TVR, one of Britain’s few remaining independent carmakers, has announced it will close its factory in Blackpool, England. The company’s 26-year-old owner, Nikolai Smolenski, denies that the company is going out of business. Smolenski says he has plans to establish a new state-of-the-art production site outside England to continue building TVR’s flamboyant lineup of models, including today’s Sagaris, Tamora and Tuscan—the latter of which starred alongside John Travolta and Halle Berry in the movie Swordfish.
The shuttering of TVR’s Blackpool factory was not unexpected, the lease for its headquarters expiring at the end of September. Smolenski, who purchased TVR for £15 million (about $28 million) in 2004, announced in August that the company would move to a new facility in the nearby Blackpool Business Park in Lancashire. This arrangement has since been abandoned because of the facility’s failure to meet English health and safety regulations.
“This is not the end of the road for TVR, but it appears to be the end of the road for TVR in England,” a company spokesman told AutoWeek. “We are in negotiations to establish a new plant outside of England.”
Smolenski is remaining tight-lipped on exactly where he plans to shift TVR production, though rumors are it will be in Eastern Europe in a bid to take advantage of low labor rates. On a positive note, TVR says it will honor outstanding orders and will continue to operate a parts-supply service; however, delivery of 2007 model-year cars is now not expected to begin until its new factory is up and running.

 

Very sad but I don't think the U.K owns any U.K car company anymore. I am afraid this is a preview of America's companies if they don't get a clue.

 

Always love TVR, don't know why I haven't seen one in rowland heights yet

 

dont forget about the Morgan Motors company
the oldest car company around and still family owned by the brits (Morgan family)

Morgan is one brand that the tradition with always stay with

 

'Always' is a long time.

But certainly Morgan has a lot better following than TVR.
I've never seen a TVR I thought was good looking.

Saw this on my trip to Scotland in the summer...

 

TVR was the purveyor of some of the most unfortunate-looking cars in history. Ranging from simply odd-looking to the stunningly ugly, TVR built a collection of cars that were an amalgamation of British technology. For a time, much of the body structure was supported by a wooden frame - much like Morgan's. Whatever its structural problems a few years later when the worms and weevils set in, wood was at least a cheap and easily-worked material for low-production applications.



Early runners sported Coventry Climax engines which although small, were based on the F1 engines that also powered Lotus. Outfitted more as a "Gentleman's Express" than a stripped-out racer as was the ultra-light Lotus of Colin Chapman, TVR never really found its niche. Most examples appeared to be assembled by the owner in his garage . . . an expensive, hand-made kit car.



TVR was always known as a performance car - even in the worst of times. It competed successfully in racing - even at Le Mans. It seemed once the engine question was well sorted, the low-volume manufacturer had to re-source the chassis, which introduced a whole new crop of problems. Bodies were almost an afterthought and fit and finish was "variable", often akin to what you could purchase on a King Midget. For a WHOLE lot less money. At least the TVR sported at least three more cylinders than the Midget.

TVR had a public image as a kit car, not only was its styling awkward, but its assembly crude. In recent years both styling and reliability improved dramatically, but TVR never gained a popular reputation. Sold as an exotic, the marque retained its performance image, but at last had begun to develop the all-important world-class styling required of a piece of automotive jewelry.


Photos courtesy www.ritzsite.demon.nl , www.pbca1.com , www.topspeed.com

We wish them well, and that Smolenski can deliver on the promise of the world-class exotic that has always lurked in the shadows at TVR.

 

well i have several friends who own or have owned TVR's.

all i can say is that they are brutal but in desperate need of quality.

lets hope the move to italy will help improve build quality.

at least the engines will still be made in the uk..

Also... one other way to look at the purchace of TVR by Smolenski..

MONEY LAUNDERING...