TWR, the brainchild of British racing driver Tom Walkinshaw, makes a return in the automotive landscape as an engineering firm that will also produce its own models. A single teaser of its first “bespoke high-performance automobile” signals the start of a new era for TWR which is now headed by the founder’s son, Fergus Walkinshaw.
The cryptic teaser shows a portion of the vehicle’s profile revealing the sculpted rear fender, sloping roofline, and short rear overhang. We can’t see the ground clearance but judging from TWR’s past, its first independent model will likely be a sportscar. The company didn’t give away any other information about the model but promised to unveil more details soon. Interestingly, the name of the teaser image’s file was TWR JAG T6, which could reference its longtime partner Jaguar.
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TWR aims to become a constructor of “bespoke high-performance automobiles” while also working with other brands to “maximize the potential of their own products”. The press release mentions that “TWR seeks to preserve and perfect the analogue driving experience”, meaning that its offerings will be aimed at driving enthusiasts. Without unveiling the powertrain type of its future models, the firm said that it will blend “modern materials and innovative design concepts with traditional engineering”, promising that its products will strike a balance between “performance, style, functionality and quality”.
The Oxfordshire-based TWR was founded in 1975 by Tom Walkinshaw and enjoyed great success in motorsport activities within the next decades. TWR-engineered racecars include the Rover Vitesse, Holden Commodore, Mazda RX-7, and Volvo 850 Estate which took part in touring championships, as well as the Le-Mans-winning Jaguar XJR Group C racer. The firm is also responsible for engineering production models such as the Jaguar Sport XJR-15, the Jaguar XJ220, the Aston Martin DB7, and the Renault Clio V6.
Speaking about the new era of TWR based on his father’s legacy, Fergus Walkinshaw said: “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. We have scoured the performance and motorsport engineering worlds to assemble an incredibly talented technical team, including some members who were part of the original TWR, which just adds to our depth of knowledge and expertise.”
