Should the Triumph name make a comeback?

Should the Triumph name make a comeback and if so...what type of engine....chassis..price range should it be in?

What performance statistics would be required to meet the expectations of Triumph owners..?

I remember the TR6 as the big guns in late 69!

I don't even remember who owns the Triumph name this week, so I'm not sure what chassis & engines might be available to the mfg'r.

Discounting all of the various neat Triumphs that never made it to the US -- or only in small numbers -- we're left with the TR series. A wee bit more $$$ than an MG, and known for their bulldog toughness & simplicity. How about a bobbed compact pickup chassis, a thumpin' big 4-banger and a homely-but loveable body (see top of page) on top? Sort of like the Rodster kit car, only done _right_.

When did Triumph stop selling cars in the US? Early 80s?

JD

Originally posted by Jagdreamer:
When did Triumph stop selling cars in the US? Early 80s?

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A TR buff would know better than I, but IIRC the TR8 was the last, offered in model years 1980-1981, and the last Spitfires were, what, 1979 or 1980?

The last Spitfire was made in 1980. But the 1979 was the last intended for US import. The 1980 I belive was imported to Canada. There are 1980's running around the US but they were brought down by people who bought them and brought them here. I do however miss my 1979 Spitfire, my mom won't sell it back to me.

To answer the original question, If the Triumph kept it's style handled as good if not better than the old ones then yes I would like to see them produced again. I would like to see the Spitfire come back with a 2.8 multi-port fuel injected engine possibly on the original chassis with the same independent suspension it used to have. Maybe with all the power options, power convertable top, CD player and some mag wheels. I'm not asking for much.

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Jamie
1962 Austin Healey Sprite MK II
1979 Trans Am W/403 Olds BB

[This message has been edited by BritishCarMan (edited 06-06-2001).]

Originally posted by BritishCarMan:
The last Spitfire was made in 1980. But the 1979 was the last intended for US import. The 1980 I belive was imported to Canada. There are 1980's running around the US but they were brought down by people who bought them and brought them here. I do however miss my 1979 Spitfire, my mom won't sell it back to me.

To answer the original question, If the Triumph kept it's style handled as good if not better than the old ones then yes I would like to see them produced again. I would like to see the Spitfire come back with a 2.8 multi-port fuel injected engine possibly on the original chassis with the same independent suspension it used to have. Maybe with all the power options, power convertable top, CD player and some mag wheels. I'm not asking for much.

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I have a 78 Spitfire with a 79 engine/trans and overdrive. Its a great little car. I put dual Webber 40's and headers and a hotter cam in it. Also have the Ansa exhaust. The oonly problem is I have to wear ear plugs to drive it!

Basil

Sounds nice Basil. You got a picture of your 78 Spitfire? I wish I still had mine.

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Jamie
1962 Austin Healey Sprite MK II
1979 Trans Am W/403 Olds BB

Originally posted by JBsC5:
Should the Triumph name make a comeback and if so...

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Is Triumph still making mototcycles? Seems like I saw a new looking crotch rocket type thing recently with the Triumph badge...or maybe I'm thinking about something else...

-Matt B

Tiger said:

I don't even remember who owns the Triumph name this week, so I'm not sure what chassis & engines might be available to the mfg'r.

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Well according to BMW, they still own the Triumph name and all the model names.

Any new "Triumph" automobile would simply be a "badge engineered" cookie cutter of some other marque. BMW pulled off a retro version of the Mini, but I don't think they could do a retro Triumph. Sort of like you can still buy a "brand new" old style Mini that is made is a few spots around the globe.

Face it, everything we love about the Triumph marque is contained in those autos made by Standard/Triumph/BL up to 1981, along with the nostalgia, simplicity and that old British Car fragrance!

There is no substitute for the original. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/yesnod.gif

Matt B said:

Is Triumph still making mototcycles? Seems like I saw a new looking crotch rocket type thing recently with the Triumph badge...or maybe I'm thinking about something else...<P>-Matt B<P>

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Triumph Motorcycle has been in business and was split off from the motorcar company long ago. It has a rough spot in the 80's, but is now a world class company again. In fact, the Daytona 675 was 2006 Motorcycle of the Year.

Last year I rode the Rocket III, all 2300cc's of it's inline three cylinders, what a dream.

And you can still get a "new" Bonneville from Triumph's "Modern Classic" line of brand new bikes.

Matt B said:

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by JBsC5:<BR><B>Should the Triumph name make a comeback and if so... </B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Is Triumph still making mototcycles? Seems like I saw a new looking crotch rocket type thing recently with the Triumph badge...or maybe I'm thinking about something else...<P>-Matt B<P>

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The triumph name got bought by John Bloor. He is a real estate developer in England. So it is a new company that has the same name and a lot of stylist ties to the past. But at the same time is also known as putting out some of the best new bikes out there.

The Daytona 675 was received as the best bike in class last year by almost everyone. The Rocket III is the largest displacement production bike on the market (that is usable) and is a great surprise to ride. Fast and very agile for it's size.

The Modern Classic line (Bonneville, T100, Thruxton, Scramble) are all based off the bikes of old. The speedmaster and america are based off the same engine as the modern classics but are more inline with the cruiser style.

Bonneville


THruxton


Daytona

Brando, McQueen and Dean are looking down at the classics and lovin' it. Newman's gotta be happy too!

IMO, BMW should have made a new Triumph instead of the Z3. I would like for it to look like a TR4/6 but with a modern touch. A 3.0 BMW straight 6 with more sound would be nice.

I read (somewhere on this forum) that the BMW dealerships did not want a Triumph sitting in their showrooms next to there highly regarded BMW automobiles.

That Bonneville sure looks like the original does it leak from the the same places too?

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/jester.gif

I saw in magazine I think it was Classic Motorsports they had a drawing of a concept Triumph that BMW was working on, it was a longer version of the Mini that was styled like a TR4 in front and a Herald in the rear and was convertible of course.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]Should the Triumph name make a comeback and if so...what type of engine....chassis..price range should it be in? [/QUOTE]

Yes, if it's built in a closed Ford or GM plant here in the states, supervised by members of this forum, of course!

Use engines, transmissions rear axles from either of these companies and make it look like an evolved modern TR6 with suspension and brakes built to today's standards. Ratco already has a nice one up going for the frame, with the proper engineering applied to the suspension, this car would be a killer.

Also, designed with front and rear body panels that are bumpers built in to satisfy those who like the "TR6 bumper off look" and not those hideous overriders.

I think that the <span style="color: #003300">Triumph </span> badge will resurface as a <span style="color: #FF0000">Chinese </span> company. Why not, they already make most of the parts for our cars now.

That said, witness the wildly successful Miata (ouch, it hurts to say that) and the equally desireable new MINI.
The Miata (again, that word) apparently was designed in a California studio for a Japanese company to revive that feel we all wanted, a lively RWD car with punch, driveability and quality (that's innovative) that sells like hotcakes. It still does. The new MINI perfectly captured the old British flair (witness the number of MINIs with the Union Jack flag on their roofs) and made a modern car that currently has the best resale, bar none, on the market today. (Parked my TR6, at a coffee shop of course, next to a new MINI whence the little chick owner had to blurt out how she "just loved her little British car." Tain't exactly British, dear. She didn't understand. Heck, my car was older than her, anyway.)

Will they revive the Triumph name in the shadow of it's legacy. Doubt it. How many of you have had someone come up to your car and said, "Hey Mister, that shurr is a n-ice MG." I, of course retort that it is not an MG. "Then whut is it?" Ferrari, a.h.

BMW totally blew it with the Rover Group. Rather than taking the fabulous marques and heritage that they owned the rights to and developing cars that would create niches and followings of their own, they made cars to compete with BMW (Rover cars vs. 3 Series etc. and Land Rovers vs. X5). The only thing they got right was the Mini. A Triumph and MG instead of a Z3, a DOT legal Defender for the US, a new Big Healey instead of the Z8 . . .

I think it is better as it is, defunct. New cars never have the "classic" feel. Because of strict regulations, any triumph will need air bags, side impact protection, electronic engine controls, and (gulp) stability assistance (required in the near future). All of these things dilute the essence of the classic sports car that a TR is. We wouldn't want, or be able to work on it, it wouldn't feel light, and it would be saddled with options to satisify the American market.
With Ratco frames, Revington TR suspension kits, Moss superchargers, and the like we can build our classic however our budget allows, without the government looking over our shoulder. I feel any new Triumph would compromise the what we love most about the little cars.

I think 'kindofblue' summed up my thoughts/feelings on it exactly.

BMW does still hold the rights to the Triumph (automobile) brand name. I read an article some time ago about BMW wanting to build a new 'retro themed roadster' car on the MINI platform but badge it as a Triumph. The dealers were having none of it though. According to BMW's Franchise rules, dealers that wanted to sell BMW's MINI's and Triumph's, would have to have three separate showrooms. This is because BMW doesn't consider MINI's to be BMW, but an entirely different brand and the same was proposed for the 'new' Triumph, and BMW won't let you sell any other car from the same showroom.

Any front engine, rear drive sports car with an in-line six cylinder engine would be direct competition with BMW's Z4 so you can pretty much count that option out. They don't really have much desire to tool up a whole new brand again either (most of the new MINI design work was finished before BMW bought Rover but BMW did gets its hands dirty on it too). So it seems that BMW is still looking to try and use the Triumph name on a new mini based roadster. I don't think they really care about continuing the TRiumph legacy. Below is a link to an artist rendering of some supposed current thinking within BMW. It is a link to a page (in PDF form) from MC2 magazine the link is to their site). In the upper part of the page is a box with '26' in it and the rendering is on that page.

MC2 PDF

Another link to a full sized image from the article...
MINITR6