TVR sold to the Russians!!

[Skillie]

Just heard TVRs been sold off to a 24 year old russian billionaire. Can't find the link to the news story cos damn work server blocks most sites. This is a bit sad though ain't it. MAybe he'll do great things/maybe he'll **** it up!!

 

[Kerzo]

maybe he will make them very affordable

 

[Calibra]

lets all keep are fingers crossed

 

[Emmy]

lol with parts from ladas!

 

[Gambit]

from the financial times

TVR, the British maker of wildly styled and fiendishly fast cars, has been sold to Nikolai Smolensky, 23, one of Russia's youngest millionaires and the son of a controversial tycoon whose banking empire collapsed during the 1998 financial crisis.


Mr Smolensky's father, Alexander, was one of the oligarchs who bankrolled the re-election campaign of former president Boris Yeltsin in 1996.

He was accused of shifting assets into other companies while leaving depositors in his SBS Agro bank with nothing after its bankruptcy. But he was never found guilty, denies any wrongdoing and later launched another bank, OVK.

TVR's 400-strong workforce were told on Tuesday that Nikolai Smolensky planned a substantial investment to take the Blackpool company into North America and other global markets.

Neither side would say how much Mr Smolensky has paid for a company whose giant-killing reputation exceeds its output of about 1,000 cars a year. Its last published accounts show a profit of about £400,000 in 2002.

TVR's employees had known that Peter Wheeler, a former North Sea oil engineer who bought the company 23 years ago, had been considering selling and had hoped it would go to an enthusiast. The new owner appears to fit the bill. Marketing director Ben Samuelson said: "He's a mad keen motor racing enthusiast who's driven loads of TVRs."

TVR fans will be relieved that Mr Wheeler will be staying on to oversee styling and engineering. He and his deceased spaniel, Ned, have become industry legends: Mr Wheeler for styling the best-selling TVR Tuscan on the back of a Marlboro cigarette pack; Ned for biting a chunk out of a foam model prototype, creating what became the front light apertures of the TVR Chimaera.

 

[Skillie]

I love these motors and would dream of owning one. They have bad rep for reliability alright and are not for the faint-hearted; no abs,airbags,traction etc (this is something that makes them apealing at the same time). He may make the company more of a global player and may improve the reliability and safety of these without ruining it (or maybe making it optional). Hope he doesn't rape the company though and ruin the soul of these cars. at least Peter Wheeler is stayin on though and will hopefully see it right

 

[Taz007]

tvr's are class - i hope he doesnt ruin them!

 

[Designated Driver]

TVRs are probably the most affordable of all supercars - and have the raw power appeal of front engine and RWD with no driver aids at all
They are the dream cars I may one day be able to afford!

 

[The 2 Green 1 Machine 4]

TVRs are probably the most affordable of all supercars - and have the raw power appeal of front engine and RWD with no driver aids at all
They are the dream cars I may one day be able to afford!

Couldnt have put it better! I honestly would have two TVR's before a ferrari!

 

[Phil_D]

20k will pick u up a very nice 4.5 Cerbera not really out of reach of anyone

 

[Boydie]

yeah hope he doesnt wreck them

 

[Dermot]

TVRs are probably the most affordable of all supercars - and have the raw power appeal of front engine and RWD with no driver aids at all
They are the dream cars I may one day be able to afford!

TVR is one of the only 'Drivers Cars' out there...

Like LSD... Hundreds of BHP and Million of lbf's of torque in a Lightweight shell with no Electric's ... Hmmmm

 

[Skillie]

20k will pick u up a very nice 4.5 Cerbera not really out of reach of anyone

LOL you're still thinking about it aren't ya!!! Has to be a Tuscan all the way for me though. Just looking at it you know it means business.

 

[Calibra]

pretty cars
never been in 1 but theres a grey 1 outside autoclean ?? in Lisburn!!!!!

 

[Harry]

That grey one is Trevors, he owns sureclean its a T350. My uncle just sold his red pearlescent cerbera with anthracite wheels and his new grey on grey wheels cerbera arrives in the next week or 2. Bastids.

 

[Skillie]

Lucky fccuk the T350 is unreal. Those alloys are so ****in cool in fairness i think i'd be hard pressed to find a car i want more than a TVR

 

[Designated Driver]

I'd take any of them from the early '90s on though I think the electrics have been getting better since the late '90s. I would love one straight to the track with it!!

 

[Skillie]

Saw a T350 on sunday and my jaw was resting on my stearing wheel what a stunning motor!

 

[Calibra]

sits there most days
very tidy little motor
dripple dripple yummy

 

[Skillie]

sits there most days

My Jaw?? Yes it prob does. Seriously menacing looking car though, i want one