One of the most famous names in performance engineering, TWR, will begin a new life as a bespoke performance car constructor.
A force in both the motor racing and performance car worlds, Tom Walkinshaw established the original TWR in 1975 and, for Australians, the company is perhaps most famous for its involvement in V8 Supercars and HSV (Holden Special Vehicles). But the company and its owner, Tom Walkinshaw, were big players in motorsport and performance cars on a global level.
Now, the TWR name is set to return with Tom Walkinshaw’s son, Fergus Walkinshaw, establishing the new TWR in 2020.
The announcement of a new car is an exciting development for performance fans and given that TWR is a company based in the UK, right-hand drive versions of whatever beast is created would seem to be a sure thing. That bodes well for Australian enthusiasts.
While details are slim on what car might appear – the company released an image that provides only a glimpse of a car – we can be assured it will offer quite an experience, and possibly something a little different from the super-high-tech offerings that are out there in the supercar world.
‘In a rapidly evolving landscape where so many modern performance cars are governed by their electronic systems, TWR seeks to preserve and perfect the analogue driving experience,’ the company said in a statement.
“It gives me a great amount of pride that the TWR name will live on for a new generation,” said Fergus Walkinshaw. “High-performance engineering runs in the blood of the Walkinshaw family, and ever since the original TWR closed its doors I have longed to find a way to continue the family legacy. Through this new iteration of TWR we can not only celebrate the history and heritage of the original TWR, but also push the boundaries of our projects further than ever before.
“This new generation of TWR is first and foremost an engineering company that will make cars, rather than a car maker doing engineering. And that’s an important distinction. We will make use of cutting-edge technology, combining new expertise with traditional craft to build world-class products that make a statement of what this new TWR is all about. We aim to build some truly impressive and innovative automobiles, unconstrained by the rulebooks and styling demands of OEMs.”
Source: Motor Trader e-Magazine (November 2023)
