As the motor show approaches - let's go back 20 years....
Discussion
A little TVR history lesson.. said:
So, roughly 20 years ago at the Birmingham motor show (so OK it was October 86) TVR unveiled a new car.
A few people thought they'd bought the old 3000S to display - mainly because many of the lines were similar - but this car was all new under the skin, this was the new S Series convertible.
Provisionally priced at £12,995 it was cheaper than the (soon to be dropped) Tasmin 280i at £15,200 and the (granted) more powerful 350i at £17,865 - this car was suddenly aimed at a wider market....
If Peter Wheeler got this wrong it would be an expensive mistake - he was after all bankrolling the company!
Reaction was so positive from the show that PW ordered the car into production - remarkable considering that the car displayed at the show was incomplete and had never even turned a wheel!
But once in the market, and selling at a remarkably low price this car transformed TVR's fortunes. Between its preview in 1986 and 1988 (its first full production year) TVR's annual production leapt from 396 cars to 701.
By March 1987 60 orders had been received but due to delays the first cars started production in July of 1987 and delivered in September - with 150 customers already signed up!
So that was the beginning of the S Series - the rest, as they say is history
A few people thought they'd bought the old 3000S to display - mainly because many of the lines were similar - but this car was all new under the skin, this was the new S Series convertible.
Provisionally priced at £12,995 it was cheaper than the (soon to be dropped) Tasmin 280i at £15,200 and the (granted) more powerful 350i at £17,865 - this car was suddenly aimed at a wider market....
If Peter Wheeler got this wrong it would be an expensive mistake - he was after all bankrolling the company!
Reaction was so positive from the show that PW ordered the car into production - remarkable considering that the car displayed at the show was incomplete and had never even turned a wheel!
But once in the market, and selling at a remarkably low price this car transformed TVR's fortunes. Between its preview in 1986 and 1988 (its first full production year) TVR's annual production leapt from 396 cars to 701.
By March 1987 60 orders had been received but due to delays the first cars started production in July of 1987 and delivered in September - with 150 customers already signed up!
So that was the beginning of the S Series - the rest, as they say is history
I think as S owners we can all agree that the S probably saved TVR at that time - others may not.
This got me thinking:
1. With next year the 20th anniversary of the first production 'S' how will we celebrate the occasion?
2. Do we think TVR will be unveiling another 'company saver' at this years show??
Chris
I was there ! Still have photos of the car. A white one was on display. Test drove one the next winter then bought one new in April 1990. Sadly by then the price had gone up from £12,999 to £18,999 !
But it was a great 4 years of ownership !
Better 2nd time around though ! (and only £7,000 this time
)
But it was a great 4 years of ownership !
Better 2nd time around though ! (and only £7,000 this time
)woody said:
2. Do we think TVR will be unveiling another 'company saver' at this years show??
Chris
I doubt TVR could make a car cheap enough to have the same effect that the S did 20 yrs ago,I did see 30k mentioned a few months ago when someone sugested TVR needed a new entry level car.
What price would tempt s clubbers to buy a new Tiv ?
30k is way off the mark in my view.
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