TVR saga continues - how much more bizzare can it get?

[Coventrysucks]

So, February 23rd has rolled around and PKF have announced the winning bidder for Blackpool Automotive's assets - (the manufacturing side of what was TVR...)

Nikolai Smolenski.

It is sickening that this sort of BS is allowed to happen in a "civilised" country - he bought the company - couldn't get it to work so bailed out, bankrupted the company, screwed the workers, riled a significant percentage of TVR's core market only to return to snap up the "goodies" at a bargain basement price.

Apparently he will continue with his plan to build cars overseas.

Quite why any respectable supplier or technology firm would wish to be associated with the man after the way which he handled the company prior to its collapse is beyond me.

Why would they, or potential owners, have any reason to trust that this whole shambles could not arise again?

For TVR it really is a fate worse than death, and another slap to the face of the TVR workers, owners and supporters who have been royally shafted by the oik over the last 6 months.

What an excellent way to celebrate the company's 60th anniversary.

Yours,

Disgusted of Coventry.

[Mr.Tiv]

I hope this man dies a horrific, painful death. What he has done to the workers and TVR is inexcusable.

[clutch-monkey]

i can't help but think that it's TVR's own fault, that they got themselves into a position that allowed the russian to buy them. But yes, thats no excuse for whats happened to the company since then.

[CdocZ]

I hope this man dies a horrific, painful death. What he has done to the workers and TVR is inexcusable.

Definitely. It's one thing to be a jerk and buy a company just to save it, and not care very much about it. But this.....wow.

[Coventrysucks]

i can't help but think that it's TVR's own fault, that they got themselves into a position that allowed the russian to buy them.

That doesn't make any sense.

It is Peter Wheeler's fault for wanting to retire, passing the company on to a cash-rich "enthusiast", apparently willing to invest heavily with promises of improving quality?

It is true that only TVR's lack of sales can be blamed for its financial troubles, and any investor can only take losses for so long, but that is not the issue.

If TVR was not a viable business any more, it should have been wound up.

Instead Ken's Limos has been allowed to ring fence the important parts of the company - brand, IPR, etc., and dump the bits that he didn't want - a factory, workers, debts, etc.

[clutch-monkey]

It is true that only TVR's lack of sales can be blamed for its financial troubles, and any investor can only take losses for so long, but that is not the issue.

If TVR was not a viable business any more, it should have been wound up.

yeah, thats what i meant, sort of quit while they still have dignity kinda thing.

[Equinox]

Hope the same thing doesn't happen to Jaguar if Ford does sell it!

Its a shame when this happens to companies.

[Kitdy]

Its a shame when this happens to companies.

It is a shame that this happens to the low level guys in the company. The brass can all get new jobs, but I bet that the manufacture guys end up working in supermarkets.

[Clivey]

So, February 23rd has rolled around and PKF have announced the winning bidder for Blackpool Automotive's assets - (the manufacturing side of what was TVR...)

Nikolai Smolenski.

It is sickening that this sort of BS is allowed to happen in a "civilised" country - he bought the company - couldn't get it to work so bailed out, bankrupted the company, screwed the workers, riled a significant percentage of TVR's core market only to return to snap up the "goodies" at a bargain basement price.

He will burn. I don't think any current true TVR owner / supporter will ever give that chode their business again.

Is there any way anyone else can wrestle TVR back from him? What exactly does he actually own now?

It's times like these that you especially win a large amount of money - if it'd happened to me I would have tried to spoil the party.

Apparently he will continue with his plan to build cars overseas.

Quite why any respectable supplier or technology firm would wish to be associated with the man after the way which he handled the company prior to its collapse is beyond me.

Why would they, or potential owners, have any reason to trust that this whole shambles could not arise again?

Well I plan to eventually buy a TVR - but I'm not buying any he's made in a foreign factory after doing what he's done, and that wouldn't change even if I were really wealthy* - and I know for a fact many others in my positon feel exactly the same.

* In which case I'd be after:

A series 1 Sagaris (side exit exhaust model);
A Mk1 Tuscan S Targa;
A Mk2 Tuscan S Convertible;
A Lightweight Cerbera 4.5 (same model as "The last Cerbera");
The Cerbera Speed 12;
A Griffith 500
A Mk 2 Chimaera 5.0
A Tamora
A T350T (the "T" is the Targa, just as the "C" is the Coupe)
A T350C

Why have I listed these? All of these cars embody the true spirit of TVR. I'd be proud to own any one of them, and if I were lucky enough to be able to own what's on that list I''d consider myself truly priveliged and consider it a kind of duty that I should keep them all in the best conditions possible, to preserve them as they should be.

I would NEVER feel the same way about a "New" TVR that wasn't from Blackpool. And neither will most others.

Feckin' communist. Smolensski,he just doesn't 'get it', does he?

For TVR it really is a fate worse than death, and another slap to the face of the TVR workers, owners and supporters who have been royally shafted by the oik over the last 6 months.

What an excellent way to celebrate the company's 60th anniversary.

Echo, echo, echo.

Yes, I'm hearing this in my own head as well as from everyone enthusiastic about TVR. The TVR Owners Club is livid. And so am I.

[Matra et Alpine]

Feckin' communist. Smolensski,he just doesn't 'get it', does he?

He does.
it's just that it's NOT communism.
He is playing the capitalism game
Asset stripping was the game of choice in Wall St for many decades.

The TVR Owners Club is livid. And so am I.

agreed.
BUT, how many potential TVR owners worldwide dont' really care who is making the cars as long as it has the right badge on it ?

[Coventrysucks]

BUT, how many potential TVR owners worldwide dont' really care who is making the cars as long as it has the right badge on it ?

Not very many.

Outside of enthusiasts, not very many people have heard of TVR, and when they are "knowledgeable" about the marque they will probably only "know" that they break down a lot.

They aren't in the same position as Ferrari where they could rebadge a punto and sell it for £50,000.

If it was as easy to sell the brand as you imply - wouldn't Ken have done that from the start, to save himself from becoming a complete laughing stock/figure of hate amongst a large majority of TVR owners and fans, and to save himself the effort of phoenixing the company?

[Matra et Alpine]

China and Russia ?
I never said it was that easy to "sell the brand" - it certainly won't with those who cling to the old TVR poor build and fragile engines belief.

BUT look at the MG "brand" ... it died a death when BL stuck it on a slightly tweaked Montego. However, lots of people then bought back in to the brand. Memories were very short even then.

THe repositioning of a new TVR branded products wouldn't be too difficult for a PR company to sell teh "strengths" of the image. I'm betting you'll see lots of other "Products" before you see a car though

[Clivey]

He does.
it's just that it's NOT communism.
He is playing the capitalism game
Asset stripping was the game of choice in Wall St for many decades.

What I meant was that he didn't "get" that others' views are that TVR shouldn't have been messed with and therefore he shouldn't be screwing around and playing the 'capitalist game' in the first place. The communist remark was supposed to be derogatory.

BUT, how many potential TVR owners worldwide dont' really care who is making the cars as long as it has the right badge on it ?

The result of TVR's financial difficultiues was initially because only established customer bases and fans were buying / interested in the cars. Therefore I argue that it's wise that Smolenski doesn't upset them with his games of BS. Who is he going to get to buy the cars that he builds in Italy if he pisses all of his customers off? It's not as if the brand appeals to a newly discovered market.

IMO if I were Ricardo, out of disgust at how he's treated the British workforce, I'd now refuse to have anything to do with the engine production and leave smolenski in the proverbial shit. I wouldn't have minded Ricardo helping TVR out with production provided that it was all kept true to TVR and in the UK.

[Coventrysucks]

I'm betting you'll see lots of other "Products" before you see a car though

This is Nikolai Smolenski we are talking about here.

I'll be surprised if I see anything at all.

Well, aside from some press releases announcing a new TVR to be unveiled at the London Motorshow that will have 1 million horsepower, weigh six grammes, be self replicating and will only cost £2.97, despite being made out of kryptonite, diamonds and unobtanium.

[ruim20]

A real shame, sad day, another great dream manufacterer gone down