Pissed off TVR owners converge on factory
Our friends at Hemmings came across an article in Blackpool Today that reports about an angry mob of TVR loyalists that are intent on voicing their opinion about the plant's closure en masse. A TVR club is organizing the convergence and is expecting over 7,000 members to show up in Blackpool on November 3rd.
Earlier in the month, Nikoloi Smolensky announced the impending closure of the plant and the fallout from locals, unions and the die-hard fans has been obvious.
If you're a reader and plan on attending the event, we'd ask you to bring along a camera and send us some shots here.
[Source: Hemming's Auto Blog and Blackpool Today]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Fabulo 4:42PM (10/31/2006)
"I bought your car! You owe me!"
"You already bought the car, I owe you nothin'! And besides, you're walking to the factory THAT IS CLOSING! Wouldn't you want to walk to the Golden Mansion of Nikoloi Smolensky in the heart of Russia? What is he gonna care you walk to the factory HE ALREADY DECIDED TO CLOSE! Now go away!"
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Big One 4:33PM (10/31/2006)
i love this car :)
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srivendel 4:47PM (10/31/2006)
What a shame that TVR has been run into the ground by a moronic Russian playboy. What a shame that Peter Wheeler basically took the money and ran. I always hoped TVR would make it to America. Instead it won't even make it to 2007. Pity.
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Huecifcer 5:09PM (10/31/2006)
Smolensky didn't run TVR into the ground. TVR was lucky to have someone resurrect it, even for only a few years (although, who knows, the brand's not gone yet). In my opinion, these people owe this entrepreneurial Russian some gratitude for having the capital and, frankly, the balls to attept to keep TVR alive. He has introduced new models and brought much needed attention to the faltering brand.
Look at it this way: TVR could have disappaeard more than two years ago instead of just moving...
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Chivo 5:10PM (10/31/2006)
TVR will cease to exist. People who bought TVR's were usually loyalists... the loyalists will not buy TVR's made outside of the UK.
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Andy 5:21PM (10/31/2006)
I remember when the TVR Griffith hit the streets back in the '90s. It was a beautiful sports car, one I place up there with the Jaguar XKE. It was gorgeous and purpose-built. I hope to import a used one someday. It is such a fine car. I can see why TVR owners are upset. TVR came back from the brink a decade ago; now it's about to crumble. TVR could find a new owner and experience another revival. We can only hope.
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pd 6:24PM (10/31/2006)
With Bertone building the cars and Ricardo building the engines, maybe they get the QUALITY under control. Something Smolensky has been trying to improve since he bought the company. Bring these cars up to US specs, and I'm sure they would sell more than the one or two a week that they do now!
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yeahright 8:07PM (10/31/2006)
That's odd. Autoblog is quick to delete comments that it considers rude. Yet "PISSED OFF" is perfectly acceptable in headlines.
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GhostDoggy 5:28AM (11/01/2006)
I'd attend the event if I could actually be allowed to own a TVR (1998 Cerbera 4.2) here in the states.
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Mark 2:05PM (11/01/2006)
I totally agree with number 5, half the point of TVR is there's something quintessentially British about them, one made outside the UK, although it would be essentially the same car, would lose a certain amount of it's charm.
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dan 2:22AM (12/30/2006)
porsche,ferrari,aston martin,and alot more i could name,none of them are british,do you all eat nothing but british produce??is everything you buy british,i think you'll find the answer is no,all british industry is dying and has been for years due to high costs of labour and tax's,so what if tvr isn't gonna be in this country,tvrs are sold in lots of other european countrys not just britain,if you like tvr's you'll buy one where ever there built,if you only buy a car cos of where its built thats rather sad like not buying a tele cos there all made in japan,i dont think tvr will disappear i think the product range will be expanded,maybe to boats,motor bikes,aswell as cars,Nikoloi is a business man he isn't interested in how much people moan about what he's doing,he's in it to make money and im sure he will,he owns a brand name and he can do what he likes with that badge now,like caterpiller diggers,making clothing its been proven,it works,it sells,what im saying is a badge like tvr can be put any where on anything and it will sell because its established name and a well known brand.
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