1975 Triumph Spitfire 1500; A real Triumph.(Brief Article)

There is a tendency among some Triumph enthusiasts to view the Spitfire as something less than a real Triumph. Yes, it was diminutive in terms of size and horsepower, but with more than 314,000 produced between 1962 and 1980 (on par with the entire TR line), it was the sports car heart of the company.

Triumph started as an auto manufacturer in 1923. It failed during the 1930s but was reborn after World War II under the umbrella of the Standard Car Co., best known for its saloons. Standard-Triumph premiered its first sports car, the TR2, in 1952. The TR2 was more successful than Standard saloons and was followed quickly by the TR3 and 3A. In 1958 Austin launched the tiny Donald Healey-designed Sprite to great success. A smaller roadster had also been discussed at Triumph and the Sprite's success encouraged the firm to produce it.

In late 1960 a prototype, codenamed ``The Bomb,'' was constructed in Turin by designer Giovanni Michelotti, using a Triumph Herald saloon chassis as its foundation. But the project was shelved when truck maker Leyland absorbed Standard-Triumph in 1960. A year later, a Leyland exec spotted The Bomb in a corner and the little sports car was given the go-ahead.

It debuted at the London motor show in October 1962 as the ``Spitfire.'' Synonymous with the Battle of Britain fighter, the name resonated with the British public. Though more expensive, the Spitfire outsold the Sprite, offering more content than Austin's petite convertible. The Spitfire 4, as it was officially called, came with a 1147-cc derivative of the Herald engine, pushing it to 60 mph in 17 seconds and topping out at 92 mph. Sales took off in the United States as well, climbing steadily as successive iterations of the car, including the more powerful MkII and MkIII, appeared.

The Spitfire's racing potential was highlighted when Triumph decided to use it in place of the under-performing TR4 in 1964. Four fiberglass hardtop racers were built for Le Mans, one of which finished third in its class. The racer bodies foreshadowed the eventual GT6 Spitfire coupe but were campaigned with the same 1147-cc engines as their street counterparts. The cars raced successfully at Sebring that ...