CarTech® - Illustrated History of Triumph Sports and Racing Cars

Take a comprehensive look at the history, design evolution and performance of Triumph sports cars from the 1930s to the final cars built in 1981, including the TR series, Spitfires, and GT6s.

Triumph historian G. William Krause reviews every model in the sports car lineup. Throughout Triumph's history, a number of pivotal moments could have significantly changed the company's fortune. This book also reveals photos of the what if cars that never made it into production.

The Triumph Motor Company is known around the world for its iconic sports cars. The hugely popular TR series, Spitfires, and GT6s represent the quintessential British sports car: rugged good looks were combined with performance and economy at a price everyone could afford. These sports cars are always in demand and prized by British car collectors, racers, and open-air motoring enthusiasts. Triumph understood the connection between competition success and sales success and was able to parlay rally and road racing wins into the best-selling sports cars in the world, particularly in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s. The Works competition cars notched victories at Le Mans, Sebring, the Monte Carlo rally, and many others and inspired privateers to take their cars to the track. Every model came from a bloodline of racing.

Although they have not been built for more than three decades, their mark on sports car history is undeniable. Whether you're a fan of the spartan brutes of the 1950s or the refined comfort and performance of the last TRs, the backstory of your favorites is here.

Table of contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1:

• Siegfried Bettmann and a Motorized Bicycle

Chapter 2:

• Triumph's First Sports Car

Chapter 3:

• The Italian Job

Chapter 4:

• What Began in Germany Returns to Germany

Chapter 5:

• Seventh Heaven: Triumph Gets a Wedgie

Chapter 6:

• The Bomb Goes Off

Chapter 7:

• Triumph on Track

Postscript:

• The Triumph Acclaim

Appendix:

• Production Totals

Resources and Recommended Reading

Index

G. William Krause
G. William Krause is a life-long British car enthusiast and author. He has written and photographed several automotive books including another book on Triumph cars. He has penned magazine articles and, with a career in book publishing, has published hundreds of automotive titles.