TVR

This article covers the British sports car brand; for further meanings of TVR, see TVR (disambiguation) .

TVR is a British sports car brand that has been used by various Blackpool- based manufacturers since 1947 . The name TVR is derived from the first name of the founder Trevor Wilkinson ( T re V o R ). TVR produces lightweight sports cars that consist of a tubular steel frame with a GRP body. Initially, six-cylinder engines from Ford and eight-cylinder engines from Rover were used as propulsion ; From the 1990s onwards, they were increasingly replaced by TVR's own designs. After a Russian investor took over the company, automobile production came to a standstill in the first few years of the 21st century. The further fate of the traditional sports car manufacturer was uncertain for a number of years until the owner shut down operations in July 2012. On September 8, 2017, the current owner, Les Edgar, presented a new model.

Changing companies

TVR's history has been marked by several bankruptcies, takeovers and name changes.

The TVR brand goes back to the engineer Trevor Wilkinson, born in 1923, who had been manufacturing sports cars in Blackpool since 1946. His first company was entered in the company register in 1946 under the name Trevcar Motors. In 1947 it was renamed TVR Engineering. The first vehicle with a specially designed TVR tubular space frame was built in 1949 - at that time still with a Ford engine. After TVR had built some vehicles for a US customer, a derived version for the British market, called Grantura, appeared at the end of 1958. Before production could begin, TVR Engineering was dissolved in late 1958 due to bankruptcy.

Wilkinson and his business partner Bernard Williams then founded Layton Sports Cars Ltd. in December 1958 . , which took over the production rights from TVR. The company's name refers to the Layton neighborhood of Blackpool, where the TVR workshop was located. Layton began series production of the Grantura in 1959. At the same time, Grantura Engineering was created , which was led by Bernard Williams and worked as a subcontractor for Layton Sports Cars. Layton Sports Cars renamed TVR Cars in October 1961. After a TVR dealer took over the majority of the shares, Trevor Wilkinson left the company. TVR Cars became insolvent in October 1962 and was subsequently dissolved.

After TVR Cars went bankrupt, the production rights were transferred to Grantura Engineering in October 1962, which “lived from hand to mouth” for three years. An expansion of the business to the North American market, which was driven by the USA dealer Jack Griffith, overwhelmed the weakly positioned company. In 1965, a strike by US dock workers also delayed the importation of numerous TVRs. When the importer stopped paying, Grantura went bankrupt in September 1965. The company was subsequently liquidated.

The material and production rights were acquired from Grantura Engineering by Martin and Arthur Lilley for £ 12,000. In November 1965 they founded the TVR Engineering Company. Martin Lilley brought stability to the company for the first time. He ran TVR until 1981 when he handed it over to Peter Wheeler after economic difficulties. Wheeler sold TVR in 2004 to the then 24-year-old Russian entrepreneur Nikolai Smolenski , but initially stayed with the company as a consultant. Smolenski phased out production in 2008. In June 2013, British media reported unanimously that the naming rights to TVR were sold to a British consortium led by entrepreneur Les Edgar. Under Edgar's direction, TVR presented a new model in 2017.

The individual phases

TVR's history is usually divided into different phases in the literature, which are roughly structured according to the respective owner.

The Trevor Wilkinson era

The first phase, characterized by various bankruptcies and start-ups, is known as the Trevor Wilkinson era. It covers the period from 1946 to 1962, in some cases it is also extended to 1965. In the first few years TVR Engineering initially produced individual pieces and prototypes. The second half of the Trevor-Wilkinson era is characterized by the TVR Grantura model , of which different variants were made, some with different names.

TVR followed a simple construction scheme from the beginning, which was continued until the end: A central frame was connected to a plastic body and a powerful engine.

Unique pieces

TVR 2 (1950)

Trevor Wilkinson's first work of his own was building a new body for an Alvis Firebird in 1947 . After that, the company's first independent designs were created with the models TVR 1 (1949), TVR 2 (1950) and TVR 3 (1951). They were open two-seater sports cars with a tubular frame designed by Wilkinson and a supplied body with free-standing wheels. The engines came from Ford and Austin . They each remained unique. Only the TVR 2 still exists. In 1954, TVR introduced the Sports Saloon , a closed two-door hatchback. The chassis was a Wilkinson construction, which was based on the previous models of the brand. The suspension parts came from Austin and Morris, the plastic body was supplied by RGS Automobile Components . The car offered as a kit found only three buyers. The TVR Sports Saloon has largely been forgotten today.

Ray Saidel and Jomar

In 1955 I got in touch with the American automobile dealer and amateur racing driver Ray Saidel, who commissioned a few small racing cars from TVR. Saidel became a central figure in the company's early history. For one thing, he opened TVR to the North American market; on the other hand, the car that TVR designed for him became the conceptual basis for all of the brand's models that were created up until the late 1970s. TVR designed a new frame for Saidel. Initially, TVR supplied some frames with no assembly; they received aluminum bodies Saidels workshop in Manchester ( New Hampshire ). TVR equipped some other chassis with a self-designed open body made of plastic. In addition to these cars, known as TVR Open Sports , there were six closed notchback vehicles ( TVR Coupé ) that looked unbalanced and “stubby”. The bodies of the coupé used body parts from the Microplas Mistral equally at the front and rear . On this basis, a hatchback version was developed at Saidel's suggestion from 1957, which he marketed in the USA as Jomar . After showing the car at various exhibitions across the country in 1958, Saidel received around 200 orders from US dealerships for 1959. However, TVR could not even begin to meet this volume of orders. By the end of 1958, TVR had built a total of just under 10 Jomars - some sources speak of "a handful" - and an increase in the production rate was not expected. Saidel then ended his relationship with TVR Engineering, which soon went bankrupt.

Grantura

TVR Grantura

The newly founded company Layton Sports Cars brought a slightly modified version of the Jomar onto the British market in the spring of 1959. The car was named Grantura. There were four series of the Grantura, the last of which was produced by TVR Engineering, a company newly founded by Martin Lilley. The cars were available as complete vehicles or as kits; Until the 1960s, more kits were produced than complete cars. Motors from Ford of Britain , MG or Coventry Climax could be installed in the Granturas sold in Great Britain . Over the years, four series were created that differed from each other through successive further developments. The biggest step in development was the introduction of a new chassis, which debuted in 1962 with the third series ( Mark III ). The Griffith 200 (1963 to 1964) and the Griffith 400 (1964 to 1967) were parallel models that were primarily intended for the US market and were not sold there as TVRs, but under the Griffith brand . They used the chassis and body of the Grantura Mark III but had a 4.7 liter eight cylinder V engine from Ford USA. They were commissioned by Griffith Motors from Hicksville ( New York ) and competed against the similarly designed AC Cobra and Sunbeam Tiger sports cars . The versions of the Griffith 200 and 400 sold in the UK were uniformly called the TVR Griffith 200 .

In 1962, TVR and a works team took part in several Granturas in the Sebring and Le Mans 12-hour races . Mark Donohue and Jay Signore finished the race at Sebring in 25th place overall, at Le Mans Peter Bolton and Ninian Sanderson dropped out after just three laps.

The Martin-Lilley era

TVR 3000 M (1974)

Under the leadership of Martin Lilley, the company, which until 1966 had only two shareholders, became more stable. Over the next several years, TVR saw significant growth. The previous models Grantura and Griffith 200/400 were gradually developed into the Vixen and Tuscan V8 . Lilley succeeded in reducing production costs by purchasing the drive and chassis technology from Ford of Britain at more favorable conditions, starting with the introduction of the Vixen. This enabled the company to spend more money on quality control, which in turn reduced the number of complaints and warranty cases. In 1969 TVR had a balanced balance sheet for the first time, and from 1970 the company made a profit more or less regularly. In 1970, TVR moved production to Bristol Avenue in Blackpool, where it is now. In 1972 the M series was introduced, a further development of the Vixen, which sold well in the 1970s. The M was sold as a coupé , a 3-door and a convertible . At times, a version with a supercharged engine was also available, with the Turbo M being the first British production vehicle with a turbocharger .

The Peter Wheeler era

Base model for the 1980s: TVR Tasmin

TVR Griffith 400

TVR Chimaera (1994)

1979 appeared with the Tasmin 280i the next generation of TVR models. From a technical point of view, it followed the design pattern of the earlier series; their emphatically wedge-shaped body was a stylistic break with tradition. The cost of developing the new model and preparing it for production totaled £ 550,000. They overstrained the capabilities of the owners and ultimately led to the company being sold to Peter Wheeler in 1982 . On the basis of the Tasmin, Wheeler created a wide range of models in the 1980s, the members of which are known in English-speaking countries as TVR Wedges because of their striking body . It all started in 1983 with the 350i with an eight-cylinder Rover engine. In the years that followed, TVR developed the eight-cylinder Rover step by step, so that the 350i was accompanied by a number of even more powerful versions with a displacement of up to 4.5 liters. While the 350i gradually became a volume model with the standard Rover engine, the more powerful special versions, known in enthusiastic circles as Big Bad Wedges , were only available to a limited extent. A new chapter in TVR history began in 1986 with the presentation of the TVR S series : the S, which looked similar to the M series but was redesigned, replaced the (Tasmin) 280i and took over its role as an entry-level model. He also created several series one after the other, which differed from one another in terms of technical and stylistic developments. Various six- and eight-cylinder engines from 2.0 to 4.0 liters displacement were also available. Due to its comparatively low price, the annual TVR output doubled within a short time.

In the 1990s, TVR was successful with the new Griffith . Shortly thereafter, the TVR Chimaera went into production. With more than 10,000 copies, it was the brand's most successful vehicle to date. The first TVR with a self-designed and built engine, the Cerbera , was introduced in 1996. Thanks to five years of development and two years of intensive tests on the racetrack, the "Speed ​​Eight" engine has the highest output and the highest torque with the lowest dead weight of all naturally aspirated engines that have ever been built for a road vehicle.

TVR built a second engine in 1997 with the "Speed ​​Six" (a six-cylinder in- line engine ). The latest technologies from motorsport were used . The following year the mighty “Speed ​​Twelve”, a third engine, was built, with which TVR started in the British GT1 class. The naturally aspirated engine with a displacement of 7.7 liters has an output of 640 kW (870 hp).

After deliveries of the new Tuscan began in 2000, it quickly became the best-selling TVR. The Cerbera Speed ​​Twelve was presented as a racing version, with a win at Silverstone in its first season. The Tamora was introduced in 2001. With a lower price he should win a broader customer base for TVR. A new generation of TVR Coupés was presented in 2002 at the "British International Motorshow". The T350, like the T400R and T440R, brought TVR into new market segments.

Turbulence under Smolenski

TVR Sagaris

Peter Wheeler sold TVR in 2004 to the then 24-year-old Russian entrepreneur Nikolai Smolenski , but initially stayed with the company as a consultant. The Sagaris with 294 kW (400 PS) was presented, a coupé based on the T350, the racing version of which was to be used in long-distance races.

In 2006 there was some confusion about the future of the company. At the end of April 2006, Smolenski initially stated that the Blackpool production site might be abandoned and production would be relocated to Eastern Europe, possibly to Smolenski's home country Russia. In mid-June, however, there was talk of the company remaining in Great Britain. In October 2006, however, Smolenski announced again that the entire production would be relocated to other Eastern European countries. Then TVR owners went to protest through London.

Production was suspended from autumn 2006, shortly afterwards, in December 2006, the TVR factory Blackpool Automotive was placed under receivership, a form of British bankruptcy law. In October 2007 it was announced that production would be resumed and that final assembly was planned at Bertone in Italy. After failed takeover negotiations with two Americans, Smolenski gave up at the end of 2007.

In 2008, Smolenski had three prototypes of new models built in Austria that were equipped with different engines, including one with an electric drive. The calculated sales price was between £ 100,000 and £ 120,000, depending on the model. Smolenski was of the opinion that his company could not survive in the market at these prices. In July 2012 he finally announced the end of TVR as an automobile manufacturer. He plans to use the brand name for turbines in the future.

New start under Les Edgar

TVR Griffith 2017

In June 2013, British media reported unanimously that the previous owner Smolenski had sold the naming rights to TVR to a British consortium led by the entrepreneur Les Edgar. In an interview with the car magazine AutoExpress, Edgar confirmed that the newly created TVR Automotive Ltd. plan to introduce new models like the new Griffith (2017) and have the right to manufacture parts for existing vehicles. No information was given about the purchase price.

Models

model	Construction year	engine	Displacement
TVR Jomar 1	1957-1959	Coventry Climax Ford Kent	1098 cc 1172 cc
TVR Grantura I.	1958-1960	Coventry Climax Ford Kent BMC-B series	1098 cc 1172 cc 1588 cc
TVR Grantura II	1960-1961	Coventry Climax Ford Kent BMC B series	1098 cc 1172 cc 1588 cc
TVR Grantura IIa	1961–1962	Coventry Climax Ford Kent BMC B series	1098 cc 1172 cc 1588 cc
TVR Grantura III	1962-1964	Coventry Climax Ford Kent BMC B series	1098 cc 1172 cc 1588 cc
TVR Grantura 1800S	1964-1966	BMC B series	1798 cc
TVR Griffith 200 1	1963-1964	Ford Windsor V8	4727 cc
TVR Griffith 400 1	1964-1967	Ford Windsor V8	4727 cc
TVR Griffith 600 1	1964-1967	Ford Windsor V8	4727 cc
TVR Trident 2	1965	Ford Windsor V8	4727 cc
Martin Lilley era
TVR Grantura IV 1800S	1966-1967	BMC B series	1798 cc
TVR Tina 2	1967	Hillman Imp R4	875 cc
TVR Vixen S1	1967-1968	Ford Kent BMC B series	1599 cm³ 1798 cm³
TVR Vixen S2	1968-1969	Ford Kent	1599 cc
TVR Tuscan Se	1969	Ford Windsor V8	4727 cc
TVR Tuscan V6	1969-1971	Ford Essex V6	2994 cc
TVR Tuscan V8	1970	Ford Windsor V8	5300 cc
TVR Zante SM	1970-1971	Triumph R6	2498 cc
TVR Vixen S3	1970-1972	Ford Kent	1599 cc
TVR Vixen 1300	1971-1972	Triumph R4	1296 cc
TVR Vixen 2500	1971-1972	Triumph R6	2498 cc
TVR Vixen S4	1972	Ford Kent	1599 cc
TVR 1600M	1972-1973 1975-1977	Ford Kent	1599 cc
TVR 2500M	1972-1977	Triumph R6	2498 cc
TVR 3000M	1972-1979	Ford Essex V6	2994 cc
TVR 3000M Turbo	1975-1979	Ford Essex V6	2994 cc
TVR Taimar	1976-1979	Ford Essex V6	2994 cc
TVR Taimar Turbo	1976-1979	Ford Essex V6	2994 cc
TVR 5000M	1978		5000 cc
TVR 3000S	1978-1979	Ford Essex V6	2994 cc
TVR 3000S Turbo	1978-1979	Ford Essex V6	2994 cc
TVR Tasmin 200i	1979-1984	Ford OHC R4	1993 cc
TVR Tasmin 280i	1980-1984	Ford-Cologne V6	2792 cc
Peter Wheeler era
TVR 280i	1984-1987	Ford-Cologne V6	2792 cc
TVR 350i	1983-1985	TVR / Rover V8	3528 cc
TVR 350SX	1985-1989	TVR / Rover V8 + Sprintex compressor	3528 cc
TVR 400SX	1989	TVR / Rover V8 + Sprintex compressor	3948 cc
TVR 350SE	1990-1991	TVR / Rover V8	3947 cc
TVR 390SE	1984-1988	TVR / Rover V8	3905 cc
TVR 400SE	1988-1991	TVR / Rover V8	3948 cc
TVR 420SE	1986-1987	TVR / Rover V8	4228 cc
TVR 450SE	1989-1990	TVR / Rover V8	4441 cc
TVR 420SEAC	1986-1988	TVR / Rover V8	4228 cc
TVR 450SEAC	1988-1989	TVR / Rover V8	4441 cc
TVR S	1986-1988	Ford-Cologne V6	2792 cc
TVR S2	1989-1990	Ford-Cologne V6	2933 cc
TVR S3 (C)	1991-1992	Ford-Cologne V6	2933 cc
TVR S4C	1993-1993	Ford-Cologne V6	2933 cc
TVR V8S	1991-1993	TVR / Rover V8	3948 cc
TVR Griffith	1992-2002	TVR / Rover V8	3948 cm³ 4280 cm³ 4988 cm³
TVR Chimaera	1992-2001	TVR / Rover V8	3948 cm³ 4280 cm³ 4495 cm³ 4988 cm³
TVR Cerbera	1996-2003	TVR Speed ​​Eight	4185 cc 4475 cc
	1996-2003	TVR Speed ​​Six	3996 cc
TVR Tamora	2002-2006	TVR Speed ​​Six	3605 cc
TVR T350C TVR T350T	2003-2006	TVR Speed ​​Six	3605 cc
TVR Tuscan Speed ​​6	1999-2006	TVR Speed ​​Six	3996 cc
TVR Sagaris	2004-2006	TVR Speed ​​Six	3996 cc
TVR Typhon	2004	TVR Speed ​​Six	3996 cc
Nikolai Smolensky era
TVR Tuscan Speed ​​6	1999-2006	TVR Speed ​​Six	3996 cc
TVR Sagaris	2004-2006	TVR Speed ​​Six	3996 cc
Racing cars and prototypes
TVR Cerbera Speed ​​12 2/3	1997	TVR Speed ​​Twelve	7730 cc
TVR Tuscan Speed ​​12 2/3		TVR Speed ​​Twelve	7730 cc
TVR Tuscan Challenge 3	1989-?	Rover V8 TVR Speed ​​Eight	4500 cc
TVR T400R 3	?
TVR Typhon GT 3	2004	TVR Speed ​​Six	4200 cc

¹ - Technically not a TVR model, but with a TVR chassis and body.
² - never produced in series.
³ - only for racing use

literature

• Ralph Dodds: TVR. Cars Of The Peter Wheeler Era , The Crowood Press, Ramsburg 2015, ISBN 978-1847979971
• Matthew Vale: TVR 1946-1982. The Trevor Wilkinson and Martin Lilley Years , The Crowood Press, Ramsbury 2017, ISBN 978-1785003516

Web links

Commons : TVR vehicles  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Official TVR site
• TVR Germany

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Uli Baumann: Puristic sports car with 507 PS In: auto-motor-und-sport.de , September 8, 2017.
2. ^ Matthew Vale: TVR 1946−1982. The Trevor Wilkinson and Martin Lilley Years , The Crowood Press, Ramsbury 2017, ISBN 978-1785003516 , p. 10.
3. ^ John Tipler: TVR , Sutton Publishing Ltd., Strout, 1998, ISBN 0-7509-1766-0 , p. 13.
4. ↑ ^{a b} Ralph Dodds: TVR. Cars Of The Peter Wheeler Era , The Crowood Press, Ramsburg 2015, ISBN 978-1847979971 , p. 12.
5. ^ Matthew Vale: TVR 1946−1982. The Trevor Wilkinson and Martin Lilley Years , The Crowood Press, Ramsbury 2017, ISBN 978-1785003516 , p. 14.
6. ^ Matthew Vale: TVR 1946−1982. The Trevor Wilkinson and Martin Lilley Years , The Crowood Press, Ramsbury 2017, ISBN 978-1785003516 , p. 15.
7. ^ Matthew Vale: TVR 1946−1982. The Trevor Wilkinson and Martin Lilley Years , The Crowood Press, Ramsbury 2017, ISBN 978-1785003516 , p. 17.
8. ↑ ^{a b} Ralph Dodds: TVR. Cars Of The Peter Wheeler Era , The Crowood Press, Ramsburg 2015, ISBN 978-1847979971 , p. 13.
9. ^ Matthew Vale: TVR 1946−1982. The Trevor Wilkinson and Martin Lilley Years , The Crowood Press, Ramsbury 2017, ISBN 978-1785003516 , p. 19.
10. ↑ Overview of the TVR models on the website of the German Brand Club (accessed on April 12, 2019).
11. ↑ Ralph Dodds: TVR. Cars Of The Peter Wheeler Era , The Crowood Press, Ramsburg 2015, ISBN 978-1847979971 , p. 9.
12. ^ Matthew Vale: TVR 1946−1982. The Trevor Wilkinson and Martin Lilley Years , The Crowood Press, Ramsbury 2017, ISBN 978-1785003516 , p. 29.
13. ^ Matthew Vale: TVR 1946−1982. The Trevor Wilkinson and Martin Lilley Years , The Crowood Press, Ramsbury 2017, ISBN 978-1785003516 , p. 33.
14. ↑ The very extensive and largely complete documentation by Steve Hole ( AZ of Kit Cars. The definite encyclopaedia of the UK's kit car industry since 1949 , Haynes Publishing, Sparkford 2012, ISBN 9781844256778 ) does not mention the vehicle.
15. ↑ ^{a b} Ralph Dodds: TVR. Cars Of The Peter Wheeler Era, The Crowood Press, Ramsburg 2015, ISBN 978-1847979971 , p. 11.
16. ^ ^{A b c} Matthew Vale: TVR 1946−1982. The Trevor Wilkinson and Martin Lilley Years , The Crowood Press, Ramsbury 2017, ISBN 978-1785003516 , p. 37.
17. ^ John Tipler: TVR , Sutton Publishing Ltd., Strout, 1998, ISBN 0-7509-1766-0 , p. 10.
18. ^ Matthew Vale: TVR 1946−1982. The Trevor Wilkinson and Martin Lilley Years , The Crowood Press, Ramsbury 2017, ISBN 978-1785003516 , p. 90.
19. ↑ Ralph Dodds: TVR. Cars Of The Peter Wheeler Era , The Crowood Press, Ramsburg 2015, ISBN 978-1847979971 , p. 15.
20. ^ John Tipler: TVR , Sutton Publishing Ltd., Strout, 1998, ISBN 0-7509-1766-0 , p. 77.
21. ↑ Ralph Dodds: TVR. Cars Of The Peter Wheeler Era , The Crowood Press, Ramsbury 2015, ISBN 978-1847979971 , p. 30.
22. ^ Matthew Vale: TVR 1946−1982. The Trevor Wilkinson and Martin Lilley Years , The Crowood Press, Ramsbury 2017, ISBN 978-1785003516 , p. 140.
23. ↑ Ralph Dodds: TVR. Cars Of The Peter Wheeler Era , The Crowood Press, Ramsbury 2015, ISBN 978-1847979971 , p. 26.
24. ^ Alastair Clements: Blackpool Peers . History of the TVR brand in: Classic & Sports Car, issue 1/2007.
25. ^ John Tipler: TVR , Sutton Publishing Ltd., Strout, 1998, ISBN 0-7509-1766-0 , p. 75.
26. ↑ Ralph Dodds: TVR. Cars Of The Peter Wheeler Era , The Crowood Press, Ramsbury 2015, ISBN 978-1847979971 , p. 43.
27. ^ In: Automobil Revue , Supplement Drive Style, pp. 48/49, September 15, 2010.
28. ^ David Vivian: The decline of TVR. In: The Telegraph , July 16, 2012 (English).
29. ↑ Jack Rix: TVR is back. In: autoexpress.co.uk , June 13, 2013 (English).