I couldn't disagree more. I run into people that know what my TR6 is
all the time. They might not know the saloons that were not imported. So
they might not realize that Triumph made more than TR's and Spitfires, but
they know the name Triumph. The Triumph name was revived once before, after
they disappeared during W.W.II. Standard, a maker of quality cars acquired
the rights to the Triumph name. Initially to be a
sportscar
and a less expensive option to the Standard line. Less expensive, but not
lower in quality, just amenities. Would a "cheapo" car be considered a
"revolutionary" sports car as the TR2/3 was? I have a Road & Track issue
from 1953. The first road test of the TR3. They loved everything about it
and said, "it will out drag any production car on this side of the pond."
That was including the brand new Corvette. The TR3 was also the first
production car to feature disc brakes (Jaguar was the first to use them,
but on sports racers, not production cars). Does this sound like "cheapo"
cars.
While driving in a parade last weekend. I heard many comments from the
spectators. They recognized all the cars. They knew makes and models, MGA's,
MGB's, MG TD's, TR4's, TR6's, TR7's, Jaguar MKII's as well as the few XJ's
in our club (yes it is a multi marque club). In fact the least recognized
car was an English Ford. A friend was driving my Cortina and told me that
many people liked the car, but had no idea what it was. They knew all of
the others though.
Sorry folks, soap box mode off.
Shawn
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Original Text
From: "Ken Bertschy" <kentop@dakotacom.net>, on 10/13/98 10:10 PM:
The Triumph marque is not a "quality" marque. The cars have always been
cheapo little everyman type cars. Nothing fancy, certainly nothing
expensive. Reviving the Triumph name could only improve it's "standing",
not lower it. I dearly love my Spitfire and wouldn't get rid of it for the
world and I wouldn't mind one bit if Kia slapped Triumph badges on their
sephia model and called it a "revival" of a classic standard: the cheap
import. That's why Spits sold so well across the pond. They were dirt
cheap. Heck, let's slap the Hillman Imp badge on some of those Hyundai
shit-boxes. It would be appropriate, and an improvement to the marque
lineage.
In the 90's, the Triumph name has very little portability. Most people
vaguely remember something about making motorcycles and a lot are surprised
that they made cars at all. I fail to see how a new car maker would even
consider naming something a Triumph, when it is a mostly forgotten marque
in the grand scheme of things. Sorry, but the truth hurts. When people on
the street see my spit, they immediately tell me that it is a great looking
car, then they ask me what kind of car it is. It's like they never heard
of it, nor have they ever seen one before. But it really impresses them.
Triumph really lives in the hearts of the owners. To the rest of the
world, it's just another cute car coming down the road.
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