Trevor Wilkinson, founder of TVR sports car company, dies aged 85

Trevor Wilkinson, 85, originally from Blackpool, passed away at a hospital in his adopted home of Minorca yesterday.

Mr Wilkinson left school at 14 and started an engineering apprenticeship at a local garage.

In 1946 he bought a wheelwright's business in the town, renaming it Trevcar Motors the following year, for selling and repairing cars and light engineering.

The TVR manufacturing factory in Blackpool. Founder Trevor Wilkinson passed away in Minorca

In 1947 he built his first car, a special two-seater body on an Alvis Firebird chassis for himself.

He then started TVR Engineering, derived from his name - TreVoR - and was joined by Jack Pickard. It was their intention to build their own design of cars.

The first made its appearance in 1949: an alloy two-seater body on a multi-tubular steel chassis.

The first "production" TVR was the Mark I, later name Grantura, with a glass-fibre body of a design which remained, in modified form, until the M-type was replaced by the angular wedge design Tasmin in 1980.

Mr Wilkinson  left the company in April 1962 and went on to set up his own engineering business, with Mr Pickard, specialising in glassfibre.

He moved to Minorca late in life to spend time on his yacht.

'He was a quiet, reserved man, much loved by those whom he allowed into his circle of friends. He seemed unaware of the awe in which he was held by all TVR enthusiasts' the statement on the website said.

'He was aware of the serious nature of his final illness but, according to a friend, took it in stoical fashion that was typical of the man'

A spokeswoman at the Mateu Orfila Hospital in Minorca confirmed he had died yesterday.