Triumph Vitesse
| Triumph Vitesse | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Standard-Triumph |
| Production | 1962–71 51,212 built |
| Designer | Giovanni Michelotti |
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | Two-door saloon Two-door convertible |
| Related | Triumph Herald, Triumph GT6 |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 1596 cc or 1998 cc Triumph I6 |
| Transmission | Four-speed manual, RWD Optional overdrive |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 91.5 in (2,324 mm) |
| Length | 153 in (3,886 mm) |
| Width | 60 in (1,524 mm) |
| Height | 52.5 in (1,334 mm) |
| Curb weight | 2,072 lb (940 kg) |
| Chronology | |
| Successor | Triumph Dolomite |
The Triumph Vitesse is a compact six-cylinder car built by Standard-Triumph from May 1962 to July 1971. The car was styled by Giovanni Michelotti, and was available in saloon and convertible variants.
The Vitesse name was first used by Austin on their 1914–16 Austin 20 (hp) and 30 (hp) Vitesse models, this was followed in 1922 by G. N.(Godfrey & Nash) on their GN Vitesse Cyclecar, and then by Triumph on a car made between 1936 and 1938.
After the last Triumph Vitesse was made in July 1971, the name remained unused until October 1982, when Rover used it on their SD1 until 1986, and one final time on their Rover 800, 820 and 827 models from October 1988 to 1991, at which time that car was rebodied as the R17 version, which was produced until 1998 as the Rover Vitesse Sport.
The Triumph Vitesse was introduced on 25 May 1962, re-using a name previously used by the pre-Second World War Triumph Motor Company from 1936–38, and was an in-line 6-cylinder performance version of the Triumph Herald small saloon. The Herald had been introduced on 22 April 1959 and was an attractive 2-door car styled by the Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti. Within 2 years, Triumph began to give thought to a sports saloon based on the Herald and using their 6-cylinder engine. Michelotti was again approached for styling, and he came up with a car that used almost all body panels from the Herald, combined with a new front end with a slanted 4-headlamp design.
Standard-Triumph fitted a 1596 cc version of their traditional straight-6 derived from the engine used in the Standard Vanguard Six, but with a smaller bore diameter of 66.75 mm (2.628 in), compared with the 74.7 mm (2.94 in) bore on the Vanguard, equipped with twin Solex B32PIH semi-downdraught carburettors These were soon replaced by B321H carburettors, as the accelerator pumps proved a problem. The curious observer will notice a "seam" on the cylinder block between the third & fourth cylinders revealing the humble design beginnings from the 803 cc Standard 8 block of 1953. The gearbox was strengthened and offered with optional Laycock De Normanville 'D-type' overdrive that offered a top gear with a 20% higher ratio (the equivalent change from 3rd to 4th in a standard box), giving more relaxed and economical cruising at the expense of slight oil drag from the pump in the overdrive unit. The rear axle was changed to a slightly uprated differential, but retaining the same 4.11:1 ratio. Front disc brakes were standard as were larger rear brake drums, and the Herald fuel tank was enlarged, retaining the handy reserve feature (essentially a curved pickup pipe that could be rotated to dip into the last few centimetres of fuel) of the smaller Herald tank. The front suspension featured uprated springs to cope with the extra weight of the new engine, but the rear suspension was basically standard Herald—a swing-axle transverse-leaf system which quickly proved inadequate for the relatively powerful Vitesse. The chassis looked similar to the early Heralds but in fact was substantially re-designed and strengthened, especially around the differential mountings (and these improvements were immediately passed through to Herald production). The Vitesse was available in convertible and saloon forms; a coupé never got beyond the prototype stage. A handful of Vitesse estates also were assembled to special order at Standard-Triumph's Service Depot at Park Royal in West London.
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