40 YEARS SINCE THE END OF TRIUMPH
Forty years may have passed since Triumph’s last car was built but the marque still commands respect among enthusiasts. Join James Taylor as he takes a nostalgic stroll through all of its post-war production models
Triumph was an independent maker noted for its excellent sporting models before the war but insolvency was never far away and the receivers were called in in summer 1939. Standard snapped the company up in 1945 and initially put the Triumph name on more stylish models using its own mechanical elements.
The TR sports models were a big hit but the Standard-Triumph company was in sufficient trouble by 1960 for Leyland to step in. The Standard name disappeared but Triumph’s sports cars and above-average saloons continued to impress and the marque held its place as a maker of affordable sports cars and ‘premium’ medium-sized saloons under British
TRIUMPH 1800/2000 ROADSTER & 1800/2000/ RENOWN SALOON (1946-’54)
Standard announced its intentions for Triumph with two models based upon a single chassis design with transverse-leaf independent front suspension and pre-war Standard running-gear. The 1800 Roadster had curvaceous styling, three-abreast seating and a dickey seat; the 1800 saloon had a longer wheelbase and coachwork by Mulliners of Birmingham in the dignified razor-edge style that was so popular before the war. It was well-equipped with leather upholstery and traditional wood.
The 2.1-litre Standard Vanguard engine took over from late 1948, but the 2000 Roadster was dropped in October 1949 and the 2000 saloon re-named ‘Renown’, gaining a Vanguard-derived chassis with
Leyland. Sadly this lasted just three years until 1971 when Triumph was merged with Rover.
The marque name was strong enough to survive into the 1980s, but British Leyland considered it just another name in its catalogue, and the final Triumph – the Acclaim – was effectively a British-built Honda.
Today, Triumph remains one of the most popular makes within the hobby and it’s easy to see why when you consider what each of its post-war classics is able to offer enthusiasts. Here’s a rundown of its greatest hits.
coil-sprung independent front suspension. A longer wheelbase and a Limousine model came in autumn 1951, but customers were scarce and the Renown was discontinued in October 1954. Today, all of these cars are minority-appeal classics, though with dedicated fans.
TOTAL PRODUCED
■ 2501 (1800 ROADSTER)
■ 2000 (2000 ROADSTER)
■ 4000 (1800 SALOON)
■ 2000 (2000 SALOON)
■ 9301 (RENOWN)
■ 190 (LIMOUSINE)
WHAT TO PAY £10-000-20,000 (ROADSTER); £4000-£13,000 (SALOON)
TRIUMPH MAYFLOWER (1949-’53)
The Mayflower was Triumph’s first unitary-construction model, its new tech seemingly at odds with its
