TVR have announced they are to start building cars again after a 11 year hiatus, with production moving to South Wales. This is not the first time TVR has had a fresh start though as the company has had a chequered history when it comes to finances and production. The firm has changed hands a few times with varying levels of success. Les Edgar is the current owner and the future looks promising. Time will tell whether TVR can rise from the ashes although I'm sure the whole of the UK will be egging them on.
Origins
TVR was founded in 1947 by Trevor Wilkinson who started the firm as an engineering business called Trevcar Motors. He was then joined by auto enthusiast Jack Pickard before the name was changed to TVR Engineering. Together they made three models between 1949 and 1955 with varing levels of success. The TVR Number 1, Number 2 and Number 3 had a chassis built by TVR with suspension taken from a Morris Eight, Number 1 and 2 had a Ford 1.2 litre sidevalve engine whilst the Number 3 opted for a 1.2 litre from an Austin A40.
In 1953 Wilkinson and Pickard set about designing a new chassis which was intended to carry the parts from the Austin A40 such as the engine, gearbox and suspension. The car had no body attached as it was to be sold a kit car with a fibreglass body to be attached separately. The car was called the TVR Sports Saloon was put on sale in 1954 for £650.
Building in Numbers
The first car that TVR produced in numbers was the Grantura, of which they made 100 in total. It was built on the new Jomar chassis that was developed in 1955, which had been used to make the Jomar which was sold in the US by racing driver Ray Saidel. The Jomar did not sell too well in the US and it was Saidel who suggested this was down to the styling and urged TVR to make a fastback style car, leading to the Grantura.
The Grantura was offered with five engines, Ford's 100E sidevalve and 105E OHV units, two different Coventry Climax units and MGA's BMC 'B-Series. Models with the Coventry Climax fitted boasted leather trim in the cabin whereas the other models featured a vinyl interior. The Grantura also featured drum brakes from an Austin Healey 100 and the windscreen from a Ford Consul.
Griffith Series 200
The Griffith came about when Jack Griffith built a prototype model by placing a Ford 289 V8 engine into a Mk3 Grantura. The speed exceeded expectations although the handling left a lot to be desired as the brakes and chassis had been unmodified. The car was improved though at TVR's Hoo Hill factory after a second prototype was developed.
The Griffith could hit 150 mph and could get to 0-60 in a rapid 3.9 seconds. However, the handling was still tricky due to its lightness and it's short wheelbase. The idea of the car had come about when Jack Griffith had dinner with Carroll Shelby where he boasted he could make a faster car than then the AC Cobra. It was replaced by the Series 4000 and 6000 before the company hit further financial times and entered liquidation in 1965.
The Vixen
The company was bought by Martin Lilley in the same year the firm went into liquidation and the first car that was made in large numbers under his management was the Vixen. Like many TVR cars it was made of fibreglass and was lighter than its competitors. The Series 1 model was introduced in 1967 and featured Ford's 1.6 Kent Engine which was used in the Ford Cortina. This engine delivered 88 bhp although the first 12 Vixens had the MGB engines that TVR had left over from other models.
Slight changes were made across the Series 2 and Series 3 with alloy wheels added to replace the wire ones and other cosmetic changes. The quality of the body was also improved as well as the interior receiving a leather steering wheel. The Ford engine was also tuned to 92 bhp which gave it the same power output as a Ford Capri. There was a Series 4 but that was an interim model which featured the chassis developed for the upcoming M Series.
The Chimaera
We fast forward to the 90s now, with the Chimaera which came from the Peter Wheeler, who bought the company from Martin Lilley after the firm hit even more financial trouble. The Chimaera is TVR's biggest sales success to date, having sold 5256 between the years of 1992-2003. It was designed as a long distance tourer and featured Rover's V8 engine, which could offer power outputs from 240 bhp to 340 bhp, with top speeds ranging from 152 mph to 175 mph. This was sold as the same time as the Griffith (the newer model) which also sold well and marked a successful era for TVR which came to an end in 2004 when Peter Wheeler sold the company.
The Smolensky era
This is the era where TVR fell into a lull, producing very little and with not much to show for the period. Nikolay Smolensky, a Russian banker bought TVR for a reported £15 million but assured that the company would remain in the UK. He appeared to live up to this promise but the Blackpool factory was closed, with Smolensky announcing that final assembly would be moved to Turin. This then sparked a protest in London in which a petition to keep the factory open was handed to Number 10.
December 2006 saw Smolensky resign as director and the firm was yet again in financial trouble. However, it was revealed that he had bought the company back the next year after he was the highest bidder. Plans were put in place for TVR to restart production with a target of 2,000 cars to be sold in 2008. The company remained stagnant however, with the company being sold to Les Edgar and John Chasey in 2013.
What does the future hold?
Well it looks promising, with the British firm announcing that production will kick start again and will take place in Gaydon. This is set to create around 150 new jobs, with the facility not too far away from Aston Martin's new facility. Will it be a success? We will know more next year.
