# TVR Sold



## XXMetal (Jan 20, 2004)

Breaking news on Piston Heads.

What ever next, first Aston Martin/Range Rover, then Chelsea and now TVR, maybe we'll sell the Queen next :?


----------



## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

At the risk of being unpopular, take a look at the fortunes of Aston Martin, LandRover / Range Rover now...

AM in particular is going from strength to strength...


----------



## jonno (May 7, 2002)

I hope the Russian buyer also got a warranty
:wink:


----------



## R6B TT (Feb 25, 2003)

Must be missing his Trabant and went for the closest build standard he could find


----------



## paulb (May 6, 2002)

First Aston Martin/Range Rover????

What about Vauxhall in 1925?

That's probably not first either...

Good thing, might make them have to produce engines that last...


----------



## XXMetal (Jan 20, 2004)

paulb said:


> First Aston Martin/Range Rover????
> 
> What about Vauxhall in 1925?


Can't remember that, to young :wink:


----------



## scoTTy (May 6, 2002)

I wonder if the dog will still have final approval on the designs? :roll:


----------



## Kell (May 28, 2002)

Do you think that story was actually true or a bit of marketing spin retold once someone remarked that it looked like a dog had bitten the corner off the car? :wink:


----------



## ag (Sep 12, 2002)

Kell said:


> Do you think that story was actually true or a bit of marketing spin retold once someone remarked that it looked like a dog had bitten the corner off the car? :wink:


I'm unfamiliar with this story, was it Chris Bangle's guide dog?


----------



## ColDiTT (Sep 6, 2003)

*TVR UPDATE *Wednesday 28th July

*Latest news from Blackpool*

TVR have just released the following info:

Peter Wheeler today sold 100% of the shares of UK car maker TVR to Nikolai Smolenski. Based in the north west of England, TVR is the leading British sportscar manufacturer and is unique among companies of its size in that it designs and manufactures in house its own range of engines to power its spectacularly designed range of sportscars.

The company employs 400 people in Blackpool and new investment in the factory and the technology therein will bring great benefits to both the cars and the workforce.

â€œI am very enthusiastic about the potential of TVR and am grateful for the opportunity to become a car manufacturer,â€ explains Nikolai Smolenski. â€œI have always been a fan of British car manufacturing and believe that the best automotive designers and engineers are in this country.â€

Founded in 1947 and built up over the last 23 years by Peter Wheeler, TVRâ€™s profile has grown dramatically over the last ten years. â€œItâ€™s been a fascinating time and I shall be very sad when I eventually leave,â€ said Wheeler earlier today. â€œHowever, itâ€™s time to hand the reins over to a younger man and I look forward to helping him with his exciting plans.â€

Peter Wheeler remains on board as a senior consultant overseeing styling and engineering.

Plans to bring the new Sagaris and Tuscan 2 models into production continue unchanged and the first demonstrators of both cars will be arriving in dealerships in the UK, Japan, mainland Europe and South Africa over the next couple of months.

*THE NEW MAN AT TVR *Wednesday 28th July

*Who is the new boss in Blackpool?*

Since the news broke of the sale of TVR, much of the concern amongst fans of the marque has stemmed from the fact that so little is known about its new owner, Nikolai Smolensky.

Smolensky is 24 years old and is more than familiar with British culture having gone to school here and with a home in Highgate. The son of one of Russia's richest men - Alexander Smolensky - Nikolai is said to be a huge car enthusiast and motorsport fan.

According to the Moscow Times, Nikolai become chairman of the Russian bank Pervoe OVK in 2001. That was later bought by another Russian billionaire. He's no longer involved with that business and his father now spends much of his time in Austria whilst Nikolai has pursued other interests.

With personal wealth estimated to be in excess of $100m, there's been much debate as to how much Nikolai bought TVR for. Figures of $15 million are being banded about but these seem likely to be based on a speculative figure mentioned in the Telegraph a month or so back.

Smolensky wasn't the only potential purchaser though. Only last night it emerged that another investor was in the process of due diligence on the Blackpool company with a view to buying it. Before that process was complete Smolensky nipped in and confirmed a deal with Peter Wheeler, perhaps based more on passion than the finite detail of the balance sheets.

What the future holds is currently unknown. Peter Wheeler is said to be staying on in a consultative position but how much time he'll actually invest in such a role remains to be seen. There's plenty of scope for change at TVR, but improving the business whilst retaining the best aspects of TVR's identity will be Nikolai's biggest challenge.


----------



## garyc (May 7, 2002)

Russian gangsters eh? Football clubs, car companies, hotels - what are the bastards going to launder all their dirty money through next?

And when are we going to start declining their stolen oligarchy money?

My Godski. :twisted:


----------



## R6B TT (Feb 25, 2003)

According to the times the Family money came from a dodgy bank which went bust - he bought another business recently and flogged it a month later. 
Doesn't bode well ....


----------



## TVR_Man (May 21, 2002)

Most people agree that TVR needed to be bought by someone who wanted to run it as a business instead of a plaything. Whether a rich Russian Daddy's boy will make a good job of it is to be seen. Obviously the family are good at making money :wink:

TVR need to reduce the number of models, invest in a parts business (usually a good profit for manufacturers), build and encourage the heritage of the company (more than Ned the dog!). The last thing I want them to do is build an S2000/350Z competitor.

In recent years TVR have got the Speed Six engine sussed, their fit and finish is much better, but nowhere near acceptable IMO (having recently bought a T350 Targa I am qualified to comment). My 1,000 mile service snagging list was all trim and paint - nothing mechanical. All fixed now and with 2,000 miles I'm using more revs. This car is really quick! Does corners too  All these snags cost TVR money to fix, money from their potential profit.

Remember, owning a TVR is more than just how fast it is. Otherwise all TVR buyers would get a 911 instead.

BTW - It is a myth about Ned the dog designing the indicator aperture on the Chimaera.


----------



## Kell (May 28, 2002)

ag said:


> Kell said:
> 
> 
> > Do you think that story was actually true or a bit of marketing spin retold once someone remarked that it looked like a dog had bitten the corner off the car? :wink:
> ...


AFAIK - and I'm no expert - the story goes that the dog took a lump out of the corner of the clay model of the Chimaera. Rather than kick the dog and remodel it, they decided they liked the look and kept it. Like I said above though, I did wonder whether that was just marketing hype.


----------



## digimeisTTer (Apr 27, 2004)

R6B TT said:


> Must be missing his Trabant and went for the closest build standard he could find


 :lol: :lol: :lol:


----------

