1950s TriumphIn the 1950s Triumph were a major player with the TR2 sports car becoming a classic among 1950s automobiles. Triumph began its existence in 1897 as the Triumph Cycle Company Ltd. In 1921 Triumph launched their first motor car – the 1.4 litre Triumph 10/20 and by 1930 became known as the Triumph Motor Company. By the end of World War Two Triumph had become a part of the Standard Motor Company and production was moved to the West Midlands at Canley, near Coventry. As they approached the1950s Triumph decided to discontinue their pre-war lines. By the beginning of the decade the decision was made by the Standard parent company to use the Triumph tag for sports models and the Standard names on its saloons. 1951 saw Triumph display a prototype – the TR1/20TS at the London Motor Show. The TR1 was a mix and match containing components for previous Standard and Triumph motor cars. But the vehicle on show was the only one ever produced. That only one was ever built is barely surprising as BRM's Ken Richardson slammed the car as a “death trap.” The model was withdrawn and Triumph designers returned to the drawing board coming up with the TR2 sports car in 1953.
photo by Softeis used under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license The TR2 sports car (above) was a resounding success for Triumph. Almost 9,000 were produced in the first two years of its production and the series would continue until the early 1980s. As well as carrying the 1950s Triumph badge, which was emblazoned on the front of the vehicle, the Standard brand was fixed on the car's hub caps. The TR2 was tested by the Motor Magazine in 1954. The tests showed the Triumph TR2 could top 170 MPH go from 0 to 60 in just 12 seconds. The Triumph name was eventually to be attached to Standard's saloon cars. The Triumph brand was more recognisable to the public. So in 1959 Standard's latest model was named the Triumph Herald. Related Articles |
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