What's that not-smell?

Pardon?

That not-smell? The fact that there should be a smell here but there's not?

What sort of smell do you mean?

Sort of like old canoes, mixed with furniture polish.

Ah, you mean the smell of fibreglass and resin. No, that's all in the past, well mostly. You were expecting the new TVR sports car to reek of the old GRP, weren't you?

Yes, just a bit.

Well, sorry to disappoint you but the new TVR, at least the first 300 of them anyway, will be made not of plastic, but of space-age, racing-tech carbon fibre. Traditionally a very expensive material, TVR has turned to race car and supercar genius (not using the word lightly) Gordon Murray to create an affordable carbon chassis. Murray's patented iStream method (fast production with minimal waste and low investment costs) has been able to create an all-carbon-fibre tub for the new TVR at an affordable price.

Well, mostly affordable. TVR will actually offer the carbon tub as an option and continue to use more traditional CFRP and fibreglass construction on more basic models. All of the current deposit holders though, (and there are about 300 of them) will get the carbon option at no cost, if they want it.

Les Edgar, Chairman of TVR said: "Historically, carbon fibre has been reserved for motorsport and high-end supercars, but now TVR will be offering customers a slice of that technology at a fraction of the price. The spotlight has been on us from the start, and with the help of Gordon Murray Design and its innovative processes, we have made sure that our new sports car can really shine and deliver beyond expectations. The carbon manufacturing process really is a game changer, and one I'm delighted to offer to all of our early adopter Launch Edition customers within the package cost. I am sure those models will be much coveted, but carbon will continue to be available as a cost option.

"The response has been fantastic. With deposits continuing to flow in, we will be looking to close the order book for the Launch Edition car shortly. Our intent is to unveil the styling of the new car in the coming months at a public event, although we will be conducting car clinics before then. There will be an opportunity for deposit holders to register interest if they would like to participate."

Gordon Murray, Chairman of Gordon Murray Design comments: "From early on it became apparent that there was no reason why we couldn't develop a carbon fibre chassis structure for the new TVR at a lower cost than manufacturing processes previously allowed. Our iStream Carbon technology is the world's first affordable, yet high volume, carbon fibre chassis and body structure and sets new standards in the automotive industry for chassis lightweighting, rigidity and safety. I am delighted that TVR is able to offer a carbon fibre option and bring the lightweight TVR principle back to life in a very exciting contemporary way."