Triumph Spitfire

Starting with the chassis of the humble Herald, Triumph pulled off a brilliant real of engineering to create the little Spitfire, its new budget sports car launched in 1962. By chopping the chassis and clothing it in a beautiful body styled by Italian Michelotti, the Spitfire emerged as one of the prettiest small sports cars on the road. That, coupled to a choice of free-revving Herald-derived engines, a snappy gearshift and a quicker steering rack made the Spitfire one of the most desirable cars of its day. The fact it was cheap to buy and the one-piece lift-up bonnet meant servicing was simple made it even more popular, despite the fact that its Herald rear suspension made it difficult to handle when cornering at speed. With three restyles, the Spitfire lasted in production for 18 years and achieved considerable sales success, with over 300,000 sold across Europe, Australasia and the USA.

Triumph Spitfire Specifications