Corvette, Ferrari, Lambo: Close up shop! Triumph has returned!
At the Wheel of Triumph's Devastating New TR16
It is 7 PM on the first Friday in July. I am heading west on Route 90,
having just passed Pittsfield, MA. The setting sun is warm on this clear
Summer evening. I am driving the new Triumph TR16.
A new car from an old company? Not quite. This is a new car from a new
company; Triumph Motors, LP. Yes, it is British. In fact it is built in the
same factory that gave us the TR7s and 8s over a decade ago. Clearly, this
is a Triumph. It even looks like the old TR8. The only real differences are
that it is about 8 inches longer and the rear bumper has been better
integrated into the car's body. It is a convertible. But I digress.
The sign ahead reads: Lennox - 20 miles. The speedometer shows 65 mph. It
is time to see what this heap can do. I push a toggle switch on the dash.
Above it a green light begins to glow, the word PUSH clearly displayed. I
comply. From the back there is a low rumble. Not objectionable, but present
nonetheless. A second light comes on. This one says AWD PUSH. There is
just the slightest vibration and then it is gone. The last indicator lights
up: AWD ON. Abandoning all good sense I mash my right foot to the floor.
Without warning I am pressed against the seat. Firmly. Very firmly. Then
the shaking begins. Not the car's - mine! The clock is at 145 and
climbing...fast.
Foot to brake. HARD. The four-wheel disc brakes respond quickly. They are
fully anti-locking. Another light indicates that the system is working. I
have just experienced what this new Triumph is all about.
Forget the word "heap." Think in ballistic terms.
No V-8 or even V-12 could deliver this kind of performance. Maybe a V-16.
Maybe. Well, kiddies, Triumph has gone one better. No, they didn't develop
a 16 cylinder engine. What they did was to put TWO V-8s in this potent
machine! One for the front wheels and one for the rear. Design costs were
minimal as the engines already were in production. That's right, the
well-known Rover 3500. The same one used in the original TR8!
What else? The transmissions are also off-the-shelf and from Rover. Both
drivetrains are identical. The real feat here is the way the gearbox outputs
are linked to the driven axles. Enter the miracle of electronically
controlled hydraulics. This unique system allows you to select front, rear,
or dual drive. It makes EACH wheel limited-slip.
Continue? Sure; here's a list of this rocket's features.
Steering: Four-wheel, speed-sensitive, power-assisted, rack and pinion,
variable ratio. Now THAT'S steering!
Brakes: Discs all around. Computer controlled anti-locking.
Suspension: McPherson struts, all four wheels. Extra heavy-duty
anti-sway bars front and rear.
Electronic management systems: TCU (Torque Control Unit) adjusts the power
to each wheel. Makes corrections 60 times per second. PCM (Power Control
Monitor) assures that both engines maintain exactly the same RPMs. PIC/ERS
(Petrol Injection Computer / Emissions Reduction System) regulates things
like fuel injectors, idle speeds, EGR valves, etc. DCM (Dash Cluster Module)
runs the very complete dashboard instrumentation. ABO (Automated Brake
Operations) is the heart of the brake system.
There's more: Chassis: Reinforced unit body. Dunlop XLQ high speed tires.
Hand brake works on all four wheels. 5 MPH bumpers. Heavily rust-proofed.
Cast alloy wheels. Transmissions: That's right, TWO of 'em. Five-speed
Rover units. Servo-assisted hydraulic shifters with electronic
synchronizers. Self-adjusting clutches, operated by a dual master cylinder
that is also vacuum powered.
Upon entering this car the first thing you notice is the dash. It is
complete, to say the least. The gauges are for oil pressure, water
temperature, volts, amps, speed, fuel, and rpms. Then there are the
"status" lights: windscreen fluid low, water level low, fuel low, high beam
on, hydraulic failure (drivetrain), and hydraulic failure (brakes).
Other lights indicate drivetrain mode and availability of all-wheel drive.
There are five computer malfunction indicators, one for each of the major
control units. And finally there is a master light which, when glowing,
tells you that you must look NOW at the other instruments because a fault has
been detected.
Space will not allow me to list all of the technological advancements found
in this new Triumph. And there are many. But here are a few words about
driving it. WOW! Beyond belief! Incredible! If you now own a Countach or
the like, send it to the crusher. Nothing on the road even comes close to
this sports car. It goes from 0 to 100 AND BACK in under 11 seconds! The
unusually quick steering (three turns lock-to-lock) could invite disaster.
But it is a four-wheel system. And even at 125 mph it sticks to sharp
corners like you-know-what to a blanket.
What price glory? An amazing $33,500! And where? At existing Jaguar
dealers. And when? Now...now...
Suddenly I am jolted awake by the alarm clock. I am drenched in sweat. "No
more cheap Scotch and Car and Driver before bedtime," I vow.
Jim Finn
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