The Porsche 928 is a big, powerful car from the late 70s and 80s that could drive fast but also had a comfortable ride, like a mix of a sports car and a luxury sedan.
A restomod is when people take an older car and give it new parts like better brakes, engines, or electronics so it feels newer but still looks the same.
Car
Mustang 67 electric Mustang
It’s a new electric car that looks like the famous Ford Mustang but runs on batteries instead of gasoline.
If a car is 500 kilos lighter, it means it's much lighter than before. Lighter cars can go faster and use less gas because they have less weight to push around.
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Hello and welcome to an emergency podcast.
I received a message yesterday on the WhatsApp and it said if I can find it.
This has just been agreed.
I wanted to send it to you as soon as possible.
There's no embargo.
There's no more information than what I'm sending you now.
And it is charge holdings and TVR automotive agree strategic framework for merger.
I've read the four paragraphs.
I can't really glean anything from them at all beyond the title of the message.
We'll consult the clever people in the group.
They'll explain it to us because they'll have done what they call diligence.
I don't understand that word.
But the fact is whenever TVR looks like it's going to be resurrected for the 32nd time,
I get a bit excited because over the days when you put a TVR on the coverboard car
and it sold more copies, that's all that matters.
I'm going straight over to our large forehead in residence,
Chris Cooper, who will tell us what this is all about.
That's what it's all about.
Having your head above the roof line.
Look at that.
That's the first car my wife and I Lynn and I had when we were together.
Yeah, just before we got married.
It's a TVR Chimera four litre in curatin green with biscuit and power steering.
It leaked like a bastard.
The alarm kept on going off.
Even seemingly when you cut the battery off, the alarm kept on going.
On the far way, we had to park it literally down on one end of the field one night
because I was waking everybody up.
But it's the happiest car.
It's the happiest car.
We went everywhere in it.
I did track days in it.
That is Goodwood before it became Goodwood as we know it.
That was me and my brother on my stag do.
My stag do was basically me and my brother.
You know, I'm a lonely old bastard, got no friends.
So my stag do was me and my brother in my TVR Chimera at old Goodwood.
So it's just been part of for so many of us.
I mean, piston heads.
Everyone has pistons.
That was started up by a guy who's mad about TVRs.
Yes, true.
It's just been part of our lives and you know, Peter Wheeler and all of that stuff
and the Griffith and the Chimera in the 90s.
And there'd be another mad car with a bigger Rover VA engine.
So the fact that they went has always been really sad.
And you know, I almost, this is an emergency.
I should, in theory, be on the road.
But there is no factory left.
I did think about going to-
Shame on you.
Shame on you.
I know.
I'm sorry.
I apologize.
We're going to lose distance from this.
I'm sorry.
I apologize.
You lazy bastard.
Lazy bad.
I'm even more lazy because I could have, I should have gone.
But I'm pissing the rain out there.
I've had a really busy day.
I was going to go to, for those of you who know the South of England,
there used to be the TVR dealer was called the TVR Center in Barnard.
That's where we got that car.
And people would congregate every Saturday just to look at TVRs.
I think it's probably a golf club or something now.
So when I heard the news yesterday from Mr. Harris,
I was really excited.
I mean, we could be picky about actually,
is the company that's merging with them got any money?
Not sure they have.
I'm sure Mr. Clipper will give us more thoughts and insights in just a moment.
But something had to happen.
I looked at TVR Automotive's last registered accounts.
And for the year ended 2024,
when you look at cash and bank balances as of year ended 30 June 2024,
it's actually zero and no money at all.
And in the commentary in the document,
it does say that TVR group has yet to record any significant revenues
and substantial further investment is required in order to complete work
on the production facility commenced production and delivered the existing order book.
So something had to happen.
So I'm not a chance to do much diligence on the people who are buying it,
other than they don't have much cash right now either.
But today it's an emergency forecast and I'm being positive.
I took this off the wall to celebrate.
I love it.
I love the fact he's got a wall that celebrates him.
I want one of those walls.
Chris Cooper.
I'm sorry.
Thank you, Chris Cooper.
Open to Neil Clipper.
Have you got a shrine to yourself?
I know.
I do have a wall of photographs of cars, which I can share maybe one day.
I quickly, quickly read this document and it basically said, did it not,
they're going to do a Griffith.
It's going to have an engine, but that's going to be the first and only engine one.
And then they're going to do an electric, it's all going to be electric,
which of course, I suppose that's the law.
When is that in this document?
I'm going to reread it.
Yeah, it says Griffith.
Griffith is going to the first car or there's going to be a Griffith and it's an ICE.
I think it says that anyway.
I might have been a dream, like a Chris Cooper dream, but it does say there's going to be a
Griffith with an engine and then there's going to, after that, it's going to be like an electric
thing, which of course, I suppose it has to be.
So that's what I read.
And obviously, I've got a brother called Trevor.
So the fact that it's called Trevor, originally named after a Trevor, I think,
is really, really cool.
Trevor Clifford.
That's the name.
That is a name.
He's called Trevor Clifford, owns a garage.
We should get him on the podcast.
We should do.
His last name is for sale with Merlin, if anyone's interested.
You know what, anyone who's got two first names, it sounds cool.
Yeah.
Trevor Clifford.
Trevor Clifford.
I've got three brothers.
All from the 70s, even though they were born in the 50s.
Roger, Trevor and Graham.
Oh, yes.
Fucking fantastic.
British.
I was the last attempt at a girl.
But I think that's another.
That's a t-shirt.
That's a t-shirt.
That's a t-shirt.
That's a t-shirt.
Hence, yeah, hence my career, I think.
So we're all excited that maybe TVR is going to, you know, there's going to be,
wasn't that red one that obviously people have ordered, but it didn't actually happen
with the side exhaust and it was designed by Gordon Murray or something,
or Gordon Murray put his steering wheel in it or something.
Wasn't that called a Griffith?
It was.
2016, 17, it was shown at Goodwood.
Ford V8 in it, Mustang V8 in it.
So maybe they're just dusting off that one.
I mean, we don't, we obviously don't know.
These are trivial details.
Well, I suppose the tricky bit here is what is the value of, if you're going to persuade me,
and I'll buy most things to buy a new TVR Griffith with an engine, how much is it going to be?
Is it, you know, because if it's, I don't know, you probably can't build any car for less than
70 grand and probably it isn't 70 grand.
It's probably 90 grand and then you go on car and classic and the 17 TVR Griffiths
and you can buy the best one, original one for 30.
How much better is the new one?
Hopefully a lot better on being a bit of a bloody cynic, but it's going to be like two or three
times better than the best one you can buy, SC 500, low mileage, flurry paint, you know,
don't like those. The SC one, there's funny rear lights, they didn't like original lights,
but I had a really good one.
Actually, I paid 40 bloody grand for it because I'm an idiot.
So you paid £40,000 for a Griffith?
Yes, I did. Actually, I got my 40 grand back because I bought it and sold it from the same man.
So it's the only benefit of buying it from this point forwards.
Well, and then it's one of those things, I can't give a good analogy right off the bat here,
it's one of those things, it's a bit like, what other cars like this? A Mercedes 500e,
when you, or a Porsche 928, exactly. I was, I was, but I did get my money back. 928,
when you don't own one, you really, really want one and you're looking the whole time.
And then when you've got one, you're like, why the fuck have I got that? Because I don't really
like it. I'd rather drive a 911. And that's, but that just goes on and on and on, like a sort of,
like a, like a constant loop. So I'm not sure, but maybe we don't know how clever these people
are that bought the company, how they can create a TVR Griffith new, unless they're dusting off
the old one and hopefully going to sort of ring up the people that already put a deposit and say,
it's ready. You know, I know it's 10 years, are you still alive? Because we still, we've got it
ready now. Maybe it's that, but is it going to be three times better than one you can go and buy?
There's that company that does the sort of restome, not restome mods, but they do everything,
is it power eight or something, where you can get the, that's right. So you could probably buy
the best, best, best ever one that said all its rigors thing, which I don't know what they are,
all of that shit, 40 grand, is the new one going to be double as good? I think I hope it is.
Manish your thoughts on the potential for a new TVR.
So a very good friend of mine when I was a junior doctor had a Camero. It was absolutely beautiful,
silver, navy blue leather interior convertible. It was just, it was a great car, right? Rather than
actually you guys would love him. He's a big spinal surgeon now, but rather than putting a
deposit on a flat, he bought that. We look like we are all walking around with terminal spinal
challenges. You've just never told us. I've always had a spinal surgeon friend's club. Yeah. No,
I could do one of those because all I get is I'm hunched over and I look like quasi-modo.
Stand up straight till I get. I can't. Sorry, carry on, Manish. He did not put a deposit on a flat.
He bought this car. Yeah, that was him. Unbelievable. First thing he does, he gets
a loan for this car. Anyway, so I've experienced it, had a few problems, but they are just fantastic
cars. If you're into them, you're into them. And, you know, he really, he really was into
these things. And so we have to applaud anyone who wants to bring the spirit of that back. I
think we just do. And the only thing I would say is I had a look at the website because what they
were saying was that these are the people, the people who have acquired the company are the
people who created this Mustang 67, the electric Mustang. And I think it ran at Goodwood. I think
as one of them, if you go on the website, it's a beautiful kind of lovely CGI breakdown of the car
and, you know, it shows you how the battery packs it. It doesn't say very much about the company.
And so I was asking Chris yesterday, what sort of money do you think it... Well, first of all, just
let's just say they can produce the car that you're talking about, Neil. How many of those
do you think will sell a year? And therefore, how big does a factory have to be? How much
money do they have to raise? And I think these are probably quite important, probably quite
important questions. I mean, if you've got a sub 100,000-pound British car that is going to borrow
a block from somewhere because they're not going to build an engine from scratch, then it's going
to trade on an aesthetic, which is a couple of decades old at the very least. I mean, how many
do you think you can sell? Because we got a lot of criticism, not criticism, there were some
comments pointing out that, you know, Morgan's have BMW engines. You know, thanks for portraying
this as a quaint little English firm, but it ain't financially. So I guess it's the same question.
How many of these do they really think they can sell? Because the idea of owning a holding company
which buys out lots of beautiful sports car companies and somehow has some economy of sketch,
it's a great idea. Can it actually be done? I mean, a business plan, I'm sure the business
plan is about electric. You're not going to buy a mark now and start thinking I'm going to sell
V8 TVRs for the next 10 years. You're probably saying I've got a short window where I can sell
a 50 or 100 and I'm going to probably dust off that old, you know, oldish design thing.
And then I'm going to do electric. And then I suppose what does an electric TVR mean? Because
electric, you know, TVR is all about muscle and noise. But maybe, you know, if it was great,
you know, do you think it's, is that like, so what you're saying is it's sort of almost like
lighting some kind of, you light this IC touch paper, sell 50 or 100 of these, reestablish the
brand doing it. So you make five to 10 million pounds doing it, assuming they're selling for
about 100,000 each. And that means that the brand is really what, that's what that press release
sort of says to me. That's what it says. You know, that's cool. That's cool.
I'm going to add my tapestry at this point. So the 2016, whenever it was, or was it earlier than that
TVR thing that we saw was quite an attractive machine, but I just thought it was completely wrong.
Because it tried, it was trying, like all these things trying to aim for the 911,
leave the 911 alone. It's very good at what it does. The TVRs that we love were simple cars.
So the question we have to ourselves initially now is, is there a space for a simple sports car
anymore? I think there is. Yes, I agree with that. I think if you hold them in low enough volumes,
it could be incredibly refreshing. So what do you do? You probably make a tubeless still frame
chassis. You add some really attractive bodywork to it that's made out of material that's quite
operable and isn't too sophisticated. And you fit the biggest engine in it that you dare. The
really exciting bit is that all Peter Wheeler could get hold of was really sort of Rover V8s and
his own AJV8, right? Was it AJP? So they tended to want to self-immolate. So
but now, you know, the Camaro that I owned had an LS7 in it, which would give you an easy 525
horsepower. Do you imagine bolting one of those into a very simple sports car? And I'm thinking
three pedals, three pedals, a radio that only plays Radio 4 and a gear lever and not much else.
And I suppose I view, if I, I don't always do this, I always shy away. And if I always say to
my Koga spirit is here, never advise people how to run a car company. We're not in the
business of doing it. And it's a tough, tough job. But I'm going to step over my own line here.
If I had a chance to do something with TVR, I'd make it too prompt. I'd want to be
more like singer with TVRs. I'd want to take a load of the old cars and I want to update them
because I think you have a lot of fun with that. You have a lot of fun with that and you could
earn a load of money. So you could get, you could have a trim department. You could get some revenue
coming in from re-trimming, rebuilding, putting more powerful engines in. You know, a lot of people
might say, I fancy a new one, but then say, Oh, do you know what? Actually, 50 grand worth of
Camero that's got 480 horsepower and looks for dogs, bollocks, that might be my memory trip down
memory lane sports car that I want. But for me, the key is keyword is TVR are simple cars.
They're a pint of Guinness on four wheels. They're not complicated. They're simple. And if you try
that thing they did, Marcos did the same thing. You know, when Marcos was sold for the 14th time
one year, they did the Marcos TSO whenever it was quite a good looking little thing. A few people
drove the one car that existed. But again, they were trying to be, it's a car without ambition
at TVR. It doesn't need to be. It just serves up. It's a bowl of chicken soup. It's a modern Cobra.
Yes, exactly. That's all you need. And I think that, you know, I felt that with that Z3M Roadster I
there aren't simple, muscley roadsters out there anymore really. They all want to be sophisticated
or clever or yes, here we go. He's going to show us the photo again. That is a simple car being
driven by a simple man. Very simple man. He's going to have a herty head unless he does something
about his driving. He's holding a picture of himself and a Camero from his shrine. And I think
if they can do this, it's got to be simple. If I see that it's going to have
four-wheel drive and it's going to have a quad turbo V6, no, it's not. It's got to be.
I'm sure it will be. Even if you're not the smartest and hopefully this bloke is really
smart, you're not going to make it complicated because it's a steak kidney pie car. You're not
going to do a, you know, a risotto with king prawns. And you know what I mean? I'm sure everyone's
going to come to that conclusion. It's good pub food. It's good pub food.
Let's talk the food now. We've given about seven. The other thing that I think you've said, but I
think it's massively important and it does challenge the Griffith that came out a million years ago
now. It's got to be convertible. Yeah. Yeah. It's not a coupé. That was a target, wasn't it? Was
it a target thing? Yeah, it shouldn't be. Was it a coupé? The hard top, the Cerberas,
for me, were a little bit like being in prison. You felt really sort of, I like being sort of
cooped up, but I like the cosiness of a coupé. But they were, you felt everything was a bit too
close to you in those cars. I think you're right. A TBR is a cab. Yeah. Yeah. So a simple Cabriolet
with a very big car for customer engine, a simple chassis, rear wheel drive, five speed gearbox.
They don't even have to make it a six speed gearbox. It doesn't have to be that complicated and
you're laughing with a manual roof. The challenge really is what is it? We haven't got the time to
go into this than too much. That's the stop gap, the ice thing. It's going to be what is an electric
TBR? That's the bigger challenge, I think. Now, an electric, I suppose TBR is just the badge,
just like what Lotus had. You've got a design. Someone's going to come out with an enjoyable,
simple, fun, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty electric car that's actually a bit of a laugh to drive.
And someone's going to do it. It should be bloody Lotus, obviously, idiots. But maybe that's happening.
Maybe there's TBR guy because he's small and nimble and agile. Maybe he can overtake Lotus
and bring it out first. That would be great. If you can talk into your laptop and say AI
generate me the opening to a blockbuster film and what it can generate, surely someone can
give us an electric motor that sounds like any engine you want. Surely that's entirely possible
now. Yeah, I agree. So I'm going to move on to part two of this emergency. There's two parts of
this. Bentley has just announced the Continental Super Sports, which is a proper Eiffel and has
got, wait for it. I've just been reading the story, 650 brake horsepower. I don't like BHP,
I prefer HP, but that must be around 670 horsepower. And it's rear wheel drive, they've ripped the
hybridity out of it. And it does not to 62 in 3.7 seconds. And I think they've just nipped it
under two tons. The best out of all is the front brake disc diameter. Get this 440 millimeters.
That is enormous. Half a meter almost. I just this is this is Frank Valliser laying down a
marker that he sees Bentley as being more than just big, long legged GT cars. He sees
a sports car future as well or a very, very hardcore sports GT. And I love it. It's full of
ambition. Not everyone's going to like the way it looks. I personally do like it because I'm
a bit tasteless, but I actually come on. Look at that. That is the box.
Somebody, I think I showed this with you earlier on, somebody sent me a note today when I posted
something about it and said, there's a whiff of Cheshire Mustang about it.
I actually quite like that's a compliment. It should look like it should be an eye full.
My first reaction when I looked at it and looked at the numbers 500 kilograms lighter.
Yeah, impressive. What stopped them from doing this before?
This is what leadership and vision and ambition. We talked about this stuff before.
100%. It just needs ambition, hope, optimism. Yes, we fucking can do it.
And look, when you're talking about it, this is absolutely core emergency podcast material,
and it's just brilliant. I can't afford one. I'll never be able to afford one.
They're going to go 340,000 pounds, isn't it? And they're going to start there and go up.
They'll be there forever. But the hope it gives for the car and that brand and the people there,
you think, what kept you? It's brilliant. I'm so excited
for the car. Sorry, I don't think it has Continental in the title. I think it's just
Bentley Super Sports. And the other thing is that the PS is 666. So I wondered whether they
were trying to say, this is a beast. It is a beast. That's not an accident.
Most excited about it. This says to everybody else, everywhere else, if we can do this,
show us your best. It's brilliant. I think it's very, very interesting because they're going
into a place they've not existed before. Traditionally, Bentley's tried this once
every 15 years, but it's been a bit tentative. Do you remember the GT3R? Neil had one of those.
Actually, a brilliant car, a really good car. Yes, a good car. But this is a long way beyond
that. So I'm looking forward to that. Hopefully, we'll have a go in it early in the new year.
But well done, Bentley. Neil, would you get one? Do you think something like this?
Yes. I think, what do I think? Yes, I own a Super Sport, actually.
Yes, exactly, yeah. The first of the modern Super Sports in launch colour, that sort of
custard yellow cabriolet with the name optional hi-fi and the Veron seats.
So, I mean, that was 40 grand or something. I mean, yes, I would. I love everything about it,
apart from the launch. I think they overdid it slightly with the launch spec of the car.
It's a bit like someone's designed a sneaker. Yes. I think I would be toning it down a bit.
I really don't like the number on the front, but I suppose some people will.
I didn't mind that because I'm usually wearing the wheel of silver and wearing a bit of chrome.
But the number at the front, I sort of thought, yeah. Pretty evocative, isn't it?
Fair enough. I really like it. I do like it. No, it's a fantastic car. I think,
you know, yeah, it's a fantastic car. I'm bloody good on the new CEO because he's basically laying
down the story of, we're not a lifestyle brand. We don't give a fuck about umbrellas and holidays
and cruising through. We're a driver's brand. Absolutely. We are distancing ourselves from
Rolls-Royce, and we're distancing ourselves from, I don't know, Aston. We're going sportier.
We're going to nick some bits from our cousins in Stuttgart, and we're going to... I wasn't sure
about those wheels, but, you know, I'm being a bit too picky, really. I think it's a brilliant
message from the new CEO to say, we are a driving brand. We've always been a driving brand.
We're not a lifestyle brand. We're for drivers. And I think, I mean, 500 kilos lighter. It's
unbelievable. It's really, it's really real drive. Frankly, I don't think that really makes any
difference to me. You're not going to be able to tell if it's full, but it's the weight, isn't it? I
suppose. The car will feel different because it's lighter. I think on a damp road, you'll notice
it's not a full wheel drive. Even you, Neil. You would. I bet you I wouldn't. Let's ask, because
a nicer piece of Bentley to indulge a little experiment for us. It depends what tyres are
on there. You're going to say no, but I think... Bespoke. Have you seen? I mean, they just
shut... They're bespoke Pirellis, aren't they? They look extraordinary. I mean, the best film of it
is Thomas Horsepower Hunters, who I declare is a neighbour of mine and Thomas and Helen deliver
me eggs every week because they've got nine chickens. But his little YouTube on it is bloody
fantastic and long live the younger, more interesting content creators. What are you trying to say
about me? Well, you weren't there. You didn't do it. Obviously, if you did it, you would have done it
brilliantly, but there's also some slightly drier, more boring ones too. Like me coming on here,
talking about buying Gucci shoes. No, Thomas is fantastic. Have a listen. He's great. He's very
good. I'm just taking this. Other shoes are available. Yeah. Yeah. So good on Bentley.
Yeah. I think it's very good news. We like a bit of a British shot in the arm. So those are
emotionally podcasts. Chris Cooper apologises for not being in crew or blackpool. That was
a miss of him. Neil Clifford has been strident in his opinions, but I think we all agree with much
of what he said. Manage balance as ever. Enjoy. We'll put this up tomorrow. We're recording it,
find out. Let's stick it up tomorrow if we can. Is that right? Thank you very much. I hope this
is a fillip to your weekend. Have a great time.
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About this episode
Excitement brews as TVR's potential comeback is discussed following a merger announcement. The hosts reminisce about their personal experiences with TVR cars, particularly the Chimera, and debate the future of the brand, including plans for a new Griffith model and electric versions. The conversation shifts to Bentley's new Continental Super Sports, highlighting its impressive specs and ambition to redefine the brand as a performance-focused manufacturer. The episode is filled with nostalgia, speculation, and insights into the evolving automotive landscape.
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Today we have an emergency podcast! You might be asking yourself – are these really emergencies, or do the team just love chatting? Either way, we’ve got a double issue pod today – the potential return of TVR, and the statement that is the Supersports from Bentley. We hope you enjoy!
