Wheeler is a self-taught designer, and he has never been afraid to experiment with new ideas. He is a strong believer in the power of technology to improve car design, and he has been at the forefront of using computer-aided design (CAD) in the automotive industry.

Buying TVR

Peter Wheeler bought TVR in 1980, after repeatedly going to the TVR factory to get his TVR Taimar Turbo fixed. On discovering that the company was cash strapped, he intially helped fund the company and ended up buying the entire business from Martin Lilley.

His first major change was to replace the Ford engines they used with the more powerful Rover V8. This was partly inspired by American car enthusiast Jack Griffith who had put an AC Cobra 4.7L V8 into his TVR Grantura. The 1991 TVR Griffith was named in his honour.

In 1989 he started the Tuscan challenge race series. Each TVR dealership was required to compete. Peter himself also raced in the Tuscan challenge, although there was suspicion as to whether the car was slightly enhanced!

TVR Factory

Peter Wheeler kept the company in Blackpool, in the Bristol road factory. The factory reached mythical status among fans of the brand when it closed and the sad looking bodyshells could be seen abandoned outside. Find information and a gallery of photos of the TVR Factory.

TVR Wedge Cars

The Oliver Winterbottom designed wedge series of cars combined lightweight bodywork with a powerful tuned Rover V8. This formula would maintain TVRs success over the next 30 years, although the wedge styling would be replaced with curves in the early 1990s.

TVR Speed 12

Project 7/12 was unveiled at the Birmingham motor show in 1996. This would be the first of several prototypes for the most extreme TVR ever built, later called “TVR Speed 12”. Project 7/12 was to be developed as a road car so TVR could enter a race version in the GT1 race series at Le Mans. Peter Wheeler thought the car could win races and sell as a road car, spreading the development costs.

“I knew within 300 yards that it was a silly idea. Over 900bhp in a car weighing just over a ton is plainly ridiculous on the road”

Peter Wheeler TVR

See more about the various incarnations of the TVR Speed 12.

TVR 400R

Peter’s passion for racing continued after the Speed 12 project when a small team was assembled to attend Le Mans in 2004. The 400R was entered and subsequently won its class. Find out more about the TVR 400R.

TVR Typhon

The TVR Typhon was a road car that took various developments from the successful TVR 400R race car. The developments would make the Typhon the most advanced TVR yet, but sadly Peter Wheeler sold TVR before this could be finished.

Peter died in 2009, having overseen massive changes at TVR and the development of some of the best cars the company would ever produce.

Starting at Jaguar in 1961 as an apprentice for 5 years, Winterbottom worked another 5 years in William Lyons’ design department as a designer. The major project he worked on was the XJ-21, which never made it past prototype stage. He also designed a wheel nave plate for the XJ6.

At the age of 22, Winterbottom received the “Grifo Argento” at the Bertone design awards.

Moving to Lotus in 1971, Winterbottom worked under Colin Chapman on Design and Safety engineering. The Lotus Elite MK2 and Lotus Eclat were both designed by Winterbottom. During this timeframe, Winterbottom help Chapman with his JCL Boat business, designing the JCL Mamba and JCL Mistral.

Moving To TVR & Back To Lotus

In 1980 Oliver Winterbottom moved onto TVR where he worked under Martin Lilley on the TVR Tasmin. Winterbottom adopted a similar wedge style as the Lotus Eclat. In 1981 Lotus approached Winterbottom to help with the design of the M90/X100 project, a car that was intended to be a cheaper, more mass market Lotus with a Toyota engine. It was intended to complement the Excel and Esprit models.

When Colin Chapman died unexpectedly in 1982, funding for the project dried up and the project was put on indefinite hold. Only one example of the M90/X100 would be built and this is the above prototype. The Lotus Elan (M100) would pick up the mantle of the “entry level” Lotus a few years later in 1989. While unrelated, the “new” Elan had an outsourced engine and gearbox from Isuzu. Perhaps the M90/X100 project helped the company realise the potential of outsourcing?

“I was proud of all of them!”

Oliver Winterbottom on the cars he designed over the years

After Lotus, Winterbottom moved to the US to work in Detroit for General Motors. After a period of time he decided to move back to England and secured another position at Lotus, helping with the safety on the new Esprit and managing projects. His last stint of employment was as a consultant where he worked with mainly Chinese companies.

A Life In Car Design

Winterbottom’s autobiographical book “A life in car design” recalls his work on different cars throughout his career and the often chaotic process behind the scenes. Winterbottom is in rare position to comment on the motor industry having spent a great deal of time at Jaguar, TVR and Lotus. The stories of budget problems, issues with management and the start of computer-aided design all add to a fascinating read – that despite some of the problems, is intended to encourage students into the product & car design path.

The “Tadek Marek” V8 Engine

Designed in 1968 Marek’s V8 went on to power a variety of cars from the Vantage, Volante, Virage models. It was also modified for use in the Bulldog concept car, the Nimrod racing car and the RHAM/1.

The V8 was used in a one off DB7 in 1998 (which normally used either a straight six or a 5.9Litre V12). This was the 6.3 V8 as used in the Virage, not the standard 5.3. The details are shown below from Gov.uk showing the unusual capacity.

The last production car the V8 was used in was the Aston Martin Vantage Le Mans V600 in 1999. This car was designed to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Aston Martin’s win at Le Mans.

From 2005 a variant of the Jaguar AJ-V8 engine (AJ37) was used to power the V8 Vantage. The engine was available as a 4.3 or 4.7 litre. This new engine replaced Tadek Marek’s V8 after over 30 years of powering various Aston Martins. This newer engine layout is flexible and the same block design is used for a V6, with blanked off cylinders.

They began to rebody the Austin Seven and created the Austin Seven and produced around 12 a week. In 1928 after outgrowing factories in Blackpool, Lyons moved the company and his family to Coventry.

Production reached 50 cars a week and invested in a new model, the SS1 which went on sale in 1931. In 1933 The company name was changed to SS Cars Ltd. Walmsley left shortly after.

Jaguar – Newly Named

After World War II to avoid any association with the Schutzstaffel Nazi military, the company name was changed again, to Jaguar. Named after a particularly successful aircraft engine produced by Armstrong Siddeley a fellow Coventrian car and aerospace manufacturer. In 1948 the XK series of cars was launched, these became an overnight sensation. The straight six engine powered Jaguars until 1971, when the V12 featured in the series 3 E-Type.

Sir William Lyons was very hands on with the styling of Jaguars despite having no background in this area. Working with full size models, his loyal engineering team worked to interpret his ideas.

Malcolm Sayer was left to design the C and D-Type racers, where his aerospace knowledge helped with the aerodynamics – a critical part of the design. Lyons respected this and would only get involved in road cars.

He worked closely with Keith Helfet. Helfet described his design mentality as a “Frustrated sculptor”.

Sir William Lyons Home – Wappenbury Hall

Often referred to as “Mr. Jaguar” Sir William Lyons requested that prototype cars were delivered to Wappenbury Hall so he and his wife Greta could cast their final opinion before the car reached production. In the stable blocks of Wappenbury Hall there are still marks on the floor where engine blocks were left for various prototype cars.

His time at Jaguar had been incredible eventful with continued success at Le Mans (1955, 1956 & 1957 with the D-Type alone) being knighted as “Sir William Lyons” in 1956. Plus all the successful road cars from XK120 to E-Type.

British Leyland & Nationalisation

With strengthening competitors Lyons merged Jaguar with British Motor Corporation (BMC) in 1966 in order to keep the company from being bought. BMC was later incorporated into British Leyland two years later. The first car produced was the XJ6, a luxurious saloon, which initially helped get the merger deal with BMC over the line.

As time went on it became clear British Leyland had not rationalised the product range quick enough. Brands all under British Leyland ownership cannibalised their own sales. Austin, Morris and MG cars competed with Triumph sports cars. Large Rover saloons competed with Jaguar saloons. Internal politics were such that rival marques would attempt to sabotage each others efforts. Austin and Morris made for particularly bad stablemates with regular disputes.

Retirement

Lyons went on to be chairman of Jaguar in 1967. This was a difficult time for Jaguar under British Leyland. Internal politics, regular disputes and losing the independence he sought for Jaguar resulted in his retirement in 1972.

In 1975 British Leyland were losing huge amounts of money and were subsequently bailed out by the UK government. Jaguar would later be transformed by John Egan in 1980. During this time, in spite of being retired, Sir William would often be involved in reviewing prototype cars from Wappenbury Hall. The XJS and XJ40 would be reviewed in this way – and after all the cars he helped produced, his favourite remained the 1968 XJ6 – His masterpiece.

Excellent further reading on Sir William Lyons method.