Triumph TR 4 - English classic with Italian design influences

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Triumph TR 4 - English classic with Italian design influences

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Created on February 19, 2012

Text:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

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Bruno von Rotz

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RM Auction

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Triumph TR 4 (1962) - Powerful appearance

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Triumph TR 4 (1962) - Straight lines without frills

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Triumph TR 4 (1962) - Straight lines predominate in the design of the TR 4

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Triumph TR 4 (1962) - Children could also be taken along in the back seat

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Triumph TR 4 (1962) - An original TR 4 with barely more than 50,000 km is rare

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Triumph TR 4 (1962) - Compared to its predecessor, the crew has considerably more wind protection

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Triumph TR 4 (1962) - The magnesium minilites are a period-appropriate accessory

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Triumph TR 4 (1962) - The design was by Michelotti

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Triumph TR 4 (1962) - White suits the English car well

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Triumph TR 4 (1962) - Compared to the predecessor TR 3, the shape was very different

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Triumph TR 4 (1962) - Few English elements at the rear of the Triumph

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Triumph TR 4 (1962) - Very modern and easy to drive

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Triumph TR 4 (1962) - The rear bench seat was an optional extra

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Triumph TR 4 (1962) - Practical interior without frippery

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Triumph TR 4 (1962) - The steering wheel lever on the left operates the overdrive, the blinker is on the right

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Triumph TR 4 (1962) - You immediately find your way around the TR 4

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Triumph TR 4 (1962) - The extensive watch collection provides broad information about the condition of the mechanics

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Triumph TR 4 (1962) - Robust 2.2-liter heart with two SU carburettors

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Triumph TR 4 (1962) - The 2.2-liter engine offers great torque reserves

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Triumph TR 4 (1962) - Still with the original paintwork after 50 years - a few stone chips are already accumulating

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Triumph TR Prototype (1952) - 'The New Sports Car' - presented for the first time at the Earls Court Show

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Triumph TR 3 (1956) - the predecessor of the TR 4

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Triumph TR 3 (1956) - the predecessor of the TR 4

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Triumph Italia Vignale (1959) - the 'Italia' coupé variant also designed by Michelotti

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Triumph Michelotti Vignale (1958) - shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 1958, this Michelotti "dream car" anticipated certain features of the upcoming TR 4

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Triumph TR 4 (1961) - outstandingly successful by Michelotti

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Triumph TR 4 (1961) - side view of the press car with closed roof

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Triumph TR 4 (1961) - front view of the press car

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Triumph TR 4 (1961) - on the early models, the dashboard was always bright, regardless of the exterior color

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Triumph TR 4 (1961) - the 2.2-liter engine with two SU carburettors

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Triumph TR 4 (1961) - Chassis and engine seen from the front

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Triumph TR 4 (1962) - View of the bare chassis

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Triumph TR 4 (1961) - Front wheel suspension

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Triumph TR4 (1962) - Illustration from the German-language sales brochure

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Triumph TR4 (1962) - for man, woman and dog - illustration in the German-language sales brochure from 1962

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Triumph TR 4 (1961) - straight lines and an interesting amalgam of Italian and English design borrowings

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Triumph TR 4 (1962) - plenty of room for wife and dog - from the sales brochure

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Triumph TR 4 (1963) - taken at a classic car meeting in the early eighties

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Triumph TR 4 (1962) - official press photo

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Triumph TR 4 (1963) - with mounted hardtop

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Triumph TR 4 (1964) - with light-colored hardtop whose middle section could be removed

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Triumph TR 4 A (1966) - the A model with only minor visual differences to its predecessor

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Triumph TR 4 A (1966) - Promotion picture with lady

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Triumph TR 4 A (1965) - Test of driving characteristics - largely neutral thanks to IRS

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Triumph TR 4 A (1965) - much more neutral handling than its predecessor

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Triumph TR 4 A (1965) - the dashboard on the A is really made of wood

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Triumph TR 4 A (1965) - View into the trunk

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Ford GT 40 MkII (1966) at Daytona 1966 - Overall winner Lloyd Ruby in the Ford GT40 overtakes a Yenko Stinger and a Triumph TR4

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Triumph TR 4 (1963) - Thanks to its lower weight, the TR4 is a good way to outbrake American iron (AVD Oldtimer Grand Prix 2008)

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Triumph TR 4 (1963) - A TR 4 battles with a Lotus Cortina at the AVD Oldtimer GP 2008 (AVD Oldtimer Grand Prix 2008)

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Triumph TR4 (1963) - at the Ennstal Classic 2011 (EP4 138)

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Triumph TR4 (1962) - at the Ennstal Classic 2011 (EP4 127)

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Triumph TR 4 (1963) at the Michaelskreuzrennen 2011 (starting number 320)

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Triumph TR 4 (1963) at the Michaelskreuzrennen 2011 (starting number 320)

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Triumph TR 4 (1962) - offered at the RM Auction of Monterey on August 19 and 20, 2011

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Triumph TR 4 (1963) - AVD Historic Marathon 2011

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Triumph TR 4 A (1963) at the Jochpass Memorial 2011 (start no. 097)

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Summary

There was actually no urgent reason to replace the Triumph TR 3. Nevertheless, the British worked intensively with the Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti to modernize the roadster. The result was the TR 4, an all-round successful vehicle that sold a good 68,000 units and still makes the hearts of classic car fans beat faster today. This report looks back at the history of TR 4 vehicles and shows an unrestored example from 1962 in detail, including sales brochure, price list and historical photos.

This article contains the following chapters

Evolution and revolution
Italian design paired with English tradition
Technically oriented towards the tried and tested
Special versions and racing/rally applications
Evolution and improvements
Inexpensive, but not cheap
Good marks from the car testers
Roof down in three to four minutes
Pleasant even in today's traffic
Robust and durable
Prices on the rise
Further information

Estimated reading time: 11min

Preview (beginning of the article)

At the beginning of the sixties, anyone who had enough money on the side and wanted to buy a spirited English sports car often preferred the Triumph TR 4 to its rival, the MG A. Better driving performance, more convincing handling and more generous space as well as the comfort of crank windows spoke in favor of the successor to the TR 3, presented in August 1961. It all began much earlier in 1952, when Standard-Triumph presented the T.R. Sportscar. Internally, this prototype was called the TS20. Although originally not entirely convincing, the prototype was refined and presented as the TR 2 at the Geneva Motor Show in 1953. With 90 hp and around 840 kg, the small roadster proved itself not only on the road, but also on racetracks and rally tracks.

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