is a very cost effective option. There are alot of good companies to handle your production, Lotus Engineering being a key British example.
I'm not a fan of TVR's engines, I'd prefer them to focus on what they do best; making a great looking car, inside and out. Give the production and mechanics to a company like Lotus and leave the reliability problems behind.
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Rence 2:17PM (5/05/2006)
Hm, not quite sure if such a 'big' lineup for such a small company is a good idea. They should follow Spykers formula, start with 1 model, make it really good, focus on quality and performance and use that model to crawl back out of the problem area. Then go from there with more models..
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