Topic: Goodbye TVR

[Ultra]

LONDON (Reuters) - Sports car manufacturer TVR, one of the few remaining independent auto makers in the country, is to close down its Blackpool factory with the loss of 260 jobs, unions said on Monday.

The Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) said TVR had told their officials at a meeting that the factory would be shut down in six months.

"They propose to keep some presence in the UK but we don't know what that is. It sounds like it may be a relocation," a TGWU spokesman said.

"Our members, the workforce, are in a state of shock."

TVR, which was bought in 2004 by Nikolai Smolensky, the son of Russian banker Alexander Smolensky, was not immediately available for comment. Media reports say the firm's sales have suffered over the Winter.

The job losses are another blow for the car industry which last week saw 2,300 jobs go at Peugeot's plant at Ryton.

TVR was founded in 1947 by Trevor Wilkinson and the cars have an ardent following among drivers who appreciate their dramatic looks and distinctive engine note.

Made of fibreglass and initially powered by engines from large manufacturers like Ford and Rover, they were little more than kit cars in the early years.

But while other kit manufacturers went bust, TVR kept its fan base and developed its own muscular engines which it housed in stylish, aerodynamic chassis.

Their light weight and powerful V8 or straight-six motors make some TVRs as fast as top range Porsches and Ferraris, but for a far cheaper price.

They have also become increasingly popular with high profile owners like top flight footballers and film stars.

A TVR Tuscan Speed Six starred alongside John Travolta and Halle Berry in the Hollywood movie "Swordfish".

[Otto Puzzell]

That stinks - the independents just keep dropping, and Asia doesn't seem to be filling that niche.

[Boxer2500]

What a shame. Anyone want to speculate on the odds that they'll re-appear in Russia before this is all over.

[lynxd67]

Let's get the facts straight first. Smolensky bought the factory for £40 million and then proceeded to go through four CEO's in three years. How on earth can a 24 yr old with no experience suddenly take on the ownership and manufacture of a car company for God's sake? There are many concomitant problems, not least emission and new safety ratings in Europe which led to TVR (for those who don't know based on TreVoR Wilkinson, the founder) losing the right to sell cars in many countries. Ask any dealer and he'll tell you that the customer was the developement engineer - electrics and electronics regularly failed and the dealers were not properly reimbursed under warranty by the factory. My personal horror story goes back about 8 years when I saw a TVR in which the driver had accelerated too hard, spun, hit the kerb and flipped the car. The safety roll bar on the passenger side went clean through the bodywork and was sitting on the passenger seat, all this at about 40mph. Yeah I had a TVR back in the days of the Coventry Climax engine (always blowing head gaskets) and wouldn't give you a thank you for one of the modern ones at all. A production car it was not, more a kit car at a very expensive price. Sorry if I spoil the dream but I prefer reality

[Ultra]

Sorry if I spoil the dream but I prefer reality

Actually, thanks.  Those of us on this side of the pond don't really have a good way of knowing that type of stuff.

[Arthur Dent]

 

Shame - easy to see it coming though.

Still I'd like to have some like a 70s 2500M


Morgan is about the only major Brit owned independant still going these days (besides kit makers).

[Rich]

Having never drove nor sat in one, much less seen one here in the land of the six-inch lift and dubs wrapped in mud floaters, I'd always concieved the average TVR to be a boutique car, yet one brimming with quality and engineering prowess.

No more crap cars.  Good riddance, if lynx' post is any evidence.

FWIW, anyone paying 100K+ for a new Moggie needs an expensive shrink as well.....

[Boxer2500]

Most of the British opinions on TVR are much less glowing than American ones. Guess we have that whole "forbidden fruit" angle interfering with the thought process.

[Ultra]

The former Yes keyboard player is backing company looking to rescue sportscar firm from administrator and save 300 jobs

The rock legend Rick Wakeman is backing a bid to rescue the luxury sportscar brand TVR from administrators, it emerged today.

Melling Sports Cars, based in Rochdale, which counts the former Yes keyboard player on its board, has tabled an offer for the business, which collapsed four months ago.

Melling’s move has won the immediate backing of union leaders desperate for a bidder to save 300 jobs at the TVR factory in Blackpool.

Al Melling, the founder of Melling, who unveiled the "British Ferrari" — the £100,000 Hellcat — last year, has committed to making the TVR cars at the Blackpool site.

Russian tycoon Nikolai Smolensky, the former owner of the company, wanted to shift production overseas.

Andy Robertson, the regional industrial organiser at the Transport and General Workers' Union, said: “Mr Melling’s bid is a welcome one which shows confidence in a workforce that has taken a fair share of blows in the last few months.”

Mr Smolensky bought TVR three years ago. Administrators were called in at the end of October, a week after the tycoon announced plans to close the Blackpool factory.

He is understood to have tabled a rival offer to buy back the business.

Mr Robertson said the T&G was concerned that administrators would simply take the highest price, rather than take UK jobs into consideration.

He added: “This is a nerve-racking time. Of course we are hopeful that the Melling bid is successful but, equally, we have our feet on the ground and will wait to see what the outcome of the administrators’ process is.”

Founded in 1947, TVR is Britain’s largest independent maker of sports cars.

It was set up by Trevor Wilkinson, who used three consonants from his first name for the company title.

[Otto Puzzell]

Maybe Alan White can help him drum up some more investors. 

[Boxer2500]

A Rick Wakeman edition TVR.... interesting.

Buy a TVR, get a free Mellotron.