British Boutique Sports Car Maker TVR Sold to 24 Year Old Russian Investor

In the future, Smolenski intends to build TVR as a global player, which is ambitious but completely achievable. In order to

With his eye on the world market, Smolenski has planned the development of left-hand drive TVRs. (Photo: TVR)

pull this off, Smolenski and TVR will invest heavily into new in-car technologies and advanced production methods.

A critical progression to move TVR into the big leagues is the development of left hand drive vehicles; currently all TVRs exported for sale are right hand drive, which is an inconvenience to the rest of the left-hand drive world. The decision not only makes good business sense, but it's only logical that the new president would want to drive a car from his own company with the steering wheel on the "correct" side. With a Russian owner keen to expand sales, it's expected that left hand drive TVRs will arrive in Mainland Europe within a year's time, an area which TVR could easily have in its back pocket.

Despite only offering right-hand drive cars, in recent years the TVR brand has surged in popularity. This is mostly because of striking and outrageous styling, powerful, raucous engines and high levels of quality finishing. But more recent triumphs can be attributed to strategic Hollywood-style product

The TVR should easily break into other markets thanks to their striking and outrageous styling, powerful, raucous engines and high levels of quality finishing. (Photo: TVR)

placement; the top honor goes to the techno-thriller film Password: Swordfish of which a TVR Tuscan was prime villain John Travolta's getaway vehicle. Video games such as Test Drive and even more renowned Grand Turismo series have put gamers around the world behind the wheel of TVR.

The man who transformed the small-time company of the past into vehicles like the supercar-stomping Sagaris and the gorgeous 2+2 Cerbera was Peter Wheeler. Head of the company since 1982, the Yorkshireman pulled a 180 on the dying firm, making it a profitable car manufacturer. Record sales were reached in the 1990s with volumes exceeding 2,000 units per year at a time where Aston Martin was barely in the hundreds.