Triumph
Concepts and prototypes : Triumph Acclaim
The Honda Ballade came to BL in the early months of 1980, and the company planned to create a different look for the car. The sketches, penned by the BL Styling Department clearly show that the designers initially worked under the false assumption that they would be able to alter the car’s styling – as [...]
July 29, 2011
· 
Keith Adams · 
2 Comments
Panther Rio
Bob Jankel of Panther had the great idea of building a luxury car based on the Triumph Dolomite… Panther Westwinds had been set-up by fashion designer Bob Jankel to produce expensive and bespoke cars for the customer that wanted something entirely different. His previous products included the (Jaguar-esque) J72 and (Ferrari-esque) FF, which were both [...]
July 28, 2011
· Keith Adams · One Comment
Triumph 1300 : Autocars Israel
The Triumph 1300 was built in Israel by Autocars in a small-scale CKD operation. No doubt, the sophisticated little Triumph was seen as an effective upward expansion of the range… The Michelotti-deisgned, front-wheel-drive Triumph 1300/1500 was assembled in Israel by Autocars between 1967 and 1973, from original British parts. At that time, the Israeli market [...]
July 28, 2011
· Keith Adams · One Comment
Triumph 1300>Dolomite timeline
The bloodline of Triumph’s popular small saloon, the Dolomite, can be traced back to the front-wheel-drive Triumph 1300 of the mid-Sixties. This timeline charts the key points in the development of the range, right up to the point where it gave way to the Honda Ballade-based Triumph Acclaim. Year Event Picture 1965 Michelotti-styled Triumph 1300 [...]
July 28, 2011
· Keith Adams · No Comments
Concepts and prototypes : Triumph 1300
The 1300 was a vitally important car for Triumph. It is clear from the number of attempts to get the styling right that the company wasn’t taking any chances – and Michelotti obliged by producing a fantastic looking product. Michelotti styling sketches Nearing completion Thanks to Ian Nicholls and Graham Arnold for the pictures
July 28, 2011
· Keith Adams · No Comments
In production : Triumph
The 1960s were an exciting time for Triumph, which saw great expansion at the Canley factory. Below are some photographs taken at the 180,000 cars-per-year facility, as well as some at the sister plant in Speke. Triumph TR6 Toledo These early two-door Toledos were built at the Speke factory. Dolomite 2000/2500 Stag Pictures kindly supplied [...]
July 28, 2011
· Keith Adams · No Comments
Concepts and prototypes : Triumph 2000/2500
Some photos taken during the Triumph 2000′s development programme… Project Zebu Project Barb Project Innsbruck 2000 fastback
July 28, 2011
· Keith Adams · No Comments
Concepts and prototypes : Triumph Stag
The Triumph Stag might have started on a Michelotti-penned whim, but it was developed into a potential world-beater by the engineers and designers at Canley. Here are some images of the Stag’s development from concept car towards production – and the still-born three-door coupé version. From 2000 to Stag, via Michelotti Coupé version
July 26, 2011
· Keith Adams · No Comments
Triumph Stag : Bought in the USA
The Triumph Stag officially exported to the USA in very tiny numbers – and in many ways, it was the perfect market for the divine looking grand tourer. We all know why it never caught on… RICHARD TRUETT brought one over to the USA to add to his growing collection of Triumph Dolomites – and [...]
July 26, 2011
· Keith Adams · 5 Comments
Triumph Stag : Cylinder head removal
The Triumph Stag’s cylinder heads aren’t known for their longevity or strength… And our man in Detroit has found this out to his cost. But thanks to the right specialist, he’s a happy man again with a working engine in his stag again. Words and photography: Richard Truett Total Flow saves the day LAST fall [...]
July 26, 2011
· Keith Adams · One Comment
Marques : Triumph Story, part one
Triumph’s history was an interesting one, but following bankruptcy on the eve of World War II, it was left to The Standard Motor Company to pick up the baton and shape Triumph’s brave new world… A potted history Triumph was a relatively late entry into the arena in 1923, but the company had been a [...]
July 26, 2011
· Keith Adams · No Comments
Marques : Triumph Story, part two
Triumph: the winner that never was THE Triumph car company, like Rover, was a genuine British success story of the 1960s. From the low-point of being declared bankrupt in 1939 – and being picked up by Standard in 1945, the Triumph name had forged ahead. So much so, that from 1959 onwards all new Standards [...]
July 26, 2011
· Keith Adams · One Comment
Tested : Austin 1300 vs Triumph 1300
There’s a lot of talk about premium small cars these days – here are two that were playing the game 35 years ago… First published in Classic Car Weekly in November 2005, RICHARD GUNN pitted the Austin 1300GT against its upmarket in-house rival, the Triumph 1300TC… Brotherly rivals Introduction Ah, ‘GT’ and ‘TC’, two magical [...]
July 25, 2011
· Keith Adams · 3 Comments
Tested : MGC vs Triumph TR6
IF you were asked to describe the archetypal classic British car, it would have to be a convertible, have two seats and a lumping great engine upfront. First published in Classic Car Weekly in March 2006, RICHARD GUNN pitted two of the UK’s most famous sporting convertibles to fit straight into that mould, and came [...]
July 25, 2011
· Keith Adams · No Comments
The cars : Triumph Acclaim development history
It was a brave new world for BL – a Honda built in the UK, but in many ways, the Triumph Acclaim represented so much more. When launched in 1981, the Acclaim was heralded as the first of a long line of Honda/Rovers, but more importantly than that, it proved once and for all that [...]
July 23, 2011
· Keith Adams · 15 Comments
The cars : Triumph Stag development history
Even before it fell out of production in 1977, the Triumph Stag was regarded to be a classic car – it had everything: looks, power, a soundtrack to die for, and a certain sector of the market all to itself… Yet it died after a short production run, and drove many of its first owners [...]
July 22, 2011
· Keith Adams · 9 Comments
The cars : Triumph 1300/Toledo/Dolomite
Small but perfectly formed THE Dolomite development story is one of the most interesting and unusual ones that you will come across on this website – benefitting from several twists and turns along the way. Although development started normally enough, things moved in the most interesting way once the car was long into its production [...]
July 14, 2011
· Keith Adams · 12 Comments
Connections : Carbodies
Operating from their factory at Holyhead Road in Coventry since 1928, the coachbuilders Carbodies built up an enviable reputation within the motor industry both for the quality of their work and their ability to produce cost-effective tooling. Over the years, almost all of the British car manufacturers made use of Carbodies’ expertise in one capacity [...]
July 12, 2011
· Keith Adams · 4 Comments
The cars : Triumph Herald/Vitesse
The new standard-bearer Alick Dick, the chairman of Standard-Triumph laid down plans for the company’s next new small car. Codenamed Zobo, it was to replace the Standard 8 and 10 and was tasked with attracting younger buyers back into the fold. It was a tall order, but by taking the decision to move towards the [...]
July 4, 2011
· Keith Adams · 7 Comments
Sports car projects : Triumph
The Michelotti Bullet & Lynx Entering the 1970s, Triumph decided on a two-pronged attack on the sports car market: Bullet was the TR6 replacement incorporating, like the Stag, a roll-over bar and T-bar. Lynx was the closed coupé, to replace the GT6. Like all Triumphs since the Herald in 1959 (and excluding the Karmann-designed TR6), [...]
June 25, 2011
· Keith Adams · 3 Comments
