Reborn British car maker, TVR, has confirmed that carbon-fibre construction options will be available when its as yet unseen sports car goes on sale in the next few months.
TVR IS PLAYING its cards close to its chest. It’s said that it’s new sports car will be on the market in the next few months but we still haven’t seen it. Not even a teaser… But, today, the car maker has said it will offer carbon-fibre construction options.
TVR has said it will offer a “lightweight carbon fibre composite structure to feature on its latest full-production model, thanks to the revolutionary techniques of design legend Gordon Murray, and has confirmed that its initial limited edition production run of cars will feature carbon construction as standard”.
According to TVR it’s only been able to offer carbon-fibre based on the use of British car designer, Gordon Murray’s new iStream manufacturing methods. “iStream Carbon allows TVR to produce a revolutionary stand-alone tub and shell made from carbon fibre composite at a fraction of the cost that other methods allow”.
Les Edgar, Chairman of TVR said: “Historically, carbon fibre has been reserved for motorsport and high-end supercars, but now TVR will be offering customers a slice of that technology at a fraction of the price. The spotlight has been on us from the start, and with the help of Gordon Murray Design and its innovative processes, we have made sure that our new sports car can really shine and deliver beyond expectations. The carbon manufacturing process really is a game changer, and one I’m delighted to offer to all of our early adopter Launch Edition customers within the package cost. I am sure those models will be much coveted, but carbon will continue to be available as a cost option.”
Both carbon fibre and the standard composite construction will be manufactured using iStream design and manufacturing techniques, which simplifies the assembly process to allow greater flexibility as well as reducing cost and increasing the car’s safety and rigidity.
Gordon Murray, Chairman of Gordon Murray Design comments: “From early on it became apparent that there was no reason why we couldn’t develop a carbon fibre chassis structure for the new TVR at a lower cost than manufacturing processes previously allowed. Our iStream Carbon technology is the world’s first affordable, yet high volume, carbon fibre chassis and body structure and sets new standards in the automotive industry for chassis lightweighting, rigidity and safety. I am delighted that TVR is able to offer a carbon fibre option and bring the lightweight TVR principle back to life in a very exciting contemporary way.”
So, what is iStream? Well, it’s a process that involves steel tubes being formed, cut and then welded together to create basic structure, and then panels of either fibreglass or carbon-fibre are used to sandwich a honeycomb core. But this is about all we know…
