Car Enthusiast - click here to access the home page


 


End of an era. Image by TVR.

End of an era
TVR says goodbye to car production in Britain.
  later TVR article >>

 


News homepage -> TVR news

Britain's best-known and oldest remaining carmaker, TVR, is to cease production in the UK. The news ends months of speculation about the future of the Blackpool-based sports car company.

TVR initially announced plans to relocate abroad earlier this year, although as recently as last month it had said production would remain in the UK. About 250 jobs will be lost in the move and TVR is said to be currently involved in negotiations over redundancies.

TVR was bought by Russian billionaire Nikolai Smolenski in 2004, on the back of a period of relative success for the company. Despite a marked improvement in quality of late, demand for the glass-fibre muscle-cars has steadily declined, with production falling from a peak of twelve cars per week to just three. An uncertain motoring future and poor weather have been blamed for the slump in sales.

Smolenski had the following to say on the recent bombshell:

"We are extremely sorry that, after a period of uncertainty and raised hopes that we could continue production ourselves in Blackpool, we have had to make this decision... We need to secure the future of the company and move it forward. I am afraid we see no other way to do so."

He also went on to add that TVR will be making further announcements in due course, but that at present its efforts will be focused on the Blackpool staff and their families.

TVR began life in 1947 and was named after its founder Trevor Wilkinson, using the first, fourth and final letters of his first name. For many years the company used more established manufacturers' parts to construct its cars, such as the Rover V8. During the '90s the company enjoyed a period of huge growth and began to develop bespoke offerings, such as the AJP-engined Cerbera.

The news will sadden many car enthusiasts. TVR has almost single-handedly flown the flag for the British sports car in recent years, producing some of the wildest and most rapid machines in the world. The company is, in truth, as infamous for its reliability issues as it is famous for its flamboyance, although current models, such as the Sagaris and Tuscan, are much improved in this respect.

Plans are being finalised for 2007 runs of these two cars to be produced abroad. The engines and gearboxes are likely to be built in the UK, however. Let's just hope the move overseas won't dilute TVR's passion for building outrageous sports cars.

We'll keep you up to date with further developments as, and when, they come to light.

Will Nightingale - 26 Oct 2006


2003 TVR Tuscan S. Image by TVR.2003 TVR Tuscan S. Image by TVR.2003 TVR Tuscan S. Image by TVR.2003 TVR Tuscan S. Image by TVR. 








    - TVR news
- images






TVR’s return complete with Griffith reveal. Image by TVR.
2018 TVR Griffith
Reborn TVR Griffith costs £90k, can do 200mph+ and features clever aerodynamic trickery
 
TVR’s sneak peek at new sports car. Image by TVR.
New TVR sneak peek
Due to be unveiled at the Goodwood Revival, this is the first look at TVR’s V8-powered sports car
Forthcoming TVR to boast best power-to-weight in class. Image by TVR.
TVR power-to-weight revealed
With an estimated 487hp from a 5.0 V8, TVR sports car delivers an unbeatable 406hp-per-tonne

 
 215 Racing
 9ff
 A. Kahn Design
 Abarth
 Abt
 AC Cars
 AC Schnitzer
 Acura
 Aehra
 AIM
 Alfa Romeo
 Alpina
 Alpine
 Amari
 APS Sportec
 Arash
 Arden
 Ares
 Ariel
 Arrinera
 Artega
 Ascari
 Aston Martin
 Atalanta
 Atomik
 Audi
 Austin
 Auto Union
 Autodelta
 Autofarm
 Autosport
 AVA
 Avatar
 Axon
 Aznom
 BAC
 BAIC
 Bentley
 Bertone
 Bizzarrini
 Bloodhound
 Bluebird
 BMW
 Bosch
 Bowler
 Brabham
 Brabus
 Breckland
 Bridgestone
 Brilliance
 Bristol
 Bugatti
 Buick
 Burton
 BYD
 Cadillac
 Callaway
 Callum
 Caparo
 Capstone
 Carlsson
 Caterham
 CCG
 Chang'an
 Changfeng
 Chevrolet
 Chevron
 Chongfeng
 Chrysler
 Citroen
 Climax
 Connaught
 Cooper Tires
 Corvette
 Cummins
 Cupra
 Dacia
 Daewoo
 Daihatsu
 Daimler
 Dartz
 Datsun
 David Brown
 David Brown Automotive
 DDR
 De Tomaso
 Delta
 Detroit Electric
 Devon
 Dodge
 Donkervoort
 Drayson
 DS
 Eagle
 Eagle E-type
 EDAG
 edo competition
 Eterniti
 Everrati
 Evisol
 Exagon
 FAB Design

 
 Factory Five
 Faralli & Mazzanti
 Fenix
 Fenomenon
 Ferrari
 Fiat
 Fisker
 Ford
 G-Power
 Geely
 Gemballa
 General Motors
 Genesis
 Ginetta
 Giugiaro
 Glickenhaus
 GMC
 Goodwood
 Google
 Gordon Murray
 Gordon Murray Automotive
 Gordon Murray Design
 Gray Design
 Great Wall
 GTA
 GTM
 Gumpert
 Hamann
 Hartge
 HBH
 Heffner Performance
 Hennessey
 HERE
 HiPhi
 Holden
 Honda
 Hulme
 Hummer
 Hyundai
 I.D.E.A
 Icona
 IFR
 Infiniti
 Ionity
 Isis
 JAC
 Jaguar
 Jeep
 Jensen
 Jetstream
 JJAD
 Joss Developments
 Kahn
 Kamala
 Keating
 Kia
 Koenigsegg
 KTM
 Kumho
 Lada
 Lagonda
 Lamborghini
 Lancia
 Land Rover
 Lexus
 Liberty
 Lightning
 Lincoln
 Lister
 Loma Performance
 Lorinser
 Lotus
 LupiniPower
 Luxgen
 Mahindra
 Mansory
 Maserati
 Mastretta
 Maybach
 Mazda
 McLaren
 Mercedes
 Mercedes-AMG
 Mercedes-Benz
 Mercedes-Maybach
 Mercury
 Metrocab
 MG
 Michelin
 MINI
 Mitsubishi
 MMI
 Monte Carlo
 Mopar
 Morgan
 Mosler
 MTM
 Munro
 NAC MG
 Nichols Cars
 Nissan
 NLV

 
 Noble
 Novitec
 Opel
 Overfinch
 Pagani
 Perodua
 Peugeot
 Piaggio
 Pininfarina
 Polestar
 Pontiac
 Porsche
 Praga
 Preview
 Prodrive
 Project Runningblade
 Project Velocity
 Proton
 Protoscar
 Qoros
 Radical
 Range Rover
 Red Bull
 Renault
 Reva
 Rimac
 Rinspeed
 RoadRazer
 Rolls-Royce
 Ronn Motor Company
 Rover
 RUF
 Saab
 SAIC
 Saleen
 Saturn
 Scagliarini
 SCG
 Scion
 SDR Sportscars
 SEAT
 Sin
 Singer
 Skoda
 Smart
 Soleil
 Spada
 speedArt
 Sportec
 Spyker
 SRT
 Ssangyong
 SSC
 Startech
 STaSIS
 Subaru
 Suzuki
 Suzusho
 TAD
 Tamiya
 Tata
 Techart
 Tesla
 The Little Car Company
 THINK
 Thunder Power
 Tojeiro
 Tommy Kaira
 TomTom
 Toray
 Toyota
 Trabant
 TranStar
 Trident
 Tushek
 TVR
 UKCOTY
 Vanda Electrics
 Vauxhall
 Velozzi
 Vencer
 Venturi
 Veritas
 Vizualtech
 VL Automotive
 Volkswagen
 Volvo
 VUHL
 WCA
 WCotY
 Webasto
 Westfield
 Wiesmann
 Xenatec
 Yamaha
 Zagato
 Zarooq
 Zeekr
 Zenos
 Zenvo



 
 






External links:   | Irish Car Market News |

Internal links:   | Home | Privacy | Contact us | Archives | Old motor show reports | Follow Car Enthusiast on Twitter | Copyright 1999-2024 ©