5 replies to this topic

[RTH]

Latest story today here :- http://www.pistonhea...p?storyId=15353

Suggests the 60 year old sportscar maker in Blackpool started in the late '40s by Trevor Wilkinson which has already announced closure with 250 job losses, may move to the Italian City of Turin to rise again in the hands of the historic coachbuilder Bertone famous for joint ventures with Ferrari amongst many others.

Sounds far fetched ? Why not re-locate to a low wage region for a labour intensive hand crafted car ? I heard South Africa mentioned which has become a GRP centre of expertise with Noble and several GT40 replica makers having their bodies made there.

Apparently the Young Russian owner has been in talks with Lotus MD Mike Kimberley, yet rumour from Blackpool suggests Bertone is top of the list.
Extraordinary things seem to be happening in the motor industry right now. The Chinese seem able to slash car making costs it seems the new MG s will cost half their Birmingham cost price. Another Chinese firm has a Smart lookalike electric car they can land here for less than half what M-B sold their car for.

In the same story above it is suggested TWR will be involved in a TVR Le Mans effort - surely not ?

[Stoatspeed]

Originally posted by RTH

In the same story above it is suggested TWR will be involved in a TVR Le Mans effort - surely not ?

Are you sure that's not a result of the different pronounciation of "W" and "V" in Russian ..... "vodka" or "Wodka" .... "TVR" or "TWR"?

[RTH]

Well that is a possibility, But I have heard seperately that Mr W is looking to be active again in Europe . His activities I understand of late have been confined to Holden Special Vehicles. Perhaps someone knows more ?

[Paul Parker]

Even with rising production and employment costs arriving eventually, it is hardly surprising that the Chinese can produce MGs for substantially lower prices than British industry (probably with western sourced technology and manufacturing plant).

No doubt all of us have noticed the extraordinary preponderance of Chinese manufactured goods (from clothing to machinery) that now infest our shops and retail malls throughout the western world, especially in America.

What a pity we cannot (or perhaps sometimes will not) compete with them.

[RTH]

Have a look at this .........the red car is not a Smart it is a Chinese copy electrically powered in production and they say they can sell it for £2000 !........a new car !

http://www.autoexpre...o_copycats.html

http://www.autoexpre...o_copycats.html

[RTH]

Tom Walkinshaw has formed TWG to run the TVR Le Mans cars to be built by Bertone in Turin