Background
For a car manufacturer whose last sporting car languished deep in its past, The Standard Motor Company took a distinct chance with its new TR sport car. MG and Jaguar and their respective North American sales successes proved to be the spur for it, and oh boy, didn’t the company just put its finger into the automotive pie and pull out a plum.
Utilising the rugged Standard Vanguard engine (here in 1991cc form to qualify for the under-2-litre sports car racing class), a basic separate chassis and Mayflower front suspension, the new car proved to be a prime mover: 100mph+, anyone? Buyers certainly agreed, and its low-cost/high-speed combo proved to be a veritable winner.
Success on the sporting field proved instant with success on the 1954 RAC Rally, and much, much more following in its footsteps. In 1955, the ‘2 became the TR3, with an egg-crate front grill and lo and behold, courtesy of some Le Mans testing front disc brakes! Two years later, the ‘3 became the TR3A, now with a full-width grille, external door handles and locking boot handle. Despite the release of the new-fangled TR4, a US-only TR3B followed in 1962.
Three years later, arguably the TR series’ prettiest body shape arrived courtesy of Italian maestro Giovanni Michelotti. Mechanicals and running gear remained almost identical. Gone though were its predecessor’s cut-away doors, with full-sized items incorporated, and in came an optional hard top with a detachable centre panel that could be replaced with a vinyl ‘Surrey’ insert.
In 1965 Triumph upped the TR ante by introducing independent rear suspension for its TR4A. Cue transformative ride comfort and, thanks to chassis revisions, a soupcon more cabin width. Cylinderhead and manifold tweaks saw power rise to a cheeky 104bhp.
Today it doesn’t matter which flavour of TR2-through-TR4 that you choose for each provides the same raw, rugged and spartan driving experience they did when new. Oh, and a top speed north of 100mph.
