The Triumph Spitfire

In 1958, Austin launched the Austin–Healey Sprite, a tiny little sports car designed by Donald Healey and built upon the platform of the Austin A30 saloon. Despite being powered only by a 948cc 4–cylinder engine, the Sprite was an instant success and became quite popular.

Standard–Triumph, as the company was known at the time, had already discussed the potential for the production of a small sports car, but had not done anything serious about building it.

However, when the austere little Austin–Healey Sprite entered the market, and was seen to become a sales success, Standard–Triumph’s design team were convinced they could compete with it by building its own small sports car.

Construction of a prototype, codenamed Bomb, was commenced in September 1960, and the design centred around the chassis of the already successful Giovanni Michelotti styled Triumph Herald. The Bomb prototype, with the exception of the height of the doors, and its lack of wind–up side windows, looked remarkably like the eventual production model.

Standard–Triumph Taken Over by Leyland Motors

Car sales in the UK market by the early 1960’s had begun to decline, and the order books at Standard–Triumph were not looking good. The company was struggling financially and it was during this period of hardship the successful truck and bus making company, Leyland Motors ltd, made a successful take–over bid.

The process began in December 1960, and by April 1961, Leyland Motors had taken full control of Standard–Triumph, trading as Leyland Motor Corporation. Also, Triumph lost the Standard part of its name.

During the take–over process the Bomb project was shelved and any completed work was ordered to be scrapped. However, a prototype car was not destroyed as it should have been, but hidden away in the design workshop under dust sheets.

In July 1961, whilst visiting the design department of the Triumph wing, a Leyland Motor Corporation executive spotted the little car and began asking questions. Having then been shown the prototype he immediately ordered work to resume, and so the Bomb project was again alive.

Many Triumph Herald Parts Used

The Triumph Spitfire, as the production car was to be called, like the Austin–Healey Sprite, was built by use of components from existing models within the Triumph range. For the Spitfire the donor car for the chassis, as well as many other parts, was the Triumph Herald.

The Triumph Herald chassis was shortened by eight and a half inches and the side rails were removed. This enabled the designers to make the bodywork of car much lower, as the seats could be placed at the side of the chassis centre instead of on top, as they were in the Triumph Herald.

The removal of the side chassis members called for the body sills to become a structural member and so the Triumph Spitfire had a completely welded body, instead of being bolted together like the Triumph Herald. The forward hinging bonnet formed the complete front end of the car, this being another design feature from the Triumph Herald.

The Spitfire Built to be Better Than its Rivals

Triumph went to great lengths in many respects to make the Spitfire a better car than the Austin–Healey Sprite. There was more legroom, wind–down windows, a wider cockpit, stowage space behind the seats, space for an overdrive unit, an opening boot space, sleek and pretty body styling and ease of maintenance due to the large forward hinging bonnet.

The Triumph Spitfire also had all–round independent suspension; something of a luxury in those days.

Compared to development time given to cars of today, the Spitfire evolved from prototype to road car very quickly. The first true prototypes produced for testing were completed in the spring of 1962, and most of the road testing had taken place by August of that same year.

Motor Show Launch for the Budget Sports Car

The Triumph Spitfire 4, as it was called, with the No.4 indicating a 4–cylinder engine, was launched at the London Motor Show in October that same year. The Spitfire had a great reception from both the public and motoring press alike, and sales quickly became strong.

Triumph always insisted the consumer got more car for their money with the Spitfire, which was true. It was well–equipped for a sports car in this class the time, even though it came with a tent–like soft roof that you more or less had to build yourself – and the heater being an optional extra. Later, overdrive and wire wheels were available.

The Triumph Spitfire in North America

The Triumph Spitfire proved very popular in North America where sales became strong. In 1963, for example, 6,224 were exported to the US. This figure increased to 8,761 in 1964 and to 9,097 in 1965. Total production ran to more than 45,000 cars making the Spitfire an important member of the Triumph range, complimenting the more powerful, but much more expensive, Triumph TR4.

In performance terms, the Triumph Spitfire car was not particularly quick. With its 1147cc 4–cylinder engine and twin SU carburettors it produced a top speed of 92mph and a 0—60mph time of about 17–seconds.

This may not be something to write home about today, but that wasn’t the point. In 1962 the Triumph Spitfire offered the public an open top 2–seater sports car that not only looked good, but felt good, didn’t cost the earth to buy. It was economical to run, and above all else, it was fun to drive.

Triumph made engine tuning kits available for those who wanted to get more from their little sports car, making their Spitfire ownership experience even more exciting.

BMC Launch the Mk2 Sprite & MG Midget Mk1

In 1961, and in response to the success of the Spitfire, Triumph’s competitor, British Motor Corporation (BMC), came up with an improved Austin–Healey Sprite, the Mk2, and also added the MG Midget sports car to their range.

The Austin–Healey Sprite, and MG Midget, now carried some of the main attributes of the Triumph Spitfire. The rival cars now had a proper boot lid for luggage space, wind–up windows and exterior door handles.

In 1964, the Triumph Spitfire was selling at £641, making it £54 more expensive than the MG Midget and Austin–Healey Sprite, its closest market rivals. Even though the Spitfire was always more expensive than both cars, it consistently outsold them throughout the whole of its production life.

The Triumph Spitfire Mk2 is Launched

In March 1965, the Triumph Spitfire Mk2 was launched, featuring a re–worked engine that now produced 67bhp instead of the original 63bhp. The additional power came from revised inlet and exhaust manifolds, and new valve gear.

Inside the car there were now carpets instead of rubber floor coverings and the previously exposed metal on the inner door tops was covered with trim to give a better finish.

A removable hardtop, wire wheels, overdrive and heater were offered as optional extras. Between 1964 and 1967 more than 37,000 Mk2 Triumph Spitfire’s were built.

Triumph Spitfire Mk3 is Launched

Early in 1967, production commenced of the Mk3 Triumph Spitfire. The most obvious outward change on this car was the raised front bumper giving the car a bone–in–the–teeth appearance. This has been introduced to help the Spitfire comply with new American safety legislation.

The Triumph Spitfire Mk3 had a 1,296cc 4–cylinder engine, replacing the 1147cc unit of the previous car, and which produced a more lively 75bhp. The increased capacity was achieved by enlarging the cylinder bore from 69.3 to 73.7mm.

Other mechanical changes included larger front brake callipers, a larger 15–inch steering wheel, as used for the Triumph TR4, a wood–veneer instrument panel, newer and better seats, and a swap from positive to negative earth for the electrics.

The Triumph Spitfire Mk3 also came with a new and much improved design of folding soft top that no longer needed stowing in the boot, but remained permanently attached to the car.

The Triumph Spitfire, like its cousin the Herald, had always received criticism for its somewhat exciting handling characteristics, due to the swing–axle rear suspension system. Triumph never addressed the issues until the introduction of the Spitfire Mk4 in 1970.

However, this alleged fault did not prevent the Spitfire Mk3 from being popular with the racing fraternity, as its free–revving and more powerful engine made it suitable for track competitions and leant itself easily to further tuning.

The Merger of Leyland Motors & British Motor Holdings

In January 1968, Leyland Motors Limited, who had been the owner of Triumph since 1961, took over British Motor Holdings with the Jaguar and Daimler brand names. This meant that cars such as Austin, Morris and MG, as well as Jaguar, Daimler and Rover (including Land Rover) were now with Triumph under the same corporate heading of The British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC).

One of the ironies of this merger was the competing sports cars, the Triumph Spitfire and the MG Midget⁄Austin–Healey Sprite, were now being built by the same company. Nonetheless, rivalry among consumers loyal to their preferred badge, as well as between the sections within British Leyland, was just as strong and marketing competition was fierce.

The Triumph Spitfire Mk4 is Launched

In 1970, the Triumph wing at British Leyland launched what can be described as almost complete re–skin ever of the Triumph Spitfire, with a style inspired by the car’s original Italian designer, Giovanni Michelotti.

Although dubbed the Triumph Spitfire Mk4, this version of the sports car was never officially given that name by Triumph. The reason given was fear confusion could have been caused on account of the first model, the MK1, having been called the Triumph Spitfire 4.

During the re–working of the car the front end was cleaned up and the raised trim strips, which had always before fitted along the top of the bonnet sides, as well as the chrome headlamp surrounds, were now gone. A black plastic radiator grill, hidden beneath the bumper, and black plastic bumper under–rider covers were added to the front.

Further body modifications included more modern looking flush–fitting door handles, flared wheel arches and a taller windscreen by 2–inches. The windscreen frame also became an integral part of the scuttle construction and so was no longer removable by simply unbolting it from the rest of the car. The Spitfire now had a heater fitted as standard too.

Triumph Began to use Corporate Body Styling

The styling of the rear end was brought into line with other Triumph models of the time, such as that seen on the Triumph Stag, and this brought about a slightly improved boot space too. The rear bumper now came as one piece, instead of the previous two small quarter–bumpers that had been on each of the rear body corners before. In fact, the only outer panels to remain completely unchanged were the sills.

For the Spitfire Mk4, Triumph’s own stylists came up with a smart new detachable hardtop design consisting of a much flatter roof panel than the previous bulbous offering.

The new roof also featured opening rear quarter light windows, a flat rear screen and it had a proper roof lining. The frame to the soft top was partly covered by black plastic mouldings in an effort to reduce the risk of head injury to the car occupant's in the event of a collision.

Wood Veneer Dash Panel is Out

The interior of the car received a black plastic covered dashboard, as already introduced for the Triumph Spitfire Mk3 in 1969 for the US market. This was instead of the more familiar Triumph trademark of a wood veneered version. However, later in its production life, a wood–veneered dashboard returned for the sports car.

Other interior modifications included the moving of the main instruments from the centre of the dashboard to a new position in front of the driver and ventilation vents were added. For the first time the car was equipped with sun visors and safety belts. Cars that were fitted with the overdrive option now had a sliding switch on the gear knob instead of an operating lever on the steering column, as per the Triumph 2000 and 2.5PI saloons.

Contrary to Belief, Engine not De–Tuned at This Point

The Triumph Spitfire Mk4 still had the 1,296cc engine from the Mk3, but to simplify manufacturing and the supply of parts, this was fitted with the larger con–rods of the six–cylinder engines of the Triumph GT6, Vitesse and 2000 saloon. Contrary to popular belief, Spitfire Mk4 engine was not detuned, this speculation being as the result of the quoted output of the day as 63bhp as opposed to the 75bhp as of the Spitfire Mk3.

In reality, the difference in figures came about as a result of a change in methods of measuring power output, as for the Mk4, this was being recorded according to the German DIN system. In other words, same length – different ruler. Even so, the Mk4 Triumph Spitfire was slower than the Mk3, but this was due to the car being heavier, there being a taller final drive (3.89:1 as opposed to 4.11:1) to improve fuel economy, and a new gearbox with a taller, but now synchromesh, first gear.

Swing Axle Suspension Modified – At Last

As mentioned earlier, it was only when the Mk4 Spitfire was launched did the sometimes unpleasant handling characteristics of the swing axle rear suspension become addressed. Previously, Triumph Spitfire models, as well as the Herald, Triumph Vitesse and GT6, suffered from an alarming and somewhat dangerous tuck–under effect by either one of the rear wheels during hard cornering. This was a characteristic of the swing axle suspension.

The Triumph Spitfire was a rear wheel drive car, but unlike most cars of that drive configuration, the differential was fixed to the chassis as un–sprung weight. Drive was transmitted to each of the rear wheels from the differential via exposed drive shafts, each of these having its own universal joint at the inboard end to account for suspension travel.

The rear suspension of the Spitfire, Herald and GT6 consisted of a single set of leaf springs fitted transversely with the centre clamped to the top of the differential casing by a steel plate and six bolts. Each end of the spring was affixed to the wishbone at the wheel assembly where a telescopic damper completed the suspension set up.

When driving the car in a spirited manner, and during hard cornering, the wheel on the outside of the bend was prone to tuck itself under the car, effectively jacking the rear of the car up off the road. This would cause dramatic over steer and has been responsible for some cars tipping over.

From the Spitfire 4, and through Mk2 & Mk3 production, the design was never altered and this was despite complaints. It wasn’t until the conception of the Mk4 the rear swing axle suspension design weakness was properly addressed.

The Swing Axle Solution was Simple

For the Mk4 Spitfire, Triumph engineers came up with a solution for the that was both effective and cheap to implement. Instead of the transverse leaf spring being clamped to the top if the differential the spring was allowed to pivot at its centre on a fulcrum allowing the road wheels to maintain a more even attitude to the road surface.

The rear drive–shafts were each lengthened by one inch making a two–inch increase in the wheel–track, improving the road holding properties of the Triumph Spitfire still further.

The handling of the sports car was transformed and meant that finally Triumph Spitfire drivers could throw their cars about without so much danger of being launched into the roadside scenery.

Despite the modernisation of the car, the optional wire wheels were no longer the centre hub–lock type mounted on a splined stub–axle. As with many designs of that era the car received a much simpler and cheaper bolt–on variety of wire wheel, which actually looked quite tacky.

The the Engine was De–Tuned

The top speed of European specification Triumph Spitfire Mk4 was 97mph and 0–60mph took about 12.5 seconds. From 1972 the Mk4 actually did get a de–tuned engine and this lowered the performance figures to a top speed of 95mph and a disappointing 14.5 seconds from 0–60mph.

Two years before the end of Mk4 production, Triumph had introduced a 1,493cc engine to the Spitfire for the US market, and the engine of this export model was equipped with a single Stromberg carburettor. The extra cubic capacity had been implemented because US emission regulations had robbed the 1300cc engine of so much power, forcing Triumph to increase cubic capacity in order to keep the car competitive with market rivals.

Triumph Spitfire 1500

In December 1974, the 1,493cc engine was introduced for European models, but with twin SU carburettors. The mildly reworked car was now called the Triumph Spitfire 1500, although it was quickly dubbed by the public and press alike as the Spitfire Mk5.

The Triumph Spitfire 1500 engine gained the additional capacity as a result of a longer–stroked version of the old 1300cc unit, now producing 71bhp and was mated to the more simple gearbox from the Morris Marina.

As a result of the 1500cc engine the Triumph Spitfire became a genuine 100mph car for the first time in its history. Other advantages were that fuel consumption was no higher than before and the car had become much more flexible to drive, thanks to improved engine torque brought about by the longer piston stroke.

Matt Black Becomes the New Chrome

Throughout its production life many small detail changes were made to the Triumph Spitfire 1500. The main visual upgrade happened in 1976, when in keeping with the fashion of the time, the bright stainless steel windscreen wiper arms, chromed door handles and door mirrors were replaced with matt black versions.

In 1977, the old steering column switchgear, still carried on from the days of the Triumph Herald, was upgraded to more modern Triumph TR7 arrangement. A few months later again, the all–vinyl seats were replaced with cloth covered versions.

Lack of Investment and the End of an Era

Apart from making minor detail changes to the car, British Leyland did not invest very well in the Triumph Spitfire. Although it had been planned to keep it in production until 1982, it was in 1980 when realisation came the 1,500cc engine could not be satisfactorily modified further to meet new Californian emissions regulations.

Since around half of all Triumph Spitfire sales at the time took place in California this situation meant demand for the car dropped to the point where it had become uneconomical to produce. Also, with a basic design structure of some 18–years old, the Triumph Spitfire could no longer compete in the market place with the more modern designs like the Fiat X/19 and Japanese models in particular that were becoming increasingly popular in the UK.

Sadly, the last Triumph Spitfire 1500, finished in Inca Yellow, and with optional hardtop and overdrive, rolled off the assembly line at Canley in August 1980, one year after the last MG Midget was built. Bearing commission number TFADW5AT009898 the car was never sold and is standing to this day as an exhibit in the British Heritage Motor Museum at Gaydon in Warwickshire.

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The Triumph Spitfire