TVR bought by the Russians!
 

TVR Said:
We can confirm that a 100% shareholding in UK car-maker TVR has been purchased today. The new owner is Nikolai Smolenski.

Plans for the future are to continue trading, invest heavily in new technology and production methods, and hence enhance the TVR brand to become a global player.

There will be no large-scale restructuring and new managerial appointments will be made in due course. Peter Wheeler, previous owner, will remain on board as a senior consultant.

[IMG]http://www.fancysplace.com/smileys/yikes.gif[/IMG]

Forget the T350, from now on its T34!

Chelsea is still not FA Champion

If they continue to make cars,... :D

What a sad day :(

I thought Tvr was one of britons best kept secrets, and the only 100% british car company ( apart from noble etc ), what a shame. :(
At least the managerial staff will stay the same...and Peter wheeler is there.... The russian .....Got any more info on him??? Has he got any plans for tvr???

[QUOTE=UK CARS]What a sad day :(

I thought Tvr was one of britons best kept secrets, and the only 100% british car company ( apart from noble etc ), what a shame. :([/QUOTE]

Err...
MG/ Rover
Morgan
Lister
Caterham
Westfield
etc, etc

Investment in TVR = :)
Bought by Russians = :(

[QUOTE=Coventrysucks]Err...
MG/ Rover
Morgan
Lister
Caterham
Westfield
etc, etc

Investment in TVR = :)
Bought by Russians = :([/QUOTE]

Yes, thats why i said apart from noble etc, i ment like well known...bigger!, never mind...

hope things dont get messed up for TVR :(

TVR also said:
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.

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

Founded in 1947 and built up over the last 23 years by Peter Wheeler, TVR’s profile has grown dramatically over the last ten years. “It’s been a fascinating time and I shall be very sad when I eventually leave,” said Wheeler earlier today. “However, it’s time to hand the reins over to a younger man and I look forward to helping him with his exciting plans.”

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.

And then:
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 Nicolai has pursued other interests.

With personal wealth estimated to be in excess of $100, there's been much debate as to how much Nicolai 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 Nicolai's biggest challenge.

tvr future
 

I supose we have to hope for the best
this should give tvr a more stable financial situation, giving them more freedom to produce stunning new cars

;)

How much was it sold for

Rumours say something like £15 million I think ($27million)

More about [URL=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3932531.stm]Smolensky[/URL]

Actually, the way I enterpret things, this is great news for TVR fans. You get a guy with a fat wallet who loves cars and racing and wants the company to stay along its british course. What's so bad about that?

Well I hope that TVR won't change the way they make cars and continue to make new and better cars in the future. :)

TVR hopefully will not change. Even being under new management there should still be their strong developments.

[QUOTE=scubasteve87]Actually, the way I enterpret things, this is great news for TVR fans. You get a guy with a fat wallet who loves cars and racing and wants the company to stay along its british course. What's so bad about that?[/QUOTE]

No one in America would complain if, say, Shelby were bought by Russians?

Shelby isn't much to speak of anymore, and if being bought by the russians meant more shelbys on the road I wouldn't complain.

That's the problem with America.
There aren't any low volume manufacturers of quality sports cars a la TVR, Noble , Lotus etc.

what do you have against the russians CS? i mean you make it seem like the russian govt. bought TVR and is stealing it from the brits... he was a russian born man who was schooled in england and is very in tune with british society. if a russian bought shelby in america and it was in the same situation, he wanted to keep along with shelb tradition etc. i wouldnt care. i would run thru the street screaming "the russians are coming! the comies are taking over" thats for sure ;) lighten up a bit its still a british manufacturer and its still in britain but with more funding what more could you want?

[QUOTE=megotmea7]what do you have against the russians CS? i mean you make it seem like the russian govt. bought TVR and is stealing it from the brits... he was a russian born man who was schooled in england and is very in tune with british society. if a russian bought shelby in america and it was in the same situation, he wanted to keep along with shelb tradition etc. i wouldnt care. i would run thru the street screaming "the russians are coming! the comies are taking over" thats for sure ;) lighten up a bit its still a british manufacturer and its still in britain but with more funding what more could you want?[/QUOTE]

You'd have been alone voice in the 70s when protectionism was put up to save the American auto industry from being taken over by the Japanese :)

[QUOTE=megotmea7]what do you have against the russians CS? i mean you make it seem like the russian govt. bought TVR and is stealing it from the brits... he was a russian born man who was schooled in england and is very in tune with british society. if a russian bought shelby in america and it was in the same situation, he wanted to keep along with shelb tradition etc. i wouldnt care. i would run thru the street screaming "the russians are coming! the comies are taking over" thats for sure ;) lighten up a bit its still a british manufacturer and its still in britain but with more funding what more could you want?[/QUOTE]

I don't have anything against Russians, or Smolensky.
Re-reading my posts it does sound like I do though.

A lot of people aren't happy about it. It would have been preferable if it had been a British millionaire who had stumped up the cash.

Also a lot of people are hacked off that it is a continuation of the decline of the once great British auto industry.

Thanks a bunch British Leyland.

[QUOTE=Matra et Alpine]You'd have been alone voice in the 70s when protectionism was put up to save the American auto industry from being taken over by the Japanese :)[/QUOTE]
this is a completly different scenario, this is ONE man who happenes to be russian, its not the russian govt. or the russian people, or evern a russian auto manufacturer, just some guy, i see nothing wrong with that

[QUOTE=Coventrysucks]That's the problem with America.
There aren't any low volume manufacturers of quality sports cars a la TVR, Noble , Lotus etc.[/QUOTE]

i know, sucks eh? the only one i can think of at the moment is Saleen, other than that, nothing. should be more companies like Noble, TVR, Lotus, etc. to broaden the landscape of cars, make things more exciting

we have panoz and mosler to name a couple of cool manufactures in the states

[QUOTE=scubasteve87]we have panoz and mosler to name a couple of cool manufactures in the states[/QUOTE]

Nothing on a par with TVЯ though.
:D

true, not in volume or quality, but the esperante and mt900 are great looking, and supposedly great driving automobiles

[QUOTE=scubasteve87]true, not in volume or quality, but the esperante and mt900 are great looking, and supposedly great driving automobiles[/QUOTE]
Not sure about the quality bit. Panoz are very well built. C&D rated the Esperante's build quality between the 996 Cabrio and the XKR convertible. Shame about the Mustang switchgear and gauges though.
As for the driving, Panoz have a special version, the JRD RSr. With supercharger, special Eibach springs, Penske adjustable shocks, Brembo brakes, etc. Even with massive wheelspin, it does the quarter in 12.18 @ 119.55. 100-150 comes in 12.0 seconds.

Here's what really happened:

[QUOTE=Sniff Petrol]The car industry was lightly rocked last week with news that musky sports car maker TVR has been bought by Russian billionaire Nikolai Smolenski, who is 12. Smolenski, or "Smelly" as some classmates call him, is said to be very excited about his new car company having saved up his pocket money for three weeks in order to buy it. Those close to the wealthy pre-teen have been quick to refute suggestions that TVR will become a rich boy's plaything, and have also denied an accusation, written on the back of a geography exercise book by Alexei Shevchenko, that Smolenski is a "gaylord". "Mr Smolenski is very commited to the future of TVR," said some bloke in a furry hat. "Already he been designing some new cars for the company when he should have been doing his maths homework".
Friends of the wedged-up young scamp say Smolenski's dedication to TVR will be encouraged by his father, Alexander. "Nikolai has been told that this cannot be like his BMX bike or his X-Box or that petro-chemical processing plant in Rybinsk," said a source close to the family. "He cannot simply play with it for a month, then get bored and shove it into the cupboard under the stairs".
However, TVR fans are already expressing concerns about the almost-pubescent squillionaire's long term prospects. "It's all well and good him being keen now," said one factory insider. "He can show us all the plans for flying cars and coupes with laser cannons coming out of the bonnet he wants, but before long he'll find something else to occupy him and we'll be left in the cold. Probably in about 18 months when he discovers girls and discos".[/QUOTE]

:D

hi my dad works for TVR
i can get all the latest info!
there will be....
a new sagaris,tamora and tuscan out next year i have seen them
theyre looking great

[QUOTE=yatesy]hi my dad works for TVR
i can get all the latest info!
there will be....
a new sagaris,tamora and tuscan out next year i have seen them
theyre looking great[/QUOTE]

pictures speak louder then words.. :D

[QUOTE=QUATTRO MAN]pictures speak louder then words.. :D[/QUOTE]
yeah, this is the second time you made that claim, you're full of hot air. :(

WOW,

In charge for less than a week and already he's getting new car models to show your dad - im impressed !!! :D :D

Look on the bright side, not all russian billionaires are a bad thing for the UK. I know one who is a car fanatic (and owns a car based business now) as well and he's a top bloke. Cant leave anything standard for a minute, not even his M3CSL !!! lol

I'll see if I can get him to take a trip up to Blackpool, they all know each other (Abramovich was at his 18th) so it should be interesting.

J.

[QUOTE=Coventrysucks]TVR Said:
We can confirm that a 100% shareholding in UK car-maker TVR has been purchased today. The new owner is Nikolai Smolenski.

Plans for the future are to continue trading, invest heavily in new technology and production methods, and hence enhance the TVR brand to become a global player.

There will be no large-scale restructuring and new managerial appointments will be made in due course. Peter Wheeler, previous owner, will remain on board as a senior consultant.

[IMG]http://www.fancysplace.com/smileys/yikes.gif[/IMG]

Forget the T350, from now on its T34![/QUOTE]



I heard the newest model will be called the Petrograd KGB :D