For a quasi-dead brand, TVR seems to be in the news a lot recently. Late last month, a dealer group in America launched a used TVR branch specifically to import and sell the British sports cars to American buyers, capitalizing on the fact that most were never sold here new. Then, last week, the mythical TVR Speed 12, the 7.0-liter V12-powered road car concept shown by the brand but never put into production, made its first appearance after 25 years in hiding.
Now, there’s even bigger news in the world of TVR: It’s back from the dead. At least, that’s according to Charge Holdings, a low-volume manufacturer in the United Kingdom that claims to have just merged with the storied automaker, which hasn’t built a car since 2006.
The UK-based Charge Holdings describes itself as a “vertically integrated, low-volume automotive group that combines iconic performance brands, specialist suppliers, and advanced manufacturing capabilities under one umbrella.” You’ll best know them from the Charge Mustang, a recreation of Ford’s original ’67 fastback with electric power in place of internal combustion, released back in 2022.
The company said in a statement today it’s struck an agreement with TVR’s shareholders—a handful of investors led by video game tycoon Les Edgar—to take over the brand. From the release:
Today marks the first step in a multi-phased restructuring of TVR Automotive. Under the agreed framework, TVR Automotive will become a subsidiary of Charge Holdings Ltd as part of a phased merger and acquisition process designed to create a multi-brand, low-volume integrated automotive group.
[…]
The new structure will enable Charge Holdings and TVR to share intellectual property, engineering expertise, facilities, and leadership resources, creating a platform capable of scaling both brands and bringing a new generation of TVR vehicles to market.
That last bit about building new TVRs is obviously what I care about. Since 2016, the company has promised to build a new Griffith, complete with Gordon Murray engineering and a 5.0-liter Coyote V8 making 500 horsepower under the hood. Despite a swath of reservations for the car, production never materialized. Charge Holdings plans to change that:
While Charge Cars has developed extensive electric vehicle intellectual property, TVR’s immediate focus will remain on delivering the refreshed TVR Griffith to customers, continuing the marque’s legacy of high-performance internal combustion sports cars before expanding into new technologies in the future.
So, good news and not-so-good news, then. The good news is that the Griffith will, according to Charge, finally be built. What form it’ll take is unclear, though judging by the word “refreshed” in that statement above, it’ll probably be a bit different than the prototype shown in 2016. Personally, I wouldn’t mind if TVR built that car unchanged, though I understand if some buyers might want something with a bit more modernity.
The not-so-good news is Charge’s planned expansion into “new technologies.” According to Top Gear, that means expanding into “electrified” platforms following the Griffith. While I’m sure going electric will surely improve performance, I’m not sure there’s a TVR enthusiast on the planet who would want to buy an electric sports car. TVRs are known for their brash nature and wild internal combustion engines. Without the sound of a straight-six or V8 exhaust, could an EV be a proper TVR? I’m sure I’m not alone in saying I’d prefer if TVR remained a brand that sold cars with gas engines, so long as the law allowed.
Either way, we should know Charge’s plans soon. The company says it’ll release more info on TVR’s future in early 2026.
Top graphic image: Charge Holdings
I actually have a bit of faith that this may actually come to something for TVR. Charge has actually built cars, which is more than TVR has done for the last 20 years. Give us the Griffith pretty much unchanged please. It still looks amazing 10 years later. If they can keep it under $100k and make it competitive with a base 911, i can see it selling well. And they should NOT use the Getrag or the Ford 10 speed auto. Tremec only. There’s the 3160 for the manual, and the 9070 DCT from the GT500
How does Jack Griffith figure in all this? Did he sell the rights to his name?
I remember the TVR Griffith cars as being TVRs shipped to Jack Griffith’s Long Island Ford dealership to have Ford 289s installed.
Yes but you can’t run a profitable car Manufacturer solely on TVR aficionados. That’s why they failed.
Agreed, i usually think of TVR enthusiasts as nerdy dudes who spent too much time watching TopGear as kids and not enough time learning how to get rich. Like me.
“The UK’s Best Carmaker”
What? TVR were terrible at making cars. Sure, the cars they shoddily threw together were fun/dangerous, but objectively made quite badly.
Anyway, I believe this return of TVR even less than the last time, but would be delighted to be wrong.
Weren’t all British cars made horrible? Union membership and pints of lager for lunch don’t make for a quality build.
Always loved the absolute design insanity of the 1999+ Tuscan. It’s a car only a mother could love, but I could be its mother.
It speaks to me. I can’t ignore the sheer audacity of designing a car that gets rid of all conventions, sort of like the Countach when it first came out.
I guess they figure rich boys will always need their toys.
More good would be done for more people if some monied interests put their efforts into bringing an actual/decent four-seat small EV to market, but that’s probably just the socialist in me talking.
> Today marks the first step in a multi-phased restructuring of TVR Automotive. Under the agreed framework, TVR Automotive will become a subsidiary of Charge Holdings Ltd as part of a phased merger and acquisition process designed to create a multi-brand, low-volume integrated automotive group.
This paragraph alone makes me wary. Awful lot of MBA jargon for the new owners of maybe the craziest car maker in modern history.
Return to their roots and use a ford drivetrain, say from a mustang. Ecoboost 4 and maybe the six. Keep it lightweight, great suspension and brakes. Make it cramped, uncomfortable with Lucas reproduction electrics. Maybe if the budget allows ABS, stability and traction control. Keep the price low. Traditionally the company must change owners frequently and have a periodic bankruptcy.
Sounds like Lotus.
Sounds like most British brands.
I read this as “most British bands” and my immediate thought was, well, I guess we aren’t the only ones whose bands don’t have stability control.
Is there a statute of limitations on Dany Bahar references?
I am with you, however, I as I am now the slightlly embarassed owner of two LM2s (that was more fun to type than the cars will ever be), can I suggest a short run of Lamborghini boat engined TVRs, based on the Cerbera, The TVR Erebus.
Blame Gran Turismo, and then Top Gear, but I want a TVR Cerbera with the inline 6 something awful.
I prefer the Sagaris, but I too blame Gran Turismo.
GT is why I imported a Chimera. And an S1 Elise. Tuscan is next!
A TVR EV in my mind would use a repurposed elevator motor and have fully exposed windings and use brushes solely for the sparks flying off the commutator. Plus it would have Tesla coils for headlights or something like that.
TVR could absolutely pull off a bonkers EV with some creativity.
Just don’t let the smoke out.
Carbon arc for the headlights and the ac to the motor is routed through the steering wheel. Remember the TVR core philosophy is that the car actively wants to kill you
Actually, ditch the elevator motor. TVR would have had a V8 solenoid engine: Stronger and Faster: V8 Solenoid Engine
That’s pretty cool! Since solenoids can push and pull, it can be made as a 1-stroke motor.
I used to play Videogame Tycoon
Saw the headline and fully expected it to be yet another glorified golf cart. Hurray! They might actually make a proper TVR! My only complaint is the looks are a tad bit tame.
They used bought-in engines for years before they made their own, so it getting Mustang guts doesn’t bother me in the slightest. And that famous Mustang unruliness is a perfect fit for TVR. Imagine how much carnage one of these bad boys will be able to do leaving a Cars & Coffee!
So will it be a rebadged mustang or something more bespoke?
I’m ok with a shortened IRS mustang chassis and custom bodywork.
TVR historically engineers their cars to impact bystanders with the rear wheels first so, yes, a Mustang chassis sounds about right
I am pretty pro EV and there’s a good chance my next car is electric, but this is just not the application for the technology. Small batch boutique sports cars that will barely be driven if they’re even driven at all are a non-issue when it comes to climate change and literally no one who’s a fan of this brand wants a TVR EV.
No one wants the stupid Chinese Lotus BEV abominations either. Are they even making those anymore? None of these brands have any cache with the type of people who’d spend six figures on an EV anyway. Those folks already have Taycans and iXs and shit like that. I’d rather some of these iconic enthusiast brands die heroes than be resurrected as villains/gaudy EVs for the Chinese market…
Yep. Rimac themselves learned this one. I know the intended production run of the Nevera was 150. I don’t remember the projected number that are now thought might be sold, but I think the number is more in the 60 to 75 range. There’s not enough interest to hit 150. Nowhere near enough. I think deliveries still start with a 5.
Meanwhile, have you heard about all the Pininfarina Battistas that have been sold? That’s right, you haven’t! For very good reason. Porsche also shot themselves in the foot with the Mission X (now dead), costing us all a new Holy Trinity.
It doesn’t help their case that you can go out and pick up a used Model S Plaid that will hit 60 in less than 2 seconds for like 50 grand right now. Is all that extra style worth *checks notes* 7 figures?
The market: no, it is not
No one is cross-shopping a Nevera and a Model S.
However, what you WOULD cross-shop a Nevera with is…spicy. A Nevera or an XJR-15? A Nevera R or a GMA T.33? The things you WOULD cross shop are too spicy and are better experience cars.
I do, under the condition that it follows TVR’s design philosophy of being lightweight, overpowered, rear-drive, and outright suicidal to drive. That curb weight better be under 3,000 lbs and it better have at least 600 horsepower.
I hate to break it to you but if they make an EV it’s going to be a 6,000 pound SUV
That is the least useful and least impactful application for EV tech. And would be very much un-TVR.
TVR could and should target the sub-$100k market, with a sports car that competes with million dollar hypercars.
If I had the money to mass produce a car, I’d target the sub-$30k EV market with a mass-produced platform primarily meant for a 2-seater sports car coupe, but also made to accommodate low cost small sedans, hatchbacks, and SMALL trucks in a pinch, all RWD, all more narrow and lower than a Miata, all with batteries smaller than 35 kWh, all mostly analogue and built to be easily repaired, all well under 3,000 lbs, and all with at least 300 peak horsepower(horsepower is CHEAP to build into an EV).
Done right, it could be so good people would rather have that than an SUV, once they drove it. If the cost can be kept under $30k, it would be competing with the used car market, and could offer a value proposition and operating costs much more favorable than the average used car, which is exactly what attracts used car buyers.
TVR will build a BEV that can do 0-60 in one second and then run out of battery just as it’s crashing. If you know, you know.
That holds much appeal to me, yes. I’m tempted to buy a Griffith at some point.
Make it a convertible and tell me where to send my deposit!
That was honestly my first thought too. If they’re known for lightweight and far too much power, a RWD EV with bonkers horsepower would both be a riot and very fitting for TVR. Especially if they’re sold with tires that aren’t big/grippy enough for the power!
Low rolling resistance and a narrow track for reduced frontal area/less drag for more range! Rely on low mass for cornering capability. See if you can fit a 40 kWh pack and keep the entire car Miata-like in weight, while having as much power as a Hellcat.
THAT is the future EV I want to see and which enthusiasts deserve. It was technically possible nearly 2 decades ago.