Sad news.
Lotus were saying not so long ago that the new Esprit would be built in Malaysia. They’ve since changed their plans, but you never know what might happen further down the line
Just read about it on Pistonheads. A bit of a shock !
It seems they want to “Outsource” everything. They will loose their specialist skill base.
As someone who has moved most of his production to China I can quite understand that it is becoming almost impossible to make anything in Europe.
There is so much red tape, health and safety, legal requiremets, Pensions etc which all add significant cost and management time to any enterprise. Unless you are making something really high tech that can command megga margins and is not easily copied you are really on a hiding to nothing.
It is very sad for me to see TVR stop production in Blackpool but I can fully understand the reasons why.
Just as Levis lost their huge following in USA when they started production outside America, what will happen to TVR, the “British” sportscar maker ?
Sad Exige77
Could it just be a case of TVR moving production to Yorkshire
Tim.
As someone who has moved most of his production to China I can quite understand that it is becoming almost impossible to make anything in Europe.
but the news says "Speculation that the firm would move production to another [color:“red”] European [/color] country had been growing since the start of the year. "
Hard up understand that they can open a new factory in just 3 months unless they have been working on the plan for some time. So far there’s been alot of to-ing and fro-ing - could this be just the latest part of a negotiation strategy to milk a better deal in the UK?
Final point if they are only making 2 cars a week are they really “Britain’s largest independent sports carmaker” - I would think that Morgan or even Aeriel could give them a run for their money on that output?
They will loose their specialist skill base.
Does that specialist skills base include the weaving of wet string into the wiring loom instead of the move conventional metal based electrical conduit?
Final point if they are only making 2 cars a week are they really “Britain’s largest independent sports carmaker” - I would think that Morgan or even Aeriel could give them a run for their money on that output?
I’d have thought Noble almost certainly would.
Although I suspect that is an average which takes in to account the period they stopped producing to focus on quality.
Ian
They will loose their specialist skill base.
Does that specialist skills base include the weaving of wet string into the wiring loom instead of the move conventional metal based electrical conduit?
I was sad from a sentimental point of view “Another Brit bites the dust”
Would I buy one ? You must be joking !
My Lotus has enough gremlins but makes up for it in so many ways.
EX77
Final point if they are only making 2 cars a week are they really “Britain’s largest independent sports carmaker” - I would think that Morgan or even Aeriel could give them a run for their money on that output?
I’d have thought Noble almost certainly would.
Although I suspect that is an average which takes in to account the period they stopped producing to focus on quality.
Ian
? Surely you couldn’t actually say that Noble was a british Manufacturer…designer yes, assembler yes…but not Manufacturer?
Welcome to the global village. I’m getting my kids lessons in languages from the indian sub continent and in chinese dialects…without that, and a MASSIVE work ethic, when they are in the jobs market…they ARE toast!