Triumph Spitfire

Triumph Spitfire
1974 Triumph Spitfire 1500 (US market)
Overview
Manufacturer	Standard Motor Company Triumph Motor Company (Leyland Motors)
Production	1962–1980
Assembly	Canley, Coventry, England Australia
Designer	Giovanni Michelotti
Body and chassis
Body style	2-seat sports convertible / Roadster
Layout	FR layout
Related	Triumph Herald, Triumph Vitesse, Triumph GT6
Dimensions
Wheelbase	83 in (2,108 mm)
Length	145 in (3,683 mm)
Width	57 in (1,448 mm)
Height	48 in (1,219 mm) hood up.
Curb weight	1,568 lb (711 kg) to 1,750 lb (790 kg) (unladen U.K.spec)

Triumph Spitfire 4 (Mark I)
Overview
Production	1962–1964 45,753 made
Powertrain
Engine	1147 cc OHV I4
Transmission	4-speed manual with optional overdrive on top and third from 1963 onwards
Dimensions
Curb weight	1,568 lb (711 kg) (unladen U.K.-spec)

Triumph Spitfire Mark II
Overview
Production	1965–1967 37,409 made
Powertrain
Engine	1,147 cc (1.1 l) I4
Transmission	4-speed manual with optional overdrive on top and third
Dimensions
Curb weight	1,568 lb (711 kg)(unladen U.K.spec)

Triumph Spitfire Mark III
Overview
Production	1967–1970 65,320 made
Powertrain
Engine	1,296 cc (1.3 l) I4
Transmission	4-speed manual with optional overdrive on top and third
Dimensions
Curb weight	1,568 lb (711 kg)(unladen U.K.spec)

Triumph Spitfire Mark IV
Triumph Spitfire Mark IV
Overview
Production	1970–1974 70,021 made
Powertrain
Engine	1,296 cc (1.3 l) I4
Transmission	4-speed manual with optional overdrive on top and third
Dimensions
Curb weight	1,717 lb (779 kg)(unladen UK spec)

Triumph Spitfire 1500
Overview
Production	1974–1981 95,829 made
Powertrain
Engine	1,493 cc (1.5 l) I4
Transmission	4-speed manual with optional overdrive on top and third
Dimensions
Curb weight	1,750 lb (790 kg)(unladen U.K.-spec)

The Triumph Spitfire is a small English two-seat sports car, introduced at the London Motor Show in 1962. The vehicle was based on a design produced for Standard-Triumph in 1957 by Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti. The platform for the car was largely based upon the chassis, engine, and running gear of the Triumph Herald saloon, but shortened and minus the Herald's outrigger sections, and was manufactured at the Standard-Triumph works at Canley, in Coventry. Unusually for cars of this era, the bodywork was fitted onto a separate structural chassis, but for the Spitfire, which was designed as an open top or convertible sports car from the outset, the backbone chassis was reinforced for additional rigidity by the use of structural components within the bodywork (the rear trailing arms bolted to the body rather than the chassis). The Spitfire was provided with a manual soft-top for weather protection, the design improving to a folding hood for later models. Factory-manufactured hard-tops were also available.

Five Spitfire models were sold during the production run:

The Triumph Spitfire was originally devised by Standard-Triumph to compete in the small sports car market that had opened up with the introduction of the Austin-Healey Sprite. The Sprite had used the basic drive train of the Austin A30/A35 in a light body to make up a budget sports car; Triumph's idea was to use the mechanicals from their small saloon, the Herald, to underpin the new project. Triumph had one advantage, however; where the Austin A30 range was of unitary construction, the Herald featured a separate chassis. It was Triumph's intention to cut that chassis down and clothe it in a sports body, saving the costs of developing a completely new chassis / body unit.

Italian designer Michelotti—who had already penned the Herald—was commissioned for the new project, and came up with a traditional, swooping body. Wind-up windows were provided (in contrast to the Sprite/Midget, which still featured sidescreens, also called curtains, at that time), as well as a single-piece front end which tilted forwards to offer unrivalled access to the engine. At the dawn of the 1960s, however, Standard-Triumph was in deep financial trouble, and unable to put the new car into production; it was not until the company was taken over by the Leyland organization that funds became available and the car was launched. Leyland officials, taking stock of their new acquisition, found Michelotti's prototype hiding under a dust sheet in a corner of the factory and rapidly approved it for production.