TVR founder Trevor Wilkinson dies

By Dimitri Pesin

Motor Industry

09 June 2008 12:03

Trevor Wilkinson, the founder of TVR, has died in hospital aged 85.

He was the driving force behind the Blackpool performance car brand, which bore his name and went on to become famous for producing cars with outrageous looks and power. He was seriously ill in his retirement in Menorca, according to reports.

TVR fans around the country have expressed their sadness at his death. They described Wilkinson as a ‘perfect gentleman’ and a private man who would never go out of his way to seek publicity, despite his company’s more outlandish excesses. 

Ralph Dodds, vice chairman of the UK’s TVR Car Club, compared the loss to that of Enzo Ferrari.

‘How does one describe the loss of someone who produced one of the best sports cars ever seen?’ he said. ‘Everyone is saddened by this loss. Everyone is overawed by the way in which he was revered by TVR owners in this country.’

Born in 1923, Wilkinson left school at 14 and started an engineering apprenticeship at a local garage. His first business was selling and repairing cars in Blackpool, but by the late 1940s he was ready to found his own company.

Click ‘Next’ to read more about the life and times of Trevor Wilkinson

By Dimitri Pesin