To say that British sports car maker TVR has had a chequered past would be something of an understatement. While they have produced some ferocious and terrifying yet highly commendable driving machines, save for the acquired taste in looks, the firm has exchanged hands and been thrown into bankruptcy to avoid paying its debts.
If you thought that was the last of TVR though, the rumour mills are singing a different tune. The next generation TVR, dubbed the MD-1 for now, will be powered by American muscle, and not just any run-of-the-mill V8, it’ll be the 638hp LS9 pinched from the Corvette ZR-1.
Current owner of TVR, Russian Nikolai Smolenski, has said that he intends to ‘draw a line under the Wheeler era once and for all,’ referring to Peter Wheeler, the previous owner and founder of TVR. While the MD-1 is being developed by a British firm, the production side of things could end up in Europe or even South America, according to Smolenski.
TVR fans probably wouldn’t be too pleased with the new direction the carmaker is taking, and Smolenski acknowledges that, but he doesn’t seem to care too much about it. “What’s important is to remain faithful to your brand values,” he said.
The MD-1 is expected to arrive in 2012 with an annual production rate of just 250 units.
Source: Pistonheads
