Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[TVR could make Corvette-powered 2012 comeback]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/10/17/tvr-could-return-in-2012-with-corvette-powered-md-1/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/10/17/tvr-could-return-in-2012-with-corvette-powered-md-1/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/10/17/tvr-could-return-in-2012-with-corvette-powered-md-1/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

1989 TVR Tasmin 400SE

Nikolai Smolenski's tenure as owner of TVR, the formerly revered maker of hairy-chested British sports cars, is nothing if not quizzical. He bought the company from late founder Peter Wheeler when it was in trouble, didn't do much with it, declared it bankrupt to clear its debts, then bought the company out of bankruptcy. Since then there's been little news save for a legal battle with a TVR remanufacturer and a couple of hints about using an American V8 to power the firm's next car.

The V8 issue has finally been decided: the Corvette's 638-horsepower LS9. The car it will go in is to be called the MD-1. A new question that has arisen, however, based on Smolenski's comment that he wants to "draw a line under the Wheeler era once and for all." Will the car be at all British? The MD-1 is being developed by a UK firm, but Smolenski says production could go to the Continent or South Africa just as easily.

Would a German-built, American-engined TVR still be a TVR like the Griffith and Chimera (or the Tasmin shown above)? Smolenski thinks TVR fans wouldn't think so, but he doesn't much care. He says, "What's important is to remain faithful to your brand values" no matter where you are. The MD-1 is expected to arrive in 2012, with just 250 made annually.

[Source: Pistonheads]

TVR could make Corvette-powered 2012 comeback originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 17 Oct 2010 09:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>md-1Nikolai Smolenskitvrtvr md-1tvr tuscanSun, 17 Oct 2010 09:37:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19676824/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/10/17/tvr-could-return-in-2012-with-corvette-powered-md-1/19676824/article-detail.xml 19676824 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/10/tasmin_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/10/tasmin.jpg <![CDATA[UK specialist looking to give TVR Tuscan a second life as Chevy-powered Titan]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/16/uk-specialist-looking-to-give-tvr-tuscan-a-second-life-as-chevy/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/16/uk-specialist-looking-to-give-tvr-tuscan-a-second-life-as-chevy/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/16/uk-specialist-looking-to-give-tvr-tuscan-a-second-life-as-chevy/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Classic World Racing TVR Titan - Click above for high-res image gallery

Might the quintessential British muscle car soon be blessed with the quintessential American muscle car powerplant? If UK-based racing specialist Classic World Racing gets its way, the answer is yes. The car is the TVR Tuscan - and we're talking about the beautiful 1968 version, for what it's worth - and the engine is none other than General Motors' undeniably excellent LS3 V8.

CWR has somehow managed to obtain the original molds for the old TVR Tuscan that had been sitting unused for decades in an old barn, after which the company built a race car using the molds for a client in Malaysia. Shortly thereafter, demand for a roadgoing version was deemed strong enough to make the necessary modifications to make it street legal. In this new form, CWR chose to call the machine the Titan.

Power figures for the Yankee-sourced 5.7-liter V8 engine start at 480 horsepower and go from there, and those ponies will be sent to a limited-slip differential at the rear wheels through a five-speed manual transmission. Couple that prodigious output with a weight of just 2,160 pounds (980 kilograms) and you've got a recipe for formidable performance. Price? Around £42,500 (plus VAT) in the UK - that's about $65,500 dollars. Check out our high-res image gallery below and read the press release after the break.


Gallery: Classic World Racing TVR Titan


[Source: Classic World Racing via Piston Heads]

Continue reading UK specialist looking to give TVR Tuscan a second life as Chevy-powered Titan

UK specialist looking to give TVR Tuscan a second life as Chevy-powered Titan originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>classic world racingclassic world racing titanclassic world racing tvr titanClassicWorldRacingClassicWorldRacingTitanClassicWorldRacingTvrTitancwrcwr titancwr tvrcwr tvr titancwr tvr tuscanCwrTitanCwrTvrCwrTvrTitanCwrTvrTuscanls3LS3 V8Ls3V8tvrtvr titantvr tuscanTvrTitanTvrTuscanFri, 16 Apr 2010 16:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19442951/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/04/16/uk-specialist-looking-to-give-tvr-tuscan-a-second-life-as-chevy/19442951/article-detail.xml 19442951 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/04/cwrtitan_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/04/cwrtitan.jpg <![CDATA[TVR 'remanufacturer' facing legal opposition?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/08/tvr-remanufacturer-facing-legal-opposition/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/08/tvr-remanufacturer-facing-legal-opposition/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/08/tvr-remanufacturer-facing-legal-opposition/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

TVR Sagaris - Click above for high-res image gallery

We don't hear all that much about classic British muscle/sportscar maker TVR, so here's a quick refresher on what's been going on over the last few weeks: Russian owner Nikolai Smolenski has signaled his intent to bring the overpowered brand back to the market using a classic American V8 engine of unknown origin, and we'll know more about that later this year at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Shortly after that revelation, we found out that remanufactured versions of the Tuscan, Sagaris and T350 were already available through Carmel Motorsports in Indianapolis, sans powertrain. As we told you at the time, these cars were being supplied by a company called Total Vehicle Remanufacturing... which, though that does indeed have the correct initials, is not the real TVR.

Not surprisingly, then, the "real" TVR doesn't sound all that pleased with its newly found competition. Says TVR Motors co-director James Oxley, "We'd like to make clear that this has nothing whatever to do with us, and it appears to conflict strongly with what TVR is trying to achieve in future." According to PistonHeads, "TVR intends to closely scrutinize the operation to ensure its own interests are appropriately protected." Ought to be interesting to see how this one plays out, no?


Gallery: TVR rolling chassis from Carmel Motorsports


[Source: PistonHeads]

TVR 'remanufacturer' facing legal opposition? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carmel motorsportsCarmelMotorsportsremanufactured tvrRemanufacturedTvrtotal vehicle remanufacturingTotalVehicleRemanufacturingTVRtvr motorstvr remakestvr sagaristvr t350tvr tuscanTvrMotorsTvrRemakesTvrSagarisTvrT350TvrTuscanMon, 08 Mar 2010 17:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19387075/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/03/08/tvr-remanufacturer-facing-legal-opposition/19387075/article-detail.xml 19387075 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/reman-tvr_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/reman-tvr.jpg <![CDATA[Why wait for the new TVR? Get one now... but not from TVR]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/28/why-wait-for-the-new-tvr-get-one-now-but-not-from-tvr/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/28/why-wait-for-the-new-tvr-get-one-now-but-not-from-tvr/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/28/why-wait-for-the-new-tvr-get-one-now-but-not-from-tvr/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Just a week ago, the rumor was spread that new TVRs will be coming to the U.S. and that they'll cook their tires with U.S. engines - but you'll probably have to wait until this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed to get the details. Now we've been told that you can buy remanufactured versions of the Tuscan, Sagaris, and T350, and you don't have to wait at all!

These old-as-new TVRs are being sold as rolling chassis, the same way you would buy a Superformance or Rossion, and have otherwise been made to comply with U.S. DOT laws. They're available through Carmel Motorsports in Indianapolis, and all you'll need to do after a phone call and a cash transfer is show up with an engine or a trailer.

We don't know where the supply of cars is coming from, however. The "official" TVR isn't building cars; these are coming from a company called Total Vehicle Remanufacturing. TVR, get it? We don't know anything about them, but hey, one call to Carmel can answer all your questions if you decide you're ready for the raw rear-wheel-drive power of what used to be Blackpool's finest. Hat tip to Alexis!


Gallery: TVR rolling chassis from Carmel Motorsports

Why wait for the new TVR? Get one now... but not from TVR originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 28 Feb 2010 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>sagarist350tuscantvrtvr sagaristvr t350tvr tuscanTvrSagarisTvrT350TvrTuscanSun, 28 Feb 2010 15:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19376719/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/02/28/why-wait-for-the-new-tvr-get-one-now-but-not-from-tvr/19376719/article-detail.xml 19376719 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/02/tvrcarmel_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/02/tvrcarmel.jpg <![CDATA[Gallery: VIP Auto Fashion Show '06 from L.A.]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/22/gallery-vip-auto-fashion-show-06-from-l-a/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/22/gallery-vip-auto-fashion-show-06-from-l-a/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/22/gallery-vip-auto-fashion-show-06-from-l-a/#commentsFiled under: ,



The Hot Import Nights group just held their second annual VIP Auto Fashion Show this weekend, and it was a bit of a mixed bag. Lots of over-the-top blinged-out rides and plenty of cute models as would be expected, but some things just didn't gel.

This year the show moved from Orange County to L.A. and perhaps the crowd was a bit more jaded than the O.C. crew was last year. Besides the few sponsored lounge areas, there wasn't a whole lot of energy in the hall. Follow the jump for a full gallery and more details.

Continue reading Gallery: VIP Auto Fashion Show '06 from L.A.

Gallery: VIP Auto Fashion Show '06 from L.A. originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Nov 2006 10:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Driven Sports MarketingDrivenSportsMarketingFerrariHot Import NightsHotImportNightsluxistPlayboy LoungePlayboyLoungeSEMATVR TuscanTvrTuscanVIP Auto Fashion ShowVipAutoFashionShowWed, 22 Nov 2006 10:26:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/705960/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2006/11/22/gallery-vip-auto-fashion-show-06-from-l-a/705960/article-detail.xml 705960 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2006/11/vipshow09_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2006/11/vipshow09.jpg -1 2