1976 TRIUMPH TR6 ROADSTER

After departing from the legendary Jaguar XK 120 style with modern styling from the Italian Michelotti in 1961 for the TR4, the 1968 Triumph TR5 and the 1969 TR6 Roadsters were the first gas-injected mass production British cars. The TR5 was launched in 1968, retaining the styling of the TR4A: the German Karmann studio designed the Triumph TR6 with fresh, modern styling revisions to front and rear, and the car was launched in late 1969. Having started to use independent rear suspension (IRS) for the TR4A in 1965 (as on the example here in our Museum), Triumph continued to offer leaf-spring suspension in 25% of TR4 production for users who did not like the new system. In 1965, the TR250, a special edition of the TR5 P.I. (P.I. = petrol injection) was marketed in the United States. Like the TR5 P.I., the TR6 P.I. was sold with Lucas gasoline injection around the world except in the United States, where TR6 was marketed with twin Stromberg carburetors. The performance difference was considerable: the TR5/TR250/TR6’s 152 cu.in. engine developed 150 bhp at 5500 rpm engine with petrol injection, which reduced to 125 bhp on carburetors, and provided lower performance with 106 bhp at 4900 rpm where emissions were strictly controlled.

94,619 TR6s were sold from 1969 to 1976. 8,370 of those were sold in Britain as the TR6 P.I., while 86,249 were sold abroad. The best-selling Triumph car, the Roadster offered the options of overdrive transmission, foldable “Tonneau” PVC soft top and detachable hard top, as on previous TRs. Interiors featured a wooden dashboard and were trimmed with deep-pile carpet. The TR6’s front and back ends squared-off with raised bumpers in 1974 in line with the new U.S. safety legislation, with the addition of rubber bumper guards. The last TR6 was built on July 15, 1976.

It was replaced by Harris Mann’s very different design, the TR7.