| Triumph TR5 Triumph TR250 | |
| Manufacturer: | Triumph Motor Company |
| Production: | 1967–1968 |
| Assembly: | Coventry, England |
| Designer: | Giovanni Michelotti |
| Class: | Sports car |
| Body Style: | Open two-seater |
| Layout: | Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive |
| Engine: | 2.5-litre straight-6 |
| Transmission: | 4-speed manual, optional overdrive |
| Wheelbase: | 22401NaN1 |
| Length: | 39021NaN1 |
| Width: | 14701NaN1 |
| Height: | 11701NaN1 |
| Weight: | 10300NaN0 |
| Predecessor: | Triumph TR4A |
| Successor: | Triumph TR6 |
| Sp: | uk |
The Triumph TR5 is a sports car built by the Triumph Motor Company in Coventry, England, between August 1967 and September 1968.[1]
Visually similar to the Michelotti-designed TR4 open two-seater it was derived from,[2] the TR5 replaced Triumph's 1050NaN0 SAE Standard inline-four engine with the much more powerful Lucas mechanical fuel-injected 150bhp Triumph 2.5-litre straight-6. Price pressures and tighter emissions standards in the U.S. resulted in a much less powerful carburetted version, the TR250, being sold on the North American market.
At the time, fuel injection was uncommon in road cars. Triumph claimed in their sales brochure that it was the "First British production sports car with petrol injection".[3] [4]
The base price of a 1968 TR5 in the UK was £1,260 including taxes. Standard equipment included front disc brakes, independent rear suspension, rack and pinion steering and a four speed gearbox. Optional extras included wire wheels (£38), overdrive (£60), and a tonneau cover (£13).[4]
The TR5 was available with the "Surrey Top" hard top, a weather protection system with rigid rear section including the rear window and removable fabric section over the driver and passenger's heads.
Taken from the UK sales brochure.[3]
Fuel tank: 51L
Engine sump: 4.53L
Gearbox: 1.13L
30 to 50 mph: 7 s
40 to 60 mph: 7 s
60 to 80 mph: 8 s
| Top | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | Rev. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ratios | 1.0 | 1.33 | 2.01 | 3.14 | 3.22 | |
| Overall | 3.45 | 4.59 | 6.94 | 10.83 | 11.11 |
| Paint | Trim | |
|---|---|---|
| New White | Black / Matador Red | |
| Triumph Racing Green | Black, Light Tan | |
| Signal Red | Black | |
| Jasmine Yellow | Black / Light Tan | |
| Royal Blue | Black / Shadow Blue | |
| Wedgewood Blue | Black / Shadow Blue | |
| Valencia Blue | Black / Light Tan |
According to its UK sales brochure, the fuel-injected engine could propel the TR5 from 0–50mph in 6.5 seconds, reaching a top speed of 125mph.[3] Road tests at the time reported slightly different performance figures:[5]
| Sports Car World October 1968 | Cars & Car Conversions September 1968 | Motor 4 May 1968 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-50mi/h | 6.2 s | 6.4 s | 6.3 s | |
| Top Speed | 118mi/h | 112mi/h | 117mi/h |
The TR5 engine was carried forward to the TR6.
The TR5 was produced in small numbers when compared with either the TR250 or the later TR6, with just 2,947 units produced; the first car was assembled on 29 August 1967 and the last on 19 September 1968. Of these, 1,161 were destined for the UK market,[6] the remainder were left hand drive and were exported to France, Belgium and Germany amongst other countries. In the first quarter of 2011 there were approximately 410 licensed and 74 SORN TR5s registered with the DVLA.[7] [8]
The Triumph TR250 was built during the same period for the North American market. Price pressures and tighter emission regulations resulted in twin Zenith-Stromberg carburettors being fitted instead of the TR5's Lucas fuel injection system. Otherwise it is nearly identical.
The TR250's engine delivered 111 bhp (81 kW), 39 bhp less than the TR5; 0– acceleration took 10.6 seconds.[2] [9] The TR250 was also available with the Surrey Top system.
In 1968, the TR250 sold in the USA for approximately US$3,395, with wire wheels an $118 option, overdrive $175, and air conditioning $395.[10]
Engine:
Turning circle: 10.1 m (33 ft)
Capacities:
Fuel tank: 51 litres (11.22 imp gal; 13.47 US gal)
Engine sump: 5.4 L (9.64 imp pt)
Gearbox: 1.13 L (2 imp pt)Performance:
0 to 60mph: 10.6 seconds
0 to 100mph: 39 seconds
Fuel consumption:
A total of 8,484 TR250s were built, many destined for the US and Canada.[1] [11] More than 1300 TR250s are still viable in the world today. Many can now be found outside the United States, primarily in Europe.