116-636: The Triumph TR7 is a sports car that was manufactured in the United Kingdom from September 1974 to October 1981 by British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC), which changed its name to British Leyland (BL) in 1975. The car was launched in the United States in January 1975, with its UK home market debut in May 1976. The UK launch was delayed at least twice because of high demand for the vehicle in
232-426: A 17-week-long strike from November 1977. Rally journalist and historian Graham Robson quotes John Davenport (director of BL Motorsport at the time) as reminding him that "In those days there was no rigorous FIA inspection system. Provided that one provided production sheets signed by an important manager, then nobody worried...." Robson goes on to state that "A lot of fast and persuasive talking then went on, to show that
348-399: A controversial choice for a "purist" sports car. The Elan sold poorly and was discontinued after three years. The 1996 Lotus Elise , a mid-engined, rear-wheel drive roadster, was much more successful and remained in production until 2021. Roadsters enjoyed a resurgence in the mid-1990s, including the 1989-present Mazda MX-5 , the 1995-2002 BMW Z3 (succeeded by the 2002-2016 BMW Z4 ),
464-541: A convertible version of the TR7 beginning in 1979. Power is provided by a 1,998 cc eight-valve four-cylinder engine that shares the same basic design as the Triumph Dolomite 1850 engine , albeit increased to 2 litres and fitted with larger carburettors, mounted in-line at the front of the car. Power is 105 bhp (78 kW) at 5,500 rpm, maximum torque is 119 lb⋅ft (161 N⋅m) at 3,500 rpm,
580-409: A definition. Insurance companies have also attempted to use mathematical formulae to categorise sports cars, often charging more for insurance due to the inherent risk of performance driving. There is no fixed distinction between sports cars and other categories of performance cars, such as muscle cars and grand tourers , with some cars being members of several categories. Traditionally,
696-597: A different chassis number to the production eight-valve model: prefixed ACH rather than ACG , etc. The original engines are also numbered with the format CHnnnHE , rather than the VAnnnnHE format of Dolomite 16-valve engines. Production records at the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust (BMIHT) cover 58 prototype and pre-production cars, all fixedheads, built between February and October 1977. Another car, without production records,
812-593: A few weeks after the TR8 was approved. That says "there had arisen an understanding that some leeway was allowed. For instance, if the 400 cars were built within a few months of the homologation date then the car would normally be allowed through." And while the homologation of the Chevette HS was approved on 1 Nov. 1976, the 400 Chevette HSs weren't finished till the end of 1977. Production records show that about another 250 fixed head coupe TR8s were built in 1978, making up
928-463: A flying 1 ⁄ 4 mile (400 m) speed of 132.35 mph (213.00 km/h) - both figures being almost 2 mph (3 km/h) faster than the fastest recorded TR8 (KPH 574V) at MIRA. British Leyland ran a team of TR7s in rally competitions from 1976 to 1980. These cars initially used the 16-valve Dolomite Sprint engine and later switched to the Rover V8 engine (before the introduction of
1044-474: A modification under the 1976 rules does not appear to be recorded. However, several other similar modifications of the era, including the Vauxhall Chevette HSR , Porsche 924 Carrera GTS, and possibly Ford RS rally cars, involved production of batches of 50 cars. This may explain, at least in part, the production of the 60 or so 16-valve TR7 Sprints in 1977. Their use in this homologation process
1160-642: A premium price for an alleged 'genuine' TR7 Sprint." While the TR7 was under development in the early 1970s, a 2+2 fastback derivative, codenamed Lynx was also planned. Intended to be a replacement for the Triumph Stag , the Lynx had a wheelbase stretched by 12 inches (300 mm), the Rover V8 engine, with the rear axle from the Rover SD1 . It was originally scheduled for launch in 1978, however, due to
1276-399: A pressed-steel chassis, a gated 4-speed transmission, pushrod-actuated overhead inlet valves , a honeycomb radiator, low-tension magneto ignition , a long wheelbase, a low center of mass and a very effective suspension system. The overall result was a "safe and well-balanced machine" with a higher performance than any other contemporary production car. At the 1903 Gordon Bennett Cup ,
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#17327879798901392-427: A production Simplex 60 hp was entered only due to a specially-built 90 hp racing car being destroyed in a fire; the 60 hp famously went on to win the race. The 1910 Austro-Daimler 27/80 is another early sports car which had success in motor racing. The 27/80 was designed by Ferdinand Porsche , who drove the car to victory in the 1910 Prince Henry Tour motor race. The Vauxhall and Austro-Daimler —like
1508-537: A rally car in the late 1970s. Bob Tullius of Group 44 fame dominated SCCA racing in 1979 in one, so much so that the SCCA added enough "reward" weight to the car that Tullius left Trans Am and successfully competed in IMSA GT instead. TR8s ran successfully in the SCCA's showroom stock series being campaigned by Morey Doyle ( Nationals & Regionals) and Ted Schumacher (Nationals). Schumacher with Doyle had great success in
1624-425: A road test. At the time of the report the cause of the problem was still unknown; British Leyland technicians had already been investigating the car, without comment, for nineteen days. In total approximately 115,000 TR7 models were built which includes 28,864 soft top/convertibles, and approximately 2,800 TR8 models. People often cite that the TR7 failed to sell in the same volumes as its predecessors, however this
1740-517: A small number of 1978 year model cars, with the smaller filler cap and lights in the door cards, were produced at Speke, due to the industrial action there in 1977–78. The development of a V8-engined version, which became the Triumph TR8 , required an addition bulge in the bonnet, to clear the carburettors. This produced the "double bulge" or "double bump" bonnet, characteristic of TR7s and TR8s built at Canley and Solihull. However, at least some of
1856-627: A third IMSA car was run with support of JRT Canada and was raced until 1985. The Group 44 effort lead to many wins of the TR8 in USA and was the most successful campaign of this type of car. The fastest road race TR7 was built by RMP Motors in Canada, winning two back to back GT1 championships in 2012–13. The 16-valve engined TR7 rally car was homologated for group 4 in October 1975, well before any 16-valve TR7 Sprints are known to have been produced. This
1972-550: A three-speed automatic available from 1976. The front independent suspension uses coil spring and damper struts and lower single link at the front, and at the rear is a four-link system, again with coil springs. There are front and rear anti-roll bars, with disc brakes at the front and drums at the rear. The interior trim was revised in March 1977, with the broadcord seat covers being replaced with red or green "tartan" check inserts with black leather effect vinyl edging. The tartan trim
2088-414: A unified version with fuel injection, producing 148 bhp (110 kW; 150 PS) at 5100 rpm and delivering 0–60 mph times in the low 8 seconds. Other differences between the TR8 and TR7 are upgraded brakes, revised axle ratio (3.08:1 on the TR8 and all automatic TR7s), battery moved to the trunk (boot), alloy wheels, leather steering wheel and a few minor trim changes. TR8 coupes based on
2204-416: Is also reflected in the door cards in padded matching red or green tartan cloth inserts in the black leather effect vinyl. The development of the convertible version of the TR7 required the interior light, which was in the headlining, to be removed. This was replaced by lights with integral switches in each of the door cards. A map light, mounted between the seats on the back panel below the rear parcel shelf,
2320-452: Is an iconic sports car of the early 1960s, due to its attractive styling and claimed top speed of 241 km/h (150 mph). The E-type was produced for 14 years and was initially powered by a six-cylinder engine, followed by a V12 engine for the final generation. In 1962, the MG B introduced a new era of affordable lightweight four-cylinder roadsters. The MG B used a unibody construction and
2436-517: Is around 1000 convertibles and 200 coupes. As of Q1 2011 there were approximately seventeen licensed and 33 SORN TR8s registered with the DVLA . The accuracy of this data is questionable as many converted TR7s with a V8 have been registered with DVLA as TR8s. Out of these fifty cars, only two are automatic, but more are known to exist. Despite their low production numbers, TR8s have an interesting racing history. John Buffum successfully raced one as
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#17327879798902552-417: Is complete Urban Myth when you consider only 8,484 TR250's, 2,947 TR5's and 91,850 TR6's were produced vs 115,000 TR7's. By the late 1970s, sports cars were becoming a low volume niche product that British Leyland could ill-afford to support, given its volume car business was already struggling. A rationalisation plan introduced by incoming BL chairman Michael Edwardes saw the TR7 put on life support by axing
2668-505: Is identified by DVLA details, and the possible existence of two more has been inferred from the commissioning number sequence; making a possible maximum of 59 to 61 cars, of which several still exist in the UK and elsewhere. These cars were built at the BL plant at Speke, at the same time as the pre-production runs for the convertibles and TR7 V8s, including a run of about 30 cars built on the line during
2784-406: Is notable for using a three-seat layout, where the front row consists of a centrally-located driver's seat. The location of the engine and driven wheels significantly influence the handling characteristics of a car and are therefore crucial in the design of a sports car. Traditionally, most sports cars have used rear-wheel drive with the engine either located at the front ( FR layout ) or in
2900-479: Is shown by 6 photographs of a TR7 Sprint (later registered SJW 530S) described in the British Motor Museum Film and Picture Library archives as "TR7 Sprint Homologation". The V8 version was homologated on 1 April 1978. This was homologated as a separate model, the TR8, directly into group 4, but because the TR8 had not yet been launched "as a compromise to keep the BL marketing people happy, it
3016-718: Is to use the 4416 cc version of this engine that had been developed for the Leyland P76 . In North America, the TR8 originally sold for around $ 11,000. A current rough estimate of the number of these cars remaining taken from the Triumph Wedge Owners Association registry of unique VINs , current Triumph Wedge Owners Association membership records, the World Wide TR7 TR8 Owners Club, and the TR Drivers Club UK
3132-520: The Audi RS 2 Avant . Ford Europe withdrew from the sports car market at the end of 1986 when the Capri was discontinued after a production run of nearly two decades. There was no direct successor, as Ford was concentrating on higher-performance versions of its hatchback and saloon models at the time. In 1989, a new generation of Lotus Elan roadster was released which used a front-wheel drive layout,
3248-541: The BMW 303 , Citroën Traction Avant and Fiat 508 — offered similar handling and comfort to the more expensive sports cars. Powerful, reliable, and economical (although softly suspended) American saloons began to be imported to Europe in significant numbers. Sports car ownership was increased through models such as the Austin 7 and Wolseley Hornet six , however many of these sports cars did not offer any performance upgrades over
3364-623: The Bentley Speed Six (1928-1930), with the former famously described by Bugatti's founder as "the fastest lorry in the world". Between the Great Depression and the World War II the pre-war era was a period of decline in importance for sports car manufacturers, although the period was not devoid of advances, for example streamlining . Cheap, light-weight family sedans with independent front suspension— such as
3480-520: The Jensen FF became the first sports car to use all-wheel drive . The Ford Capri is a 2+2 coupe that was produced from 1968 to 1986 and intended to be a smaller European equivalent of the Ford Mustang. A main rival to the Capri was Opel Manta , which was produced from 1970 to 1988. The 1973-1978 Lancia Stratos was a mid-engined two-seat coupe that was powered by a Ferrari V6 engine. This
3596-527: The MG MGB as it was felt that the latter was cannibalizing the TR7's sales - however this controversial decision failed to revive the TR7's fortunes when it too was axed in 1981, with the end of car production at Solihull, which was to become exclusively a Land Rover plant. The demise of the TR7 (and the Dolomite a year earlier) marked the end of the lineage of Triumph sports cars, with the marque continuing on
Triumph TR7 - Misplaced Pages Continue
3712-531: The Rover SD1 . The front and rear wings were widened to match the SD1 axles and suspension. 350 convertible cars were produced, each with Grinnall badging. A variant of the TR7 powered by the Dolomite Sprint engine (dubbed the "TR7 Sprint") was developed, but never put into full production; though British Leyland had the 16-valve engined TR7 homologated for use in competition. These cars can be identified by
3828-605: The Triumph Acclaim until 1984. The Acclaim however was a licence-built Honda Ballade , built at the Cowley assembly plant and was pitched as a family saloon rather than as a sports car. Sports car A sports car is a type of car that is designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as handling , acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving, and racing capability. Sports cars originated in Europe in
3944-487: The "bolt-on option kits" be produced, listed, and made available for sale. As well as alternative cylinder heads with different numbers of cams and valves, this list of optional equipment also included many other engine, suspension, and transmission components, and so covered the use of the 4-speed, close-ratio gearbox and overdrive from the Triumph Dolomite Sprint (the heavy duty axle from the 5-speed TR7
4060-456: The "thrill of driving" or are marketed "using the excitement of speed and the glamour of the (race)track" However, other people have more specific definitions, such as "must be a two-seater or a 2+2 seater" or a car with two seats only. In the United Kingdom, early recorded usage of the "sports car" was in The Times newspaper in 1919. The first known use of the term in the United States
4176-403: The 1905 Isotta Fraschini Tipo D, the 1906 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost , the 1908 Delage , the 1910 Bugatti Type 13 , and the 1912 DFP 12/15 . Early motor racing events included the 1903 Paris–Madrid race , the 1905-1907 Herkomer Trophy, the 1908-1911 Prince Henry Tour and the 1911–present Monte Carlo Rally . The Prince Henry Tours (which were similar to modern car rallies) were among
4292-495: The 1921 Coppa Florio . Another approach— such as that used by Morris Garages— was to convert touring cars into sports cars. The first 24 Hours of Le Mans race for sports cars was held in 1923, although the two-seat sports cars only competed in the smallest class, with the majority of cars entered being four-seat fast touring cars. "This race, together with the Tourist Trophy Series of Races , organised after
4408-404: The 1948 Ferrari 166 S . A new concept altogether was the modern Gran Turismo class from Italy, which was in effect unknown before the war: sustained high-speed motoring from relatively modest engine size and compact closed or berlinetta coachwork. The 1947 Maserati A6 1500 two-seat berlinetta was the first production model from Maserati. In Germany, the motor industry was devastated by
4524-476: The 1970s, legislations were being considered to ban open roof convertibles in said markets due to rollover risks. As the US statistically represented the most lucrative market for Triumph sports cars, it was decided that the TR7 would avoid these potential risks by only being offered as a fixed roof coupé. The legislations for the ban of convertibles ended up not being implemented however, and thus Triumph would later offer
4640-499: The 1980 Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft and Giro d'Italia automobilistico marathon. The Montecarlo was a basis for the silhouette racing car , Lancia Rally 037 . In the 1970s, turbocharging began to be adopted by sports cars, such as the BMW 2002 Turbo in 1973, the first Porsche 911 Turbo in 1975, and the Saab 99 Turbo in 1978. Turbocharging became increasingly popular in the 1980s, from relatively affordable coupes such as
4756-452: The 1980–1986 Renault Fuego and 1992–1996 Rover 220 Coupé Turbo , to expensive supercars such as the 1984-1987 Ferrari 288 GTO and 1987-1992 Ferrari F40 . In the late 1980s and early 1990s, several manufacturers developed supercars that competed for production car top speed records . These cars included the 1986–1993 Porsche 959 , 1991–1995 Bugatti EB 110 , 1992–1994 Jaguar XJ220 and 1993–998 McLaren F1 . The 1980-1995 Audi Quattro
Triumph TR7 - Misplaced Pages Continue
4872-506: The 1990s, all-wheel drive has become more common in sports cars. All-wheel drive offers better acceleration and favorable handling characteristics (especially in slippery conditions), but is often heavier and more mechanically complex than traditional layouts. Examples of all-wheel drive sports cars are the Lamborghini Huracan , Bugatti Veyron , and Nissan GT-R . Rear engine layouts are not typical for sports cars, with
4988-529: The 1995-2002 MG F , the 1996–present Porsche Boxster and the 1998–present Audi TT . Triumph TR8 The Triumph TR8 is a sports car built by the British Triumph Motor Company from 1978 until 1981. It is an eight-cylinder version of the "wedge-shaped" Triumph TR7 which was designed by Harris Mann and manufactured by British Leyland (BL), through its Jaguar/Rover/Triumph (JRT) division. The majority of TR8s were sold in
5104-579: The Canley plant in Coventry, and later Solihull. However, it was too late to save the car's reputation. In its Frankfurt Motor Show preview edition of September 1977, the German magazine Auto, Motor und Sport reported that the engine of a TR7 press car had given up the ghost and "started to boil" while undergoing a maximum speed measurement exercise over a 4 km (2.5 miles) stretch of track as part of
5220-501: The FIA had included Escorts modified to RS1800 specification by others, after sale, despite this clearly being outside the FIA's rules. Quality problems tended to undermine the car's image in the marketplace. This was primarily the result of the poor relations between management and workforce and frequent strikes at the Speke factory near Liverpool. Quality improved when production was moved to
5336-475: The FIA needing to recognize or approve them. However, the BL rally team had to regain approval for the 16-valve head for the 1978 season, and several others such as Lancia, Toyota, Vauxhall, and Ford had similar problems at that time. This was because the FIA deleted the 100-off rule from 1976, though mechanical parts and cars already using it were allowed to be used until the end of 1977. The number of cars suitable for "normal sale" required to gain approval of such
5452-443: The FIA requirement for 400. While the fixed head version of the TR8 does not appear to have ever been a catalogued model, only the convertible, and "[f]ollowing the cancellation of the project, normal practice might have been to dismantle the cars or convert them to normal TR7 power", most or all were sold to private buyers in the US or Canada. This may be as a result of the FIA requirement for such homologation specials to be "meant for
5568-631: The Group ;4 homologation of the TR7V8 rally car. In 1980, a limited edition version of the TR7 Drophead was launched for the US market by the US importer. Called the "TR7 Spider", it was available only in "maraschino black", with reflective red striping and badging plus black interior trim. Alloy wheels and the steering wheel from the TR8 were fitted, along with a "pewter grey" carpet and grey striped upholstery. Based on an exhaustive inventory of
5684-468: The Mercedes Simplex 60 hp— were production fast touring cars. The 1912 Hispano-Suiza Alfonso XIII is also considered one of the earliest sports cars, as it was a "purpose built, high performance, two-seater production automobile". The model was named after King Alfonso XIII of Spain , a patron of the car's chief designer and an enthusiast for the marque. Other early sports cars include
5800-767: The Midwest Region, currently Morey and his sons, Morey C. and Andy are preparing the car for the SCCA National Runoffs in E-Prod at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2017). Jeff Young runs his green TR8 in the Southeast Division with numerous regional race wins and the 2011 Southeast Division SARRC ITS championship, running against over seventy other drivers in Mazda RX7s, Miatas, 240/260/280Zs, BMW 325is, Porsche 944s and Acura Integras. The TR8
5916-482: The North American version produces 92 bhp (69 kW). Australian buyers received the same version in order to meet local emissions regulations . The European version was tested as having a 0–60 mph (97 km/h) time of around 10 seconds, with a top speed of 108.5 mph (175 km/h). Drive is to the rear wheels via a four-speed gearbox initially, with an optional five-speed manual gearbox and
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#17327879798906032-531: The Playboy/Escort Endurance series with his car. Starting the last race of the year, Schumacher was fourth in the overall point standings (just three points away from first) when an accident ruined their chances; nevertheless, Schumacher still ended up seventh in the manufacturer's points for that year, all with no official factory help. Presently, at least three cars are being run in SCCA's ITS class. Morey Doyle and his son Andy run their TR8s in
6148-558: The TR Register-Austria as source; 2815 is the number quoted in an article from Classic & Sports Car , March 1986 and in William Kimberley's 1981 book as well. The TR8 was due to be launched in the UK and a pilot production run was made consisting of four prototypes and 18 pre-production cars. At this point British Leyland unexpectedly cancelled the project. The pre-production cars were subsequently sold via
6264-621: The TR7 and TR8. Even so, BL required some, probably about 50, 16-valve engined TR7s suitable for normal sale before the end of 1977. This was for the rehomologation of the 16-valve head to allow the 16-valve TR7 rally car to be used in the 1978 season following a change to the FIA's rules. That the TR7 Sprint was used in this is shown by a series of six photographs in the British Motor Museum 's archives, taken on 1 November and listed as TR7 Sprint Homologation . The 16-valve head
6380-734: The TR7 decal, as is shown on the TR8 prototype in Hardcastle’s book on the Rover V8 engine. Neither of these decals are part of the set used on the car shown in the TR7 Sprint homologation pictures in the BMIHT archives, and in Knowles’ Triumph TR7 The Untold Story . And, unlike that decal set, the Sprint decals shown on this TR8 and that in Hardcastle are not known by any BL part numbers. The official use of these pictures in
6496-508: The TR7s built at Canley have single bump bonnets; though it is possible these were cars that had not been completed at Speke, possibly due to the industrial action there, and finished off at Canley after production was moved. During production at Canley, the seat trim was again revised, with a plaid cloth in navy blue or tan, with matching coloured leather effect edging, and matching door cards. A further trim change during production at Solihull saw
6612-423: The TR8 homologation , granted 1 April 1978, include pictures showing a 1977 TR7 V8 prototype with a set of decals indicating it to be a TR7 V8. However, oddly, these TR8 homologation pictures also show it had the large "Sprint" decals on the rear wings, in the same font as the TR7 and V8 decals on the boot lid. It is not clear from the picture of the front of the car whether or not it had a small Sprint decal below
6728-586: The TR8, so dubbed "TR7 V8"). They were reasonably successful on tarmac events but were less successful on gravel sections. The most successful driver of these cars was Tony Pond . John Buffum won the SCCA PRO Rally Championship from 1977 to 1980 driving TR7 and TR7 V8 cars. The TR7-V8 models continue to be successful in classic rallying events. Group 44 ran two TR8 cars in TransAm and IMSA Championship from 1978 to 1981, while in Canada
6844-441: The UK market---and all 1982 models (of which all seventy went to Canada) featured a Bosch L-jetronic fuel injection system with a specially designed Lucas fuel injection computer (ECU). The 1980 carburetor model was rated at 133 bhp (99 kW; 135 PS) (at 5000 rpm) and the fuel injected California version at 137 bhp (102 kW; 139 PS) at the same engine speed. For 1981, all North American cars received
6960-523: The US as 1980 models. In 1979, a long-anticipated Michelotti-refreshed TR7 Drophead ( convertible ) was introduced, and almost all subsequent production TR8s were convertibles. Total worldwide production, as best as can be determined throughout all the labour turmoil at the time, is only around 2750, give or take a "handful". (Enthusiast Richard Connew went through the records at British Motor Heritage Industry Trust and counted 2746.) Other estimates exist. The German version of this page claims 2722 and cites
7076-435: The US, where they did not fare well, owing to Triumph's poor build quality at the time and the unusually strong pound, which peaked at around $ 2.40 by 1980, making Triumphs fairly expensive compared to competitors. The TR8 was only launched as a convertible (DHC) model. However, about 400 hard-top (FHC) TR8s were produced at Speke and Canley, as these were needed (possibly with some TR7s converted by BL to TR8 specification) for
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#17327879798907192-531: The US, with final sales of new TR7s continuing into 1982. It was initially produced at the Speke , Liverpool , factory, moving to Canley , Coventry , in 1978 and then finally to the Rover Solihull plant in 1980. The car, characterised by its "wedge" shape and by a swage line sweeping down from the rear to just behind the front wheel, was commonly advertised as "the shape of things to come". The design
7308-588: The United States and Canada. A more powerful V8-engined version of the TR7 was planned in the early stages of the TR7's development, a prototype being produced in 1972. However, British Leyland's financial state, labour problems and lack of engines—as MG and Range Rover had first priority—delayed the project. By 1978 some 145 prototype cars were built with V8 engines (and usually automatic transmissions ). These "anonymous" TR8s (no identifying badges, and all coupes) were evaluated for British Leyland by various dealers and then sold off as used cars. The FIA papers for
7424-479: The car appeared during the next year or two, all conforming to the same basic design and earning for themselves a reputation second to none for fast and reliable travel. The 60-h.p. cars were announced late in 1902. The cars were possessed of a very real performance superior to anything else which could be bought at the time... and the model achieved an almost invincible position among the fast cars of its day. The Sports Car: Development and Design The basis for
7540-458: The centre of the wheels, to larger silver ones, covering the whole wheel. External decor changes included simplification of the TR7 badge on the boot, the rear panel changing from black to body-colour, and the TR7 nose badge being replaced by a large laurel-wreath emblem with the Triumph name across its centre, this latter replaced on final production models by a small circular raised badge. Only
7656-485: The closure of the Speke factory and concerns about low potential sales, the Lynx was cancelled. 18 prototypes were produced, with only one currently remaining. In early 1979, a joint MG -Triumph project to produce a new sportscar based on the TR7 was started under the name Project Broadside . This was based on the TR7, with a wheelbase stretched by 5 inches (130 mm), with either an O-Series or Rover V8 engine, and both drophead and fastback body styles. Project Broadside
7772-475: The convertible version of the original Harris Mann design came from Michelotti and the engineering to make it work was done by Triumph. For export to the US market, Triumph created a much more powerful Triumph TR8 model in 1977/78, which was a TR7 with a 135 bhp (101 kW) 3.5 L Rover V8 engine . While some genuine TR8 models stayed in Britain, these examples are exceedingly rare. Most TR8s went to
7888-574: The dash. Various British Leyland vehicles were driven by the lead characters in the British secret agent television series The New Avengers , produced between 1976 and 1977. Amongst them was a yellow TR7 hardtop driven by the character Purdey . The car was immortalised as a children's Dinky Toy and Revell construction kit. Lucy Ewing drove a silver convertible on the TV show Dallas . In 1978 Coca-Cola and Levi's ran promotional competitions with
8004-406: The dealer network to the general public and are highly collectable. Both the TR7 and TR8 were made until October 1981 when production ceased. Very few genuine TR8s exist outside of the United States and Canada. In other countries the TR7 is often converted to a "TR7V8" with the same ubiquitous Buick/Rover 3.5 litre V8 powerplant used in original factory TR8s. In Australia a popular TR7V8 conversion
8120-411: The development of performance cars such as the 1910 Vauxhall Prince Henry , 1910 Sunbeam 12/16 , 1910 Talbot 25 hp , 1910 Straker-Squire 15 hp and 1913 Star 15.9 hp . Following the halt in sports car production caused by World War I , Europe returned to manufacturing automobiles from around 1920. It was around this time that the term 'Sports Car' began to appear in the motor catalogues, although
8236-489: The early 1910s and are currently produced by many manufacturers around the world. Definitions of sports cars often relate to how the car design is optimised for dynamic performance, without any specific minimum requirements; both a Triumph Spitfire and Ferrari 488 Pista can be considered sports cars, despite vastly different levels of performance. Broader definitions of sports cars include cars "in which performance takes precedence over carrying capacity", or that emphasise
8352-400: The early 1920s, the cost to produce a racing car was not significantly higher than a road car, therefore several manufacturers used the design from the current year's racing car for the next year's sports car. For example, the 1921 Ballot 2LS based on the racing car that finished third at the 1921 French Grand Prix. The Benz 28/95PS was also a successful racing car, with victories including
8468-463: The exact origin of the name is not known. The decade that followed became known as the vintage era and featured rapid technical advances over the preceding Brass Era cars . Engine performance benefited from the abandonment of " tax horsepower " (where vehicles were taxed based on bore and number of cylinders, rather than actual power output) and the introduction of leaded fuel , which increased power by allowing for higher compression ratios . In
8584-611: The factory build cards at the British Heritage Motor Centre archives, it has been confirmed that 1,070 carburetted Spiders were built at the Solihull factory with an additional 548 fuel-injected (Bosch L-jetronic) Spiders built specifically for California. VIN numbers for Spiders run from 400301 to 401918 overall and for the fuel-injected version from 401374 to 401918. All the Spider-specific equipment
8700-458: The factory changeover to the 1978 year model in June 1977. However, it is claimed that some cars at least were converted at Canley from completed TR7s built at Speke. Production of the TR7 Sprint stopped with the closure of the Speke plant. However, the failure of the TR7 Sprint to go into full series production is also blamed on BL's sales and marketing department because they claimed its performance
8816-472: The first supercars . Other significant European models of the 1960s and 1970s which might be considered supercars today are the Ferrari 250 GTO (1962-1964), Ferrari 250 GT Lusso (1963-1964), Ferrari 275 GTB/4 (1966-1968), Maserati Ghibli (1967-1973), Ferrari Daytona (1968-1973), Dino 246 (1969-1974), De Tomaso Pantera (1971-1993), Ferrari 308 GTB (1975-1980) and BMW M1 (1978-1981). In 1966,
8932-528: The first World War by the R.A.C. , appealed to the public imagination and offered to the manufacturers of the more sporting cars an excellent opportunity for boosting sales of their products." The classic Italian road races— the Targa Florio , and the Mille Miglia (first held in 1927)— also captured the public's imagination. By 1925, the higher profits available for four-seater cars resulted in
9048-471: The homologation process may suggest that BL toyed with the idea of calling this car the "TR7 V8 Sprint" or "TR7 Sprint V8", etc., at some point, but did not progress the idea beyond when these photographs were taken. The TR8 did not use Triumph's own single overhead cam V8 as found in the Stag due to its weight and service record but instead shared its Rover V8 engine with the Rover SD1 . The engine itself
9164-573: The late 1920s were AC Cars , Alfa Romeo , Alvis , Amilcar , Bignan and Samson, Chenard-Walcker , Delage , Hispano-Suiza , Hotchkiss , Mercedes-Benz and Nazzaro . Two cars from the Vintage Era that would influence sports cars for many years were the Austin Seven and MG M-type "Midget". Successful sports cars from Bentley during this era were the Bentley 3 Litre (1921-1929) and
9280-581: The makings of well over 500 [sic.] cars were either built, partly built, or stuck in the morass of the Speke strike—the result being that homologation was gained." However, the FIA rules are specific that these should be "entirely finished cars, e.g., cars in running condition and ready for delivery to the purchasers." Also, the Ford Escort Mk2 RS1800 was re-homologated into Group 4, as the 2 L Escort RS, with only about 50 produced in 1977 and only about 109 in total - though has been claimed
9396-559: The makings of well over 500 [sic] cars were either built, partly built, or stuck in the morass of the Speke strike". However, the FIA rules are clear that only "entirely finished cars" might be counted towards this requirement. An alternative explanation that does not ignore the FIA's explicit requirement for finished cars comes from an article on the Group-4 Vauxhall Chevette HS, published in Autosport only
9512-518: The mass-produced cars upon which they were based. The highest selling sports car company of the 1930s was Morris Garages , who produced 'MG Midget' models of the M-Type , J-Type , P-Type and T-Type . The K3 version of the K-Type Magnette was a successful racing car, achieving success in the Mille Miglia , Tourist Trophy and 24 Hours of Le Mans . The Bugatti Type 57 (1934-1940)
9628-537: The middle of the vehicle ( MR layout ). Examples of FR layout sports cars include the Caterham 7 , Mazda MX-5 , and the Dodge Viper . Examples of MR layout sports cars are the Ferrari 488 , Ford GT , and Toyota MR2 . To avoid a front-heavy weight distribution , many FR layout sports cars are designed so that the engine is located further back in the engine bay, as close to the firewall as possible. Since
9744-544: The most common layout for sports cars was a roadster (a two-seat car without a fixed roof). However, there are also several examples of early sports cars with four seats. Sports cars are not usually intended to transport more than two adult occupants regularly, so most modern sports cars are generally two-seat or 2+2 layout (two smaller rear seats for children or occasional adult use). Larger cars with more spacious rear-seat accommodation are usually considered sports sedans rather than sports cars. The 1993-1998 McLaren F1
9860-809: The notable exception of the Porsche 911 . The front-wheel drive layout with the engine at the front ( FF layout ) is generally the most common for cars, but it is not as common among traditional sports cars. Nonetheless, the FF layout is used by sport compacts and hot hatches such as the Mazdaspeed3 . Sports cars with an FF layout include the Fiat Barchetta , Saab Sonett , or Opel Tigra . The ancestor of all high-performance cars had its origin in Germany. The 28-h.p. Cannstatt-Daimler racing car of 1899
9976-515: The original Harris Mann TR7 design made from 1978 to 1980 are quite rare; it is estimated that only about 400 TR8 coupes ever existed—this number from records kept by members of the North America-based wedge club, the Triumph Wedge Owners Association. To the roughly 150 pre-production coupes mentioned above, another 250 or so coupes were produced, some sold in Canada as 1979 models but most ended up being held back and then finally sold in
10092-456: The philosophy of achieving performance through minimizing weight and has been rated as one of the top 10 sports cars of the 1960s. The Elan featured fibreglass bodies, a backbone chassis, and overhead camshaft engines. A different style of roadster was the AC Cobra , released in 1962, which was fitted with V8 engines up to 7.0 L (427 cu in) in size by Shelby . The Porsche 911
10208-423: The production of two-seat sports cars being limited to smaller manufacturers such as Aston-Martin (350 Astons built from 1921 to 1939) and Frazer-Nash (323 cars built from 1924 to 1939). Then by the late 1920s, the cost of producing racing cars (especially Grand Prix cars) escalated, causing more manufacturers to produce cars for the growing sports car market instead. Significant manufacturers of sports cars in
10324-535: The programme was cancelled. However, there are records showing these cars were either partly scrapped to rolling shells or converted to TR8 specifications, before being sold off in 1983. At least one of these O-Series TR7s (KPH 537V) was fitted with an early (Canley developed) version of the O-Series turbo-charged engine. This was recorded as being the fastest ever Triumph on the test track at MIRA achieving an average lap speed of 129.16 mph (207.86 km/h) and
10440-558: The sporting events of the period, bringing renown to successful entrants. The Prince Henry Tours started the evolution of reasonably large and technically advanced production sports cars. In England, the development of sporting cars was inhibited by the Motor Car Act 1903 , which imposed a speed limit of 20 mph (32 km/h) on all public roads. This led to the 1907 opening of the Brooklands motor circuit , which inspired
10556-408: The sports car is traced to the early 20th century touring cars and roadsters , and the term 'sports car' would not be coined until after World War One. A car considered to be "a sports-car years ahead of its time" is the 1903 Mercedes Simplex 60 hp , described at the time as a fast touring car and designed by Wilhelm Maybach and Paul Daimler . The Mercedes included pioneering features such as
10672-476: The sports car, but also the most important and diverse technical developments [and] very rapid and genuine improvement in the qualities of every modern production car; assisted by new design and manufacturing techniques a consistently higher level of handling properties has been achieved." In Italy, a small but wealthy market segment allowed for the manufacture of a limited number of high-performance models directly allied to contemporary Grand Prix machines, such as
10788-512: The time of its launch, the TR7 was not initially available as a convertible. In early 1979, Triumph belatedly introduced a convertible version, called the "TR7 drophead coupé" (DHC), which first went on sale in the US (the original hardtop model being known as the "fixedhead coupé", or FHC). A small number of pre-production cars were manufactured at Speke in 1978, soon after the pre-production TR7 V8 (later designated TR8) and TR7 Sprint cars. The British market received it in early 1980. The prototype for
10904-670: The top prizes being three TR7s in special red and white Coke livery. They also featured denim upholstery and genuine jean patch pockets on the door interiors. Also included were a 12V fridge in the boot and a TV in the glove compartment. Two of the three Coca-Cola cars are known to still exist. A yellow TR7 coupé is driven by one of the two protagonists, Lance Stater ( Toby Jones ) in the BAFTA award-winning television series Detectorists about two middle aged English metal detector enthusiasts, written by and co-starring Mackenzie Crook . Because of proposed US legislation on roll-over protection at
11020-400: The use of a ruched velour in blue or tan on the seats, with matching inserts on the doors. Also, the internal door lock buttons were changed from the earlier standard BL round ones, to rectangular buttons held on with small grub screws. There was also a change to the trip mile counter's reset button, which became a push type operated through the instrument "glass", rather than a turn type under
11136-478: The war, but a small number of manufacturers returned it to prominence. In 1948, the Porsche 356 was released as the debut model from Porsche. The significance of the Porsche 356 and its successors was described in 1957 as "future historians must see them as among the most important of mid-century production cars". The 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL is another significant car from this era. The 1961 Jaguar E-Type
11252-568: Was homologated for Group 4 (racing) on the first of April 1978. According to the FIA rules that applied at this time, recognition would have required the production of 400 similar cars suitable for normal sale. However, production records (in the BMIHT archives) show that only about 150 cars had actually been built by this time, mostly due to major industrial action at the BL Speke plant that included
11368-415: Was a pioneering all-wheel drive sports car. The 1995 Porsche 911 Turbo (993) saw the 911 Turbo model switch to all-wheel drive, a drivetrain layout that the model uses to this day. The BMW M3 was released in 1986 and has been produced for every generation since. The 1993-1996 Mercedes-Benz W124 E36 AMG was the mass-produced AMG model. Audi's equivalent division, called "RS", was launched in 1994 with
11484-519: Was accepted. Major changes to the standard TR7 hardtop were the addition of a MG-type grille to the nose panel, headlights similar to those of a Porsche 928 and a new tail panel with light units from a Rover SD1 . The proposal was ultimately rejected on the grounds that the car was insufficiently different from the TR7. About 25 prototype/development TR7s fitted with the BL O-series engine were built. Build dates are not currently known, nor when
11600-635: Was an unusual arrangement for a car used to compete in rallying, nonetheless it was very successful and won the World Rally Championship in 1974 , 1975 , and 1976 . The Lancia Montecarlo was produced from 1975 to 1981 and is a mid-engine two-seater, available as a coupé or a targa-top. It was sold as Lancia Scorpion in the USA. Its racing variant, Montecarlo Turbo, won the 1979 World Championship for Makes in its division and overall for 1980 World Championship for Makes and 1981 World Endurance Championship for Makes . Montecarlo also won
11716-627: Was another significant sports car of the pre-war era and is now among the most valuable cars in the world. The T57 was successful in sports car races, including winning the 1937 24 Hours of Le Mans and 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans . Another successful Bugatti sports car was the Bugatti Type 55 (1932-1935), which was based on the Type 51 Grand Prix racing car. The decade following the Second World War saw an "immense growth of interest in
11832-697: Was approved for use with the Group-4 rally car a second time in February 1978 in time for the Mintex Rally. Converting a two-valve TR7 to the four-valve Sprint specification is relatively simple, compared to conversion to TR8 specification, because the TR7 and TR7 Sprint have virtually identical engine blocks. As a result, there are a number of such converted TR7 models around: "There are a [comparatively] large number of privately built Sprint conversions about ... Buyers should beware of this if they are asked
11948-498: Was called the TR7V8 instead." At that time, appendix J required 400 cars suitable for "normal sale". However, the number produced by April 1978 is believed to have been less than 150. Journalist and historian Graham Robson quotes John Davenport as saying "In those days there was no rigorous FIA inspection system. Provided that one provided a production sheet signed by an important manager, then nobody worried". Robson goes on, "A lot of fast and persuasive talking then went on, to show that
12064-474: Was cancelled later in 1979, owing to a lack of funding. Examples of both Lynx and Broadside can be seen at the BMIHT , Gaydon , England. During the latter part of 1979, as an exercise in badge engineering , another MG version of the TR7 was developed under the codename Boxer as a potential replacement for the MGB . Various concepts were presented and ultimately a design from BL's American headquarters at Leonia
12180-457: Was considered for the upmarket versions compared to the TR badged entry level versions, with "MG Magna" being used on some of the early clay models, but this did not reach production. The TR7 was the first of Triumph's 'TR' line to not be offered as a convertible in its initial form, instead utilizing a 2-door coupé configuration. With the United States showing increased concern for automotive safety in
12296-452: Was deleted. The convertible also required a smaller fuel filler cap, as the deck area in front of the boot lid was reduced to allow for the stowage of the hood. These modifications were also applied to the hard top for the 1978 year model (starting after the factory's summer shutdown in 1977), presumably to maintain commonality of parts on the assembly line. The wheel trims were also changed at this time, from smaller black trims that covered only
12412-630: Was derived from an early 1960s Buick / Oldsmobile all- aluminium V8 215 cu in (3.52 L) that Rover acquired from General Motors in the mid-60s. History has shown this engine to be a reliable, flexible, and robust powerplant, especially after BL improved its manufacturing process. TR8s were initially fitted with twin Zenith-Stromberg carburetors. However, about 400 1980 models sold in California , all 1981 models—of which only 352 were produced including twenty carbed cars for
12528-485: Was in 1928. Sports cars started to become popular during the 1920s. The term initially described two-seat roadsters (cars without a fixed roof), however, since the 1970s the term has also been used for cars with a fixed roof (which were previously considered grand tourers ). Attributing the definition of 'sports car' to any particular model can be controversial or the subject of debate among enthusiasts. Authors and experts have often contributed their ideas to capture
12644-504: Was initially homologated for group 3 by another, less clear, route, though re-homologated later, presumably on production of 5-speed TR7s). Further modifications, including the larger front brakes and rear disk brakes, were covered as "Optional equipment which may be recognized without a minimum production". In 1975, Appendix J listed yet more modifications allowed, with restrictions, to cars for group 4, including pistons, manifolds, carburettors, and suspension, etc., that could be fitted without
12760-482: Was installed at the factory, with the exception of the radio-cassette, which was stored in the boot and installed at the port of entry. Slightly less than a decade after the original TR7 ceased production, another British manufacturer, Grinnall Specialist Cars modified existing TR7 and TR8 cars. TR7 cars were upgraded with TR8 subframes and dash. They then installed V8 engines (optionally bored to larger capacities), and other parts like suspension, gearbox and brakes from
12876-429: Was not sufficiently different from the TR7, though its top speed and 0–60 mph (97 km/h) time were almost identical to those for the US specification carburetted version of the 3.5 litre 135 bhp (101 kW; 137 PS) Rover V8 powered Triumph TR8 . Also, the Sprint engine was unsuitable for the emission-control equipment necessary for sale in the US, which was Sales and Marketing's main target market for
12992-402: Was penned by Harris Mann who also designed the wedge-shaped Princess . The car has an overall length of 160 in (410 cm), width of 66 in (170 cm), wheelbase of 85 in (220 cm) and height of 49.5 in (126 cm). The coupé has a kerbside weight of 2,205 lb (1,000 kg). During development, the TR7 was referred to by the code name "Bullet". MG branding
13108-495: Was possible at the time using the "100-off rule", as John Davenport called it, in the FIA 's appendix J to the International Sporting Code 1975. This 100-off rule described a list of "Optional equipment which may be recognized with a minimum production of 100 units per year to equip 100 cars" and requirements for their use. However, it did not require that any cars actually be so equipped, just that 100 of
13224-694: Was produced until 1980. Other successful lightweight roadsters include the Triumph Spitfire (1962-1980) and the Alfa Romeo Spider (1966-1993). The Fiat X1/9 (1972-1989) was unusual for its use of a mid-engine design in an affordable roadster model. A late entrant to the affordable roadster market was the 1975 Triumph TR7 , however by the late 1970s the demand for this style of car was in decline, resulting in production ceasing in 1982. The original Lotus Elan (1962-1975) two-seat coupe and roadster models are an early commercial success for
13340-675: Was released in 1964 and has remained in production since. The 911 is notable for its use of the uncommon rear-engine design and the use of a flat-six engine . Another successful rear-engine sports car was the original Alpine A110 (1961-1977), which was a successful rally car during the Group 4 era. In 1965, the BMW New Class Coupes were released, leading to the BMW 6 Series which remains in production to this day. The Lamborghini Miura (1966) and Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale (1967) mid-engined high-performance cars are often cited as
13456-417: Was without a doubt the first attempt to give real performance to a road car. Many of its features, such as a honeycomb radiator and gate gear change, were continued on the much improved version which Paul Daimler designed in 1899-1900. This was of course the famous Mercedes. It also laid down standards of chassis design which were to be followed, almost unthinkingly, for the next thirty years. Several variants of
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