Motoring: TVR set to come roaring back
REVERED British sports car brand TVR is set to roar back into production under the watchful eye of F1 and McLaren designer Gordon Murray.
TVR has developed a product and launch programme that will see at least four new models brought to market over the next 10 years, with the cars powered by all-new Cosworth engines.
Good news for sports car enthusiasts is that the market positioning and pricing structures have been designed to be consistent with TVR’s past offerings, making the proposition a highly competitive one.
The Blackpool-built thunderbolts have undergone a turbulent history since being conceived in 1947 by Trevor Wilkinson. Production ceased in the late 2000s with the company mired in foreign ownership and it was thought the UK had seen the last of the marque.
However, true to the adage you can’t keep a good man down, the company is set to return to the UK market in 2017 with a brand new British designed and built sports car.
The company, which has spent the past year assembling its new management team, has developed the new car in collaboration with Gordon Murray Design and Cosworth, each providing much of the core design and engineering capability for the all-new car.
While the project has been kept under wraps for some time, an official statement from the company suggests the project is well advanced with over a year of development completed so far.
TVR has said it will issue more specification details and early images later in 2015, but what is known so far is that the car will continue the TVR tradition and be a classic British two-seat design.
It will feature a lightweight composite ground effect aero chassis and body package, using Gordon Murray Design’s innovative iStream technology.
TVR fans will also be pleased to know that the car will feature the traditional TVR DNA of a front engine with rear wheel drive and a manual transmission, powered by a normally aspirated, dry-sumped, V8 engine, developed and engineered by Cosworth.
Les Edgar, chairman of TVR said: “We know that a new TVR has to be better than just good – it has to be outstanding. From the outset we only wanted to work with the best partners in the business, and both Gordon Murray’s and Cosworth’s track records within motor sport and high performance car design and engineering speaks for themselves. Gordon Murray Design and Cosworth are the perfect partners for TVR and together, we will deliver a truly exceptional new car.”
Production of the car will begin in 2017. In keeping with the company’s position as an all-British institution, the cars will be completely produced in new UK factory premises.
Gordon Murray, chairman of Gordon Murray Design said: “TVR is an iconic brand which has been an important part of British sports car manufacturing for many decades. Its return to manufacturing is an exciting development and the car deserves the best chassis and powertrain that can possibly be delivered. To that end, I am delighted that our company is involved with the project, and that TVR are using our iStream® technology.”
Bruce Wood, Cosworth Technical Director, said: “We are proud to see Cosworth’s industry-leading engineering at the heart of the revived TVR brand. Our team has been working closely with TVR and Gordon Murray Design to develop a powertrain solution that perfectly complements the exceptional performance characteristics of the new car.
Edgar, who acquired the business in 2013, has been quick to reassure enthusiasts that the project is viable.
“We are a well-funded, well-supported organisation and boast a vastly experienced management team,” he said.
“We are here to stay and we have a fully evolved 10-year plan for product and business development, and are committed to deliver on all the targets we have set ourselves – as we have done to date.
“Despite very deliberately maintaining a low profile since completing the acquisition of TVR two years ago, we have had an enormous amount of unsolicited interest from businesses, individuals and investors internationally.”
IAM warns of changes to driving licence
THE Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has warned rivers to be aware of the changes now applicable as a result of the paper counterpart for the traditional driving licence being scrapped.
As was the case with the abolition of the paper tax disc last October, the IAM said it was concerned many people might still be confused or unaware of the implications of the scrapping of the paper counterpart.
The counterpart was introduced alongside the photo card driving licence in 1998 to include details such as any endorsements and which category of vehicles you are entitled to drive.
However this information will now be stored electronically and any updates will not be shown on any written documentation you will have. These details can only be obtained via the DVLA driver record system, and be checked online or in writing by post.
As of Monday (June 8), the paper counterpart, or an old-style paper driving licence cannot be relied upon to carry correct or-up-to-date information about endorsements or categories of vehicle someone can drive.
The counterpart will carry no legal status, and the DVLA has recommended people destroy their paper versions.
What is also changing is the procedure if you have to surrender your driving licence to a court in the event of an endorsement. The court will take your photocard and if you include the paper counterpart with your submission, the photocard will be returned to you but the counterpart will not.
Another change is how to provide proof of your driving record to an employer or car hire firm, as your photocard or paper licence will not be enough in itself any more. You will need to access the DVLA’s Share Driving Licence service for this.
You will be expected to access the details yourself and print those off for submission to a car hire firm or employer. Or you can call the DVLA and give a third party permission to check your driving record verbally.
If you are hiring a vehicle, the IAM said it was important to check with the car hire firm beforehand what information they needed. Other than downloading the information as detailed, you can also obtain a special code from www.gov.uk which allows the hire firm access to your record for 72 hours to make the necessary checks. This applies to both holders of photocard and paper licences.
Sarah Sillars, IAM chief executive officer, said: “People are not aware of how many of the current procedures are changing. Similar to the abolition of the tax disc, they assume much of what has happened before will continue.
“The onus is very much on the individual to obtain the information they need beforehand. So we very much hope people will not be caught unawares, especially if they don’t want a nasty surprise when arriving to collect their car at the start of their holiday.”
Aston Martin gives Goodwood debut to GT12 supercar
ASTON MARTIN’S most performance-focused, road-going Vantage ever – the Vantage GT12 – is set to make its global debut at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.
The extreme, lightweight special edition features a 6-litre V12 engine producing 600PS and bridges the gap between road and track driving.
Only 100 of the special editions will be built and all of them have already been snapped up in advance by eager buyers.
Visitors to Goodwood’s Moving Motor Show on Thursday, June 25, will get a sneak preview of the GT12 as it takes its place as a static display in the Supercar Paddock. The car will then tackle the famous 1.16-mile Goodwood Hill Climb course, with Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer at the wheel during the Festival weekend.
Comprehensively re-engineered, the Vantage GT12 is inspired by the Gaydon firm’s V12 Vantage GT3 race car. The car is packed with race-inspired features, from its lower and wider stance and track-focused aerodynamics package to the extensive use of carbon fibre throughout.
Aston Martin will also have several other vehicles at the Moving Motor Show; they will be:
• Vanquish Coupe V12 Vantage S Coupe
• V12 Vantage S Roadster
• Rapide S
• Vanquish Volante
The sixth annual Moving Motor Show is expected to attract record crowds, eclipsing last year’s 34,000 visitors.
