Club Arnage

Another loss of UK Production:-

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6062084.stm

Damn... I was expecting this at some point.  :-\ I feel very sorry for the work force.  :'(
Does anybody know where they're moving to in Europe. I mean, "Europe" is a fairly big place.

I can narrow it down to probably being in the EU, Oh yeah that is already rather big too! Probably going to be built by the same nationalities as over here anywhere!

I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry. A phrase containing the words elbow and arse springs to mind. The current management have not got the faintest clue how to run a business.

Personally I don't much care for the outlandish and awkward looking modern TVRs but to some folk they are the epitome of a British muscle car. How can TVR make them in Poland or Croatia or wherever and think they'll retain their (rapidly shrinking) loyal customer base who will no doubt defect to cars like Noble/Atom/Lotus/Marcos. I mean how long will it take the reduced labour costs of a firm who make three or four cars a week to break even on the cost of transferring production abroad? It's financial madness, if Blackpool is shut then I really can't see it starting anywhere else. Smolenski can do a nice asset stripping exercise though...

I think it will mean the end of the magical attraction of TVR. Nobody will ever be convinced enough to buy a sportscar produced in a former East-European country, let alone what the move will do to the value of the brand :-\

Given TVR's legendary unreliability I am amazed anybody is ever convinced enough to buy one...  ;D

The break down service on the M55 will go bust now. They only get that far before they go bang, and they have to cart them back to the factory. But even so it's a great shame, anothere British sports car bites the dust.

Just imagine what the move will do then :o

The horrible thing about this news is that they obviously don't know yet where they will be going. Otherwise they would have announced it. Somewhere in Europe sounds to me as if they don't know yet. This shows to me that they haven't got any new facilities, yet... and any new workers (who have to be trained). If that's the case it surely will take some time to find the place and men to get started again. What about the current production ? I doubt they will finish any car in Blackpool after that announcement. Then, there're the current customers. I would freeze my order if I had a car on order. What about the dealer network ? There's nothing about this in the statement. Oh dear... I think Smolensky fu**ed it up big time. Anyone there with deep pockets ?

That isn't promissing anything good indeed. Really sad that this brand is leaving it's home. This happens to much in automanufacturing and racing. The true passion is lost in this kinds of situations. Really a shame.

A non Blackpool built TVR would just be sacrilege. I don’t believe they don’t know where they are moving to, its bound to be an eastern European country where they can re-establish with the lowest overheads, the point that they are missing is that TVR’s are a British Institution  - love them or hate them (I love em). I’m sure they will become like older MG’s - specialist companies will have a good little business keeping them going with spare parts – the dealer networks will just become independents (no much different from now really)
Shame for all the guys being made redundant, many who have been loyal to the company through allsorts of strife.

As it looks like there's no firm plans for the new manufacturing base, any delay and lack of continuity in supply of new vehicles will seriously dent their customer base and profitability.

The whole thing looks half baked and amateurish - TVR all over really  ::)

Would have helped if I had typed before posting!   a guerss would be because the owner is Russian and the labour costs in that neck of "europe" would make it viable more profitable....

MG Mark

It's being reported this morning that production will move to Italy and be overseen by Bertone.
I can't see that myself.
Slovakia/Poland/Hungary more likely in my opinion.

Where did you get that from, Nobby ?

emailed to me by a friend anf keen TVR enthusiast/owner.
He said he had read it in one of the UK papers this morning.
Could well be complete rubbish, in that case. I'll ask him which paper.

I got hold of the fella, this was reported in the Sun!

Just goes to reinforce what I suspected; TVR owners don't have any class! ;)

Oh dear, fair chance it might be wrong then ::)

Is that a criticism of that bastion of well-informed, honest and impartial British newspaper tabloid reporting.  If it's in The Sun, it must be right..... ;)

MG mark

...but probably spelled all weird ;D

Nooo - thats The Garudian!  ;D

F

Silly - you mean the Grauniad  ;D

Depends which edition you are reading - they sometime make corrections in the later editions!

Excellent - I will take that as a compliment  ;)  being the rebel that I am

Thankfully I am just pleased that we own one of the last British Built TVRs - I am sure that there are enough specialists out there who will be able to supply spares and servicing.  I also have an FTO and manage to get parts for that without any problem - usually cheaper and better quality from specialists than Mitsubishi themseleves.

Can I also tempt fate here and say that in over 5 years our Griffith has never let us down and our Tuscan has now done over 8,000 miles (including the Stelvio Pass last month) without a wobble - where as our Saab 95 .... now that is a totally different story.......

Yeah - it is a shame that TVR have taken their manufacturing to Europe - although the engines will still be developed and produced in the UK - but IMHO the Russian lacked a clear directive.  This wasn't helped by the "unreliable" reputation of TVRs and the public washing of dirty laundry on another certain popular motoring based (?) forum.

European build wont stop me buying another TVR if it offers the same make up - a lot of grunt, individuality and styling for a lot lot less than a Ferrari.  Otherwise I might well be looking at a Corvette Z06.  (In Le Mans blue of course)

But for the moment - I still LOVE my TVR

(http://www.debmorgan.co.uk/Assets/European%20Tour/Small/Tuscan%20Stelvio%201.jpg)

Big M,

Well informed words. My tongue was firmly in my cheek at that swipe.

As a younger, more reckless fella (I'm only 40 now) I had one of the last pre cat' Griffs.
During my TVR owning experience, the car only let me down once. It was however, on a dismay Friday afternoon, in the driving rain, on what was the last shopping day before Christmas, in a bus lane, in, wait for it.........Regent Street. Marvellous.
But otherwise, a brilliant car to have owned.
Very sad to see the marque being lost abroad.

You have obviously not met me and heard my party piece - I can belch and say the word "bollox" at the same time  ;D

Must admit that I keep looking at the photo of our Tuscan.  I think I find it sexually arousing - anyone else?  Or is it only me?

Just popping out to the garage for a few minutes .................

mmmmmm leather

Er, no.  Sorry.

It looks like there is more than we know...

http://www.autocar.co.uk/news_article.asp?na_id=222793

Very, very interesting, indeed.

Indeed and published in a respectable arena too.   Interesting and perhaps careful use of the word "assemble" in the article rather than "made", which could well mean that, as well as the drivetrain, the chassis and body components could be manufactured elsewhere.

MG Mark

A smart move by the Russian. Any association with Bertone will be good news for TVR and give the brand a much needed 'makeover'. For a start, it sounds a lot cooler if your car is built in Turin rather than Blackpool.

The Bertone name is linked with some very exciting cars (Lamborghini Countach, Alfa Montreal, Lancia Stratos to name but a few) and hopefully that partnership will help to revive TVR's fortunes. The next issue is to sort out the poor and patchy dealer network and bring them up to the standard you would expect of a manufacturer knocking out cars at £40k+.