Triumph TR7

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Triumph TR7 / TR8
Production period: 9 / 1975-10 / 1981
Class : Sports car
Body versions : Coupé , roadster
Previous model: Triumph TR6

The Triumph TR7 (1980 to 1981: Triumph TR8 ) is a sports car with a coupé or roadster body produced by the English car manufacturer Triumph from September 1975 to October 1981 . 112,368 copies were built in six years of production. In 1980 the US version Triumph TR8 with an eight-cylinder engine was added.

TR7 (1975-1980)

1st generation
Triumph TR7 (1975-1980)

Triumph TR7 (1975-1980)
Production period: 1975-1980
Body versions : Coupé , roadster
Engines: Otto engine :
2.0 liters (78 kW)
Length: 4067 mm
Width: 1681 mm
Height: 1268 mm
Wheelbase : 2160 mm
Empty weight : 1001-1060 kg
In the beginning, the TR7 was only available as a coupé

The Triumph TR7 was presented in the USA in autumn 1975. Due to the new safety regulations there on the main market, the body was completely redesigned by Harris Mann and differed significantly from the previous Triumph TR6 models due to its self-supporting construction . This break in tradition was controversial among customers, especially since the TR7 was initially offered as a coupé because of the convertible ban discussed in the USA . A convertible version was not offered until 1979. Despite its controversially discussed wedge shape, the TR7 had sold over 112,000 times until production was discontinued in October 1981, of which around 28,000 were convertibles. For Triumph, this was the largest number of units ever produced in a model series. The TR7 was then and now also called "The Wedge" and is maintained by many clubs and is now very popular as a RH (right-hand drive) version, especially in Great Britain, in the country where it was built.

The European version of the TR7 was powered by the four-cylinder in-line engine from the Triumph Dolomite, which had been bored out to 2 liters, with SU twin carburetors . It developed 106 hp (78 kW), which was initially transmitted via a four-speed manual transmission and from 1977 via a five-speed manual transmission. The top speed was 177 km / h. Due to the exhaust gas regulations in the USA, the models sold there had an engine throttled to 90 hp with Stromberg double carburetors. The front wheels of the TR7 were braked with disc brakes, the rear wheels with drum brakes.

In the USA, the TR7 was also optionally available with a BorgWarner automatic transmission.

Triumph originally intended to offer various model and engine variants based on the TR7 platform (including a four-seater coupé and a station wagon version, an engine variant with the 127 hp Dolomite Sprint engine). However, these plans were postponed from late 1977 to early 1978 due to labor disputes in the British automotive industry and were then not implemented for economic reasons until production was discontinued. Only the 8-cylinder model variant, the TR8 see below, came onto the US market. Around 60 pre-series coupés with the 127 hp Dolomite Sprint engine were sold to customers through British dealers in 1977 and 1978. This rare and never officially offered model variant is particularly popular with collectors today.

Due to the strike situation in 1977/1978 and for reasons of rationalization, the TR7 was built in three different factories in Speke , Canley and Solihull .

Modified TR7 Coupés were seen at numerous rally events between 1977 and 1980. One of the most famous drivers was Tony Pond .

The TR8 has also been very successful in motorsport in the USA and Canada. In the TransAm and IMSA championships, two TR8s from Team Group 44 were used by Bob Tullius. For the Canadian market, a Canadian TR8 contested the IMSA races in Mosport and various runs at local championships. The three IMSA racing cars were designed by Group 44, the number 43 and 44 were built in Virginia at the team's factory, the Canadian car with number 42 was built in Canada using parts supplied by Group 44. The car with the number 44 was the most successful of the three racing cars.

A year after production ceased, the bankruptcy trustees of De Lorean Motor Company sought to acquire the rights to the TR7 and the production facilities from British Leyland . The TR7 was to be manufactured in the factory in Dunmurry, visually slightly altered, and sold as De Lorean in order to contribute to the utilization of De Lorean's plant. According to British press reports, Leyland management was ready to take this step; the project failed, however, in the fall of 1982 when John Z. De Lorean was arrested. In 2000, under pressure from its shareholders, BMW sold the Rover Group for a symbolic price. Land Rover goes to Ford, Mini stays with BMW, as do the unused brands Austin , Morris , Wolseley , Standard , Riley and Triumph . So it is up to BMW whether a "Triumph" will be built at some point.

According to the Federal Motor Transport Authority , 128 TR7 and TR8 were still registered in Germany on January 1, 2010. From 2018–2019, reliable statistics on registration numbers in Germany will no longer be available in Germany. The Federal Motor Transport Authority issues the collective type code number 000 for vehicles that do not belong to a type that has been approved according to the general operating permit. Such vehicle types are approved for use after an individual assessment in accordance with Section 21 of the Road Traffic Licensing Regulations (StVZO) and are considered "untyped". For this reason, it is not possible to transfer the inventory.

TR8 (1980–1981)

2nd generation
Triumph TR8 (1980–1981)

Triumph TR8 (1980–1981)
Production period: 1980-1981
Body versions : Roadster
Engines: Otto engine :
3.5 liters (100 kW)
Length: 4067 mm
Width: 1681 mm
Height: 1268 mm
Wheelbase : 2160 mm
Empty weight : 1164 kg

The Triumph TR8 was a roadster produced between 1980 and 1981 by the English car manufacturer Triumph . It was renamed from " TR7 " to " TR8 ". By the time it was discontinued, 2,722 copies had been built. The model was specially developed for the USA and also offered there. However, the sales figures declined so much that British Leyland withdrew from the US business in 1981 and ceased production.

The design corresponded to the TR7, which was built at the same time. Compared to the TR7, which had a four-cylinder engine, the TR8 received an eight-cylinder engine that was produced by Rover . This lightweight 3.5 liter aluminum engine, which Rover took over from GM, was already used in the Rover P5 / 6, the MGB GT and the Morgan Plus8 (until 2007). In addition, the brakes have been improved; the battery has been moved from the engine compartment to the trunk for reasons of space.

In the US, the TR8 sold for approximately $ 11,150.00. Despite the low price, it only sold just under 2,800 times. As early as 1978, 400 pre-series models were launched as coupé versions on the US market.

literature

Web links

Commons : Triumph TR7  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files
Commons : Triumph TR8  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b http://www.tr-register.at/tr7tr8.html
  2. ↑ a b Archived copy ( memento of the original from June 15, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.vtr.org
  3. ↑ http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z9791/Triumph_TR7/default.aspx
  4. ↑ [1]