Tvr bought by the Russians, part 2

[UK CARS]

Following Coventrysucks thread, about the russians buying Tvr....
I recently saw this article in Autocar, and gave more info about what the future of tvr holds....
Good news for the Americans and Europeans, looks like in a few years you might be able to see one on your road. The European market looks sooner than setting up in the US.
Though Tvr would have to make a lot of changes to their cars, For example anti lock brakes, airbags, etc.
Definalty will their be a new factory in Blackpool if this was to happern.
I think the american market could do well, but also terrible, as the article says the new vette...will be what the americans will buy.
My view on this is well tvr wont be strugling on money probs anymore, and i think nikolai will lead tvr into global success but Does he have any idea of running a buisness like this maybee a bank But Peter Wheelers and the rest of the crew.

So i scanned the article and some others in "Autocar 10-16 August" for you.

Do you think Tvr will have sucess in the US? If they do sell cars over seas.

[Rijoh]

No way TVR will have succes in America. The problem is that they have to make too many changes to make the cars safer. They have to fill it with safety systems. That's very expensive, so they better just expand in the whole of Europe, where they can make much more dough.

[GEO-oNe]

true, but a real tvr enthusiast would want to buy one regardless of price

[Coventrysucks]

No way TVR will have succes in America. The problem is that they have to make too many changes to make the cars safer. They have to fill it with safety systems. That's very expensive, so they better just expand in the whole of Europe, where they can make much more dough.

Untill the late '80s, I don't know exactly when, the US was TVR's biggest market.
The formula wasn't so different then as it is now.

TVRs are safe. They can take quite a pounding, and the grp bodies are very impact absorbant. Not exactly up to Renault standard though.

The problem with the US market is the engine.
The bastion of the British power, the Rover V8, has been killed due to emission laws, so there are two options available:
The AJP Speed Six, and AJP8, neither of which are likely to pass US emission laws, or the 120,000 mile test.
Now that they have a whole stack of cash they will either a) get a new engine that already meets US regs. Like Lotus did, putting the Toyota 1.8 lump in place of the Rover K-series.
b) Build a new engine that will be more reliable and meet all the relevant regs and requirements.

a) Is probably the more realistic option, but the current TVR fan base would be disgruntled.

There are quite a few TVRs on the continent all ready:
www.tvr.ch - Switzerland
www.tvr-belgium.be - Belgium & France
www.tvrdeutschland.de - Germany
www.ukgarage.it - Italy

[Guibo]

I think the american market could do well, but also terrible, as the article says the new vette...will be what the americans will buy.

Do you think Tvr will have sucess in the US? If they do sell cars over seas.

If history is any indication, the new Corvette will sell like hotcakes in its first year. After that, the market is generally saturated. There will always be people here who want something different, something unique. The Corvette is a competent vehicle, but it also has a certain "been there, done that" atmosphere about it. For these people, I can't imagine any car fitting the bill better than a TVR. TVR might even get sales from alienated former Viper owners, many of whom feel the current SRT-10 has lost its fangs.
Wonder how well Noble have been doing with the M12, which is brought here without engine. Its publicity is very limited. There are no full-page ads in any of the major motoring mags. Just a small classifieds-type ad in the back of, say, R&T or C&D. I think the pure visual appeal of TVR is enough to spark interest and get even the casual viewer to say: "Whoa! What is that?! You say its power/weight ratio is how much? How can I get one..." So I think interest can be generated rather easily with something like a Tuscan, which has already brought quite a bit of interest to TVR by its use in Swordfish. (TVR reportedly considered a return to the US market as a result of this interest after the film's release a couple of years ago, but thought better of it.)
If the M12 venture is working out for Noble, I think this is a good way to at least raise even more awareness of TVR in the US, if they're willing to send it in similar kit car-like form. From there, they can measure what kind of interest warrants establishing franchise dealers, service stations, etc.

Regarding safety issues, Lotus has shown that a lightweight British performance car doesn't have to be diluted to suit the US market.
Aside from reliability and quality control issues, another major hurdle is that US emissions regs are going to be even more strict by 2007, one of the main reasons Ford isn't planning to extend GT production to that year. Speaking of which, TVR will face competition not only from the proposed GR-1 (should public interest be enough to send it into production), but it'll have to fend off the promising C6 Z06, which could very well offer Viper-humbling performance for many thousands less. And the rivals at Dodge will no doubt step up the Viper to match accordingly.

So, the short answer, I think, is: Yes, TVR can have success in the States. It'll be a slow process, and I hope the new owner has the conviction to carry through, to make TVR a truly "global player" as he's indicated.

[Rijoh]

There are quite a few TVRs on the continent all ready:
www.tvr.ch - Switzerland
www.tvr-belgium.be - Belgium & France
www.tvrdeutschland.de - Germany
www.ukgarage.it - Italy

You can also get a Tuscan in the Netherlands, and a T350 later:
http://www.tvr.nl/

[yatesy]

TVR is right were it is
my dad works there
i get all the info
i have met the russian
his name is nikolas something

[Coventrysucks]

TVR is right were it is
my dad works there
i get all the info
i have met the russian
his name is nikolas something

Yeah, you know him so well you call him by your special nickname.

Nikolai Smolenski

Quite an obvious and well known fact amongst TVR fans, and I would have thought owners and employees.

Do you like bragging about it much? (If its even true.)