Picture Of Triumph Classic Cars

In December 1960 the company was bought by Leyland Motors Ltd with Donald Stokes becoming chairman of the Standard Triumph division in 1963. Further mergers led to the formation of British Leyland Motor Corporation in 1968.



In the 1960s and 1970s, Triumph sold a succession of Michelotti-styled saloons and sports cars, including the advanced Dolomite Sprint, which, in 1973, already had a 16-valve four cylinder engine. It is alleged that many Triumphs of this era were unreliable, especially the 2.5 PI (petrol injection) with its fuel injection problems. In Australia, the summer heat caused petrol in the electric fuel pump to vapourise, resulting in frequent breakdowns of the 2.5 PI and TR6 models. While the injection system had proved itself in international competition, it did lack altitude compensation for the adjustment of mixture at altitudes greater than 3000 ft (1000 m) above sea level. The key reason for the Lucas system's unpopularity, was that Lucas was not inclined to further develop it on the one hand allied to the unwillingness of Standard-Triumph dealers to attend factory and field-based training courses dedicated to this propulsion method.


For most of its time under Leyland or BL ownership the Triumph marque belonged in the Specialist Division of the company which went under the names of Rover Triumph and later Jaguar Rover Triumph apart from a brief period in the mid 1970s when all BL's car marques or brands were grouped together under the name of Leyland Cars.

Picture Of Triumph Classic Cars

The only all-new Triumph model launched under Rover Triumph was the TR7, which had the misfortune to be in production successively at three factories that were closed - Speke, the Leyland-era Standard-Triumph works in Liverpool, the original Standard works at Canley, Coventry and finally the Rover works in Solihull. The four-cylinder TR7, its eight-cylindered derivative the TR8, and its still-born fastback variant the Lynx, were dropped when the Solihull plant ceased making road-going cars (the plant continues to build Land Rovers.)

Picture Of Triumph Classic Cars

The last Triumph model was the Acclaim which was launched in 1981 and was essentially a rebadged Honda Ballade built under licence from Japanese company Honda at the former Morris works in Cowley, Oxford. The Triumph name disappeared in 1984, when the Acclaim was replaced by the Rover 200, which was a rebadged version of Honda's next generation Civic/Ballade model. The BL car division was by then called Austin Rover Group which also sounded the death knell for the Morris marque as well as Triumph.


The trademark is currently owned by BMW, acquired when it bought the Rover Group in 1994. When it sold Rover, it kept the Triumph marque. The Phoenix Consortium, which bought Rover, tried to buy the Triumph brand, but BMW refused, saying that if Phoenix insisted, it would break the deal. The Standard marque was transferred to British Motor Heritage Limited, along with Austin, Morris, and Wolseley marques. The Austin, Morris and Wolseley marques were later sold to MG Rover Group Ltd, on the 10th December 2003. The Standard marque is still retained by British Motor Heritage who also have the licence to use the Triumph marque in relation to the sale of spares and support of the existing 'park' of Triumph cars.

Pre War
picture Of Triumph Classic Cars

This was the first Triumph automobile and was named the 10/20 for the Royal Automobile Club's taxation class of 10 horsepower rating and its actual output of 20 brake horsepower. The design was principally by Arthur Alderson assisted by Alan Lea and Arthur Sykes who were employed by Lea-Francis and Triumph paid them a royalty on every car made.

This little two seater was the first Triumph production model and sold for £430. A rather high price which relied on their reputation for quality and workmanship. Lucas lighting was fitted, but it still had to acquire front brakes. This is the oldest surviving Triumph car being representative of the first year of car production. Owner Jim Kinghan.

Picture Of Triumph 13/35 Classic Cars

The Triumph 13/35 or 12.8 was a car manufactured from 1924 to 1926 by the Triumph Motor Company in the UK.

It was powered by a four cylinder 1872 cc engine of 72 mm bore and 115 mm stroke with single Zenith carburettor which produced 36 bhp.

It was the first British production car to be fitted with hydraulic brakes on all wheels. These were made by Lockhead and were of the external contracting type.

Approximately 2500 of this model and the parallel 15/50 models were made. It was generally priced at about £375-495.

Fifteen - 1926 to 1930, 14.9 h.p. 2,169cc 4-cylinder side valve engine with 3-speed gearbox.

Built to the same dimensions as the 13/35, but with a larger capacity engine, the Fifteen was the last of larger conventional cars built by Triumph, before they concentrated on small and then sportier cars. We have recorded 11 and two survive with their original style bodywork. 5 body styles were available.

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Classic Triumph Cars

The first thing one may say of the supercharged straight-eight Dolomite was that it was the greatest racecar Triumph ever built. There is simply no way to refute this statement unless by some miracle British Leyland fields a Formula One car and it wins the manufacturers championship. The Dolomite 8 was introduced to the motor racing world in October 1934. The climax of three men's dreams: Donald Healy, Tommy Wisdom, and Sir Claude Holbrook. A total of three cars and six engines were the total production of the magnificent machines.

Picture Of

Classic Triumph Car

One of the most interesting and unusual development stories in vehicle history, the Dolomite Story begins normally enough, but features an interesting twist during its long production cycle. Keeping the car at the top of its game, two of the UK's most gifted engineers (first by Harry Webster, then Spen King) were responsible for allowing the vehicle to be an excellent example of product planning and platform maximization. The Dolomite went out of production in 1980, but at that point had already enjoyed a 15-year production run, while achieving many monumental ‘firsts' along the way.

Though not a trained engineer or stylist, Donald Healey was one to inspire and produce exceptional vehicles. The 1937 Triumph Dolomite Roadster is such an example. Joining Triumph in 1933, Healey soon became the company's technical director, where he quickly began upgrading Triumph's production vehicle range of Gloria's and Vitesses.

The new Dolomites in 1936 featured their ‘waterfall' style of radiator grill, a production of an obvious inspiration from the latest Hudson Terraplanes. Added to the body style that appeared in 1938, this distinctive feature had the effect they were looking for. Produced in limited numbers, the Dolomite Roadster was more ‘drop-head- than ‘roadster', and was available in two forms, a four-cylinder 1,1767 cc type, or a six-cylinder 1,991 cc model with a longer wheelbase. The waterfall grille was matched to a two-seater front compartment, and a long sweeping tail concealed a lift-up panel which esconsed two further ‘dickey' seats. With a top speed of nearly 80 mph, the six-cylinder engine made it a very commodious rally vehicle.

Under the codename ‘Ajax', the Dolomite development began in 1962. Leyland was interested in replacing the Herald, and Harry Webster was soon hard at work to produce the best package to replace the old car, including front wheel drive. Needing to ensure that the new model possessed the traditional Triumph virtue of a tight turning circle (31 feet), along with the allowance of a short nose, the decision was made to choose a longitudinal engine. Allowing for longer oil change intervals, the gearbox did not share the engine oil (like the Mini/1100), and the engine was placed in a sitting position over the gearbox. Once the layout was decided upon, the decision for the 1300cc engine was a simple choice. In the earlier stages of development, a two-door version was a popular idea. The two-door bodywork was deemed important to the model, as the Ajax was initially drawn up as a replacement for the Herald.

picture Of Triumph Super 7 Saloon Classic Cars

picture Of Triumph Super 7 Saloon Classic Cars

A range of body styles were available, all made in house. The cheapest model was a two-door four seat tourer, followed by a de-luxe tourer with two coloured body, a two-seater with dickey seat, a two-door saloon, a fabric bodied saloon and at the top of the range, a coachbuilt saloon. Gordon England could also supply a special fabric bodied saloon with sliding roof. The chassis was also supplied to other coachbuilders for fitting their own bodies. Prices ranged from £113 for the chassis to £190 for the Gordon England saloon. On test the car could reach just over 50 mph (80 km/h) and return 40 miles per imperial gallon (7.1 L/100 km; 33 mpg).

picture Of Triumph Super 7 Saloon Classic Cars

For 1929 a new body style was released called the Special Sports with pointed tail and there was also briefly a supercharged version with the engine capacity reduced to 747 cc and reputedly able to reach 80 mph (130 km/h) but they were expensive at £250 and few seem to have been sold. Also in 1929 Donald Healey entered a standard car in the Monte Carlo Rally, starting from Berlin but failing to finish, getting stuck repeatedly in the snow in France. Undetered he tried again in 1930 and was the first British car to finish and seventh overall, an amazing result in a car with a top speed of 50 mph (80 km/h).

picture Of Triumph Super 7 Saloon Classic Cars

Even more body styles appeared in 1930 when a two-seat coupé, a de-luxe fabric saloon and amazingly, a landaulet appeared. Wire wheels became standard replacing the artillery type that had been used on some versions. The extensive range was simplified for 1931 with the deletion of the fabric saloons, landaulet, coupé and Special Sport but a Gnat sports tourer and Tickford bodied saloon were added.

picture Of Triumph Super 7 Saloon Classic Cars

picture Of Triumph Super 8 Classic Cars

The name was changed in 1933 to the Super 8, the car had always technically fallen into the 8 hp taxation bracket, and all cars gained the Mk II chassis. The body range was further reduced to the two door saloon, pillarless saloon and four seat tourer. This was the last year for the car. Triumph had already launched the Super 9 in 1931 and this car was destined to be the replacement.

picture Of Triumph Super 8 Classic Cars

In essence the Super Eight was a rebadged Super Seven with the addition of Magna wheels, the option of a 4-speed gearbox and bumpers fitted as standard. They can also be identified from Super Sevens by their wire mesh radiator grille and 'ribbon' style surround with a central vertical chrome strip. We estimate that just under 2,500 Super Eights were produced. We have recorded 41 with 24 surviving of which 14 retain their original style bodywork. 2 body styles were available;

picture Of Triumph Super 8 Classic Cars

The name was changed in 1933 to the Super 8, the car had always technically fallen into the 8 hp taxation bracket, and all cars gained the Mk II chassis. The body range was further reduced to the two door saloon, pillarless saloon and four seat tourer. This was the last year for the car. Triumph had already launched the Super 9 in 1931 and this car was destined to be the replacement.

picture Of Triumph Super 8 Classic Cars

Picture Of Triumph Super 9 Car(Triumph Super Nine)

1931: Production of the Triumph Super 9 commenced, featuring a Coventry Climax engine, with 8.9bhp, 1018cc, 4 cylinder engine with overhead inlet and side exhaust valves, and a 4 speed gear box. Also the first Triumph to feature 12 volt electrics fitted. The Triumph Super 9 is a larger car than the super 7 (Triumph Super Seven) and Super 8(Triumph Super Eights) having been built on its own purpose built chassis. There were a few body styles available such as a tourer, 2 or 4 seater tourer, a 4 door 6 light coachbuilt saloon and a 4 door tourer.

Picture Of Triumph Gloria Car

Between 1933 and 1938 Triumph made a large and confusing range of Gloria sporting saloons, coupés, tourers, 2-seater sports cars, drophead coupés and golfer’s coupés. All these Glorias, apart from the final two models (1.5-Litre Saloon and Fourteen (1767 cc) Six-Light Saloon of 1937-1938) were powered by 1087 or 1232 cc four cylinder or 1467 or 1991 cc six cylinder Coventry Climax overhead inlet and side exhaust valve designed engines (modified and built under licence by Triumph).

The chassis came in two lengths, with an extra 8 in (203 mm) ahead of the passenger compartment depending on whether the four or six cylinder engine was fitted, and had conventional non-independent suspension with semi elliptic leaf springs. The brakes were hydraulically operated using the Lockheed system with large 12 in (305 mm) drums. A four speed transmission was fitted with an optional free wheel mechanism allowing "clutchless" gear changing. Synchromesh was fitted to the gearbox on the final Fourteen and 1.5 litre models.

From August 1934 to 1936 the Gloria range included ‘Gloria Vitesse’ models (not to be confused with later Vitesses) which were up-rated, with twin carburettor engine and equipment, versions of the equivalent Gloria and slightly different bodywork in the case of some saloons.

There was also from 1934 to 1937 an open two seat sporting model, the Southern Cross, re-using the name previously applied to the sports version of the Triumph Super 9. This used a shortened chassis of 96 in (2,438 mm) for 1232 cc four cylinder models and 104 in (2,642 mm) for the 1991 sixes.

Picture Of

Classic Triumph Cars

Picture Of

Classic Triumph Cars

Picture Of

Classic Triumph Cars

Picture Of

Classic Triumph Cars

Picture Of

Classic Triumph Cars

Picture Of

Classic Triumph Cars Models Triumph Gloria Southern Cross

Picture Of

Classic Triumph Cars

The Triumph Dolomite was a car that first appeared in 1934 as a sports car and reused on a series of sporting saloons and open cars until at least 1939 when the Triumph Motor Company went into receivership. A number were still sold and registered in 1940, though it is uncertain whether the receiver or new owner turned out cars from spare parts, or sold off completed cars. All except the Straight 8 featured a "waterfall" grille styled by Walter Belgrove, versions of the saloons with conventional grilles were sold as Continental models.