TVR confirms carbonfibre chassis for new sports car

TVR's new sports car will be launched with a carbonfibre composite chassis, the company has revealed today.

The new car, developed in conjunction with Gordon Murray Design and build according to the principles of Murray's iStream production process, sees the technology as a way to adhere to the company's previous ethos of light weight and high performance.

The first Launch Edition versions of the firm's new car - details of which are still largely under wraps - will feature a full carbonfibre chassis, while subsequent models will be offered with the carbonfibre underpinnings as a 'cost-effective' option.

iStream

It's the iStream process that should make carbonfibre a viable construction method of the car. iStream simplifies a car's assembly process, which in turn improves production flexibility and reduces construction time, both of which are beneficial for reducing costs.

'From early on it became apparent that there was no reason why we couldn’t develop a carbonfibre chassis structure for the new TVR' explains Murray, 'at a lower cost than manufacturing processes previously allowed.' Murray adds that iStream allows for the world's first 'affordable, yet high volume, carbonfibre chassis and body structure.'

TVR has confirmed that the first 300-plus deposit holders have already been sent details of the carbonfibre chassis option, which should be available no-cost to initial buyers.

Cosworth power

TVR first announced its return back in June 2015, with intentions to bring a car to market in 2017. While previously, we’d have taken any return by British sports car maker TVR with a spoonful of salt, the company confirmed that Murray would be involved, along with Cosworth, which would be building a new naturally-aspirated, dry-sumped V8 for the vehicle.

Bruce Wood, Cosworth Technical director, says the new powertrain ‘perfectly complements the exceptional performance characteristics of the new car’.

TVR, Murray and Cosworth have been working behind the scenes for some time now. Les Edgar, Chairman of TVR, expresses the importance of TVR being ‘better than just good’, and notes that the company is now ‘a well-funded, well-supported organisation…we are here to stay’.

The company’s ten-year product and business development plan encapsulates not only the first sports car model, but three other all-new models.