1975model Triumph TR6

When speaking of postwar British sports car history, one simply cannot leave out the name Triumph.

The origin of the Triumph TR series traces back to 1953, with the debut of the TR2 — a car created to satisfy a growing demand for a higher-performance, more refined grand tourer in a market dominated by the likes of Austin-Healey and MG.

From the TR2 to the TR4 — The Birth of a New Design Language

From the moment of its birth, the TR series quickly became a cultural symbol of British motoring.
The TR3 introduced front disc brakes and earned overwhelming success in rally competitions. Then, with the 1961 TR4, Triumph underwent a dramatic stylistic transformation, marking the end of traditional British design language and the beginning of something altogether new.

But why did Triumph entrust the design of the TR4 to Giovanni Michelotti?

Triumph’s Italian Turn — Giovanni Michelotti and the International British Sports Car

By the late 1950s, Triumph was rapidly expanding its postwar sports car presence, particularly in North America.
The early models — TR2 (1953) and TR3 (1955) — featured sturdy ladder frames and minimalist side-curtain roadster bodies, earning fame as “tough, fast British cars.”

However, by the end of the decade, modernization was sweeping the global sports car scene. Cars like the Jaguar E-Type, MG A, and Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider introduced refined styling and greater comfort, setting new standards.

Sir John Black, Triumph’s president at the time, recognized this shift.
He firmly believed Triumph had to evolve from a traditional roadster into a grand tourer infused with Italian modernism.

The answer came through a partnership with Italian maestro Giovanni Michelotti.

In 1957, Triumph commissioned Michelotti to design a prototype coupe based on the TR3.
That car became the TRS (S for Sports), which went on to compete at Le Mans, proving Triumph’s potential on the world stage.
Encouraged by the results, Triumph formally entrusted Michelotti with the styling of the production TR4.

The TR4 would become the first British car to truly fuse Italian aesthetics with British engineering, creating a new “international British sports car” — a design DNA that flowed directly through to the TR6 years later.

TR5 — Engineering Innovation and the First British 150hp Road Car

The TR4’s bold, straight-line design — the flat hood, pronounced fenders, and elegant pressed side line — was groundbreaking for its time.
It gave the TR series not only the image of a “sports car,” but the dignity of a true Grand Tourer (GT).

The TR5 carried Michelotti’s design language forward while advancing mechanically.
Its 2.5-liter inline-six OHV engine, equipped with Lucas mechanical fuel injection, made it the first British production sports car to achieve 150 horsepower — an extraordinary milestone of the 1960s.

The Transition to TR6 — From Michelotti to Karmann

But the late 1960s brought new challenges — the oil crisis, corporate restructuring, and regulatory shifts.
With the creation of British Leyland in 1968, Triumph’s development resources were severely constrained.
Michelotti himself had moved on to other projects, leaving no capacity for a full redesign.

Thus, Triumph adopted a pragmatic approach: they retained the TR5’s chassis and central body while commissioning the German coachbuilder Karmann to restyle the front and rear ends.

Karmann — known for the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia — added modern, linear surfaces to Michelotti’s graceful side profile.
The result was a stunning synthesis of Italian elegance and German rationality, producing the TR6 — a car that represented the final and most mature expression of classic British design.

Its long, flowing nose, short rear deck, and Coda Tronca-style truncated tail created a “virtual long tail,” improving aerodynamics while maintaining sculptural beauty — the essence of 1960s Italian design filtered through British craftsmanship.

The Heart of the TR6 — The Last of the True British Sixes

At its core, the TR6 carried Triumph’s signature 2.5-liter inline-six OHV engine, derived from the TR5.
While displacement remained the same, the characteristics changed significantly.
The British TR5 retained Lucas fuel injection and 150bhp, but for the U.S. market, Triumph replaced it with twin Zenith-Stromberg CD175 carburetors to meet emissions standards.

Output dropped to 104bhp, but torque delivery became smoother and more abundant at low rpm — perfectly suited for real-world grand touring.

And indeed, it is this engine that defines the TR6 experience — an engine that will never again be built.

Beneath its aluminum rocker cover lies a cast-iron block — simple, rugged, and full of mechanical soul.
The pushrod OHV layout may seem primitive by modern OHC standards, but its metallic density and tactile feedback offer a mechanical intimacy unmatched by later engines.
As the crankshaft rises gently in revs, the steel exhaust releases a mellow, harmonically rich note — the very essence of the British Six, resonating deep within the driver’s chest.

This 1975 example is perfectly tuned, its twin Stromberg carburetors synchronized to perfection.
At the press of the throttle, torque surges thickly through the midrange, accompanied by a supple yet dry exhaust note that pushes you gently but irresistibly forward.

This is not a car to be wrung out to 6000rpm with furrowed brows and white knuckles — far from it.
Rather, between 2000 and 4000rpm, where torque flows freely, it reveals its true nature as a grand touring engine, whispering to the driver:
“You’ll never see another engine like this again.”

Driving Feel — A Mechanical Symphony of the 1970s

Simply gazing at the classic British Six nestled beneath its low bonnet is an aesthetic experience in itself.
The symmetrical layout — twin carburetors on the right, neatly routed cooling and heater lines — resembles an industrial design sculpture.
And when the hood is closed, the way the flowing lines converge so elegantly is pure art — one of the subtle pleasures of TR6 ownership.

The transmission is a sturdy four-speed manual with overdrive, engaging in both 3rd and 4th gears.
Each short-throw shift clicks into place with a precise metallic “clack,” while the slightly heavy but reassuring clutch engages smoothly, blending the engine’s sonorous note with the rush of wind in one harmonious sensation.

Its chassis, based on Triumph’s backbone frame design and equipped with independent suspension (from the TR4A onward), provides excellent traction and composure through corners.
The front double wishbone and rear semi-trailing arm suspension deliver that uniquely British supple, communicative ride that makes the TR6 so rewarding to drive.

Front disc brakes and rear drums provide direct hydraulic feedback — sharp, linear, and organic.
In a world without ABS, every inch of pedal pressure translates directly into deceleration, bringing the driver and machine into perfect unity.

The Spirit of TR6 — The Final Evolution of “Beauty and Function in Harmony”

In essence, the TR6 is not an especially fast car — nor does it need to be.
It is not a machine for tense, hard-edged driving, but rather a car that transforms every sound, every vibration, and every gear shift into a celebration of motion itself.

The metallic resonance, the breathing of the twin carburetors, the tactile feel of the transmission — all combine to turn driving into pure pleasure.

That is the philosophy of motion embedded within the TR6 — the final evolution of the golden age of British motoring, where the legacy of Michelotti’s artistry and Karmann’s rational design converge in a perfect harmony of beauty and function.