"New" TVR in USA
Discussion
I wonder if Les Edgar has any plans to bring his new range of TVRs over to the US?
Whatever engine will be used, there's most likely going to be a US crate V8 option meaning immediate EPA compliance which was the hard part previously.
If they can find a partner to "build" cars in the US (ie ship over rolling chassis and drop in a US sourced crate engine), ala Ariel and Noble/Rossion, then we've got a goer with minimal outlay, and TVR's back in the US.
I would love to be part of such a venture! Any takers?
Whatever engine will be used, there's most likely going to be a US crate V8 option meaning immediate EPA compliance which was the hard part previously.
If they can find a partner to "build" cars in the US (ie ship over rolling chassis and drop in a US sourced crate engine), ala Ariel and Noble/Rossion, then we've got a goer with minimal outlay, and TVR's back in the US.
I would love to be part of such a venture! Any takers?
+1!
It doesn't take much to export a roller to the USA (it's just a bunch of parts, not a vehicle). It would be more attractive if it was ready to accept an American drivetrain so the 'build' would be simple for any garage to do.
How big is the market? Maybe it doesn't matter if no additional development is required - a sale is a sale, doesn't matter where it's going. I think a lot of Americans would want to have some kind of support infrastructure, which would be a challenge in such a big country. The really serious buyers would already have done their own private imports of Sagaris or Tuscan rollers and fitted LS engines, but I don't know of any over here. A few talkers, but no takers. I would understand if TVR wanted no part of it though because if assembly was shoddy or someone got hurt in a crash it might not help their reputation elsewhere.
No doubt someone will be along shortly talking about NHTSA safety standards for production cars, or how a roller is a kit car, blah blah. None of that is relevant to A Caterham, Westfield, Noble, Ariel, etc because they are 'specially constructed vehicles' made from legally imported parts by an individual, fitted with engines that have been approved by the EPA. This is the only practical way for a small manufacturer to have a presence in the USA.
It doesn't take much to export a roller to the USA (it's just a bunch of parts, not a vehicle). It would be more attractive if it was ready to accept an American drivetrain so the 'build' would be simple for any garage to do.
How big is the market? Maybe it doesn't matter if no additional development is required - a sale is a sale, doesn't matter where it's going. I think a lot of Americans would want to have some kind of support infrastructure, which would be a challenge in such a big country. The really serious buyers would already have done their own private imports of Sagaris or Tuscan rollers and fitted LS engines, but I don't know of any over here. A few talkers, but no takers. I would understand if TVR wanted no part of it though because if assembly was shoddy or someone got hurt in a crash it might not help their reputation elsewhere.
No doubt someone will be along shortly talking about NHTSA safety standards for production cars, or how a roller is a kit car, blah blah. None of that is relevant to A Caterham, Westfield, Noble, Ariel, etc because they are 'specially constructed vehicles' made from legally imported parts by an individual, fitted with engines that have been approved by the EPA. This is the only practical way for a small manufacturer to have a presence in the USA.
I see one BIG problem with this option... As someone already said.. Support structure.
Buying an American car nowadays is all about payments, service and what the buyer gets for their money. It is a complete buyers market, with options of several sports saloons, GTs and soft tips to choose from.
The one big thing that TVR would suffer from is the Waranty Sid of things. They would need to get into bed with a US supplier, manufacturer or service chain to sustain any support for the customers. Ariel et al, have focused on the track market with dedicated cars for mainly off road use, where as, TVR would surely target mainstream, with agressive styling and lack of safety features (another story) and a RWD roaring GT car.
My 2 pworth. BUT, if they did, I would be looking and saving.......
Buying an American car nowadays is all about payments, service and what the buyer gets for their money. It is a complete buyers market, with options of several sports saloons, GTs and soft tips to choose from.
The one big thing that TVR would suffer from is the Waranty Sid of things. They would need to get into bed with a US supplier, manufacturer or service chain to sustain any support for the customers. Ariel et al, have focused on the track market with dedicated cars for mainly off road use, where as, TVR would surely target mainstream, with agressive styling and lack of safety features (another story) and a RWD roaring GT car.
My 2 pworth. BUT, if they did, I would be looking and saving.......
Support infrastructure is of course a consideration, but a simple car with a locally familiar drivetrain would not present the issues it otherwise would. A US venture/partnership would only be viable around the large metro centers across the US, much like the Tesla focus. There is very little to zero market for a car like a TVR outside of these areas anyway. It's not like we're talking about trying to sell F-150's with zero down and $150 a month to Fred & Martha in BooFoo IA is it?
There is always the Corvette, but the reality is that no one in the US looking at a Corvette would even consider a TVR. Far too off the wall. TVR in the US could only ever start off with a very limited and niche market, but there is certainly enough of a one to make it viable in small numbers.
Go to the local equivalents of Sunday Services etc. and you'll see a huge petrol head contingent crying out for something new, edgy, bespoke, and interesting beyond the mainstream, but crucially with some European pedigree that doesn't cost $150k+
There is always the Corvette, but the reality is that no one in the US looking at a Corvette would even consider a TVR. Far too off the wall. TVR in the US could only ever start off with a very limited and niche market, but there is certainly enough of a one to make it viable in small numbers.
Go to the local equivalents of Sunday Services etc. and you'll see a huge petrol head contingent crying out for something new, edgy, bespoke, and interesting beyond the mainstream, but crucially with some European pedigree that doesn't cost $150k+
I'd love to see the forthcoming reincarnated TVR make a run at getting a US legal version accomplished. However being a realist hopefully it won't be one of their top priorities early on.
It's hard to see where in 2013/2014 it is any easier (or beneficial) than it was in the 1990s to make a US spec version. The chief objection TVR had in the 1990's, as I recall, was liabilities and the potential for financial exposure (if something went wrong) to sink the company.
Additional development costs - test crashing a few examples, et al - aren't minor either. Reworking the production process for a US export car is added costs and time. Unless the upside is tremendous, it begs the question of why do it? Setting up a small US dealer network, selling cars to them at wholesale so a profit can be made, and then investing resources to build the brand and protect the brand is a tough proposition for just 50 cars a year or less.
As an example, Wiesmann GmbH announced in 2010 they were going to make their roadster - with many BMW elements for a big leg up - available in the US. They quickly backed off that after looking into the costs. The economics simply were not there with the high cost of certification and then modifications to meet requirements.
All that said I'm like many a TVR enthusiast here in the States who craves having just an early 1990's LHD Griffith imported here .... the magical 25-year rule continues to approach.
It's hard to see where in 2013/2014 it is any easier (or beneficial) than it was in the 1990s to make a US spec version. The chief objection TVR had in the 1990's, as I recall, was liabilities and the potential for financial exposure (if something went wrong) to sink the company.
Additional development costs - test crashing a few examples, et al - aren't minor either. Reworking the production process for a US export car is added costs and time. Unless the upside is tremendous, it begs the question of why do it? Setting up a small US dealer network, selling cars to them at wholesale so a profit can be made, and then investing resources to build the brand and protect the brand is a tough proposition for just 50 cars a year or less.
As an example, Wiesmann GmbH announced in 2010 they were going to make their roadster - with many BMW elements for a big leg up - available in the US. They quickly backed off that after looking into the costs. The economics simply were not there with the high cost of certification and then modifications to meet requirements.
All that said I'm like many a TVR enthusiast here in the States who craves having just an early 1990's LHD Griffith imported here .... the magical 25-year rule continues to approach.
dvs_dave said:
There is always the Corvette, but the reality is that no one in the US looking at a Corvette would even consider a TVR. Far too off the wall. TVR in the US could only ever start off with a very limited and niche market, but there is certainly enough of a one to make it viable in small numbers.+
We would consider owning a Vet and a TVR in the UK ![](https://thumbsnap.com/sc/uuXTbTAK.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="https://thumbsnap.com/4PM54des" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]https://thumbsnap.com/sc/4PM54des.jpg)
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