A sports car classic turns 50: Remembering Triumph's TR6

Kurt Ernst
05/09/2019

Comments: 91
In This Article
Category: Classics
Make: Triumph
Model: Tr6To be clear, the Triumph TR6 -- which debuted in late 1968 as a 1969 model -- was not in any way groundbreaking or revolutionary. While its bodywork was (mostly) new, its frame, suspension, and engine carried over from earlier Triumph models, yet the TR6 remained in production longer than any other Triumph two-seater it evolved from. (The Spitfire, produced from 1962-1980, was the longest-production Triumph sports car.) Fifty years later, the TR6 remains an iconic and desirable British sports car, blessed with a surprising degree of ongoing support from third-party suppliers.

Parked next to a Triumph TR4 or TR250 (or TR5, for those across the Atlantic), the TR6 looks familiar. The family lines are unmistakable, but while Giovanni Michelotti gets credit for the design of the earlier Triumphs, it was Karmann in Germany that penned the lines of the TR6 and created the stamping dies necessary to create the body panels. The windscreen and doors carried over from the TR4, but the new front and rear bodywork gave the TR6 a modern look that many have called “timeless,” even 50 years on.

Hemmings Originals Underneath, the TR6 retained the body-on-frame design of earlier Triumph models, instead of adopting the unibody construction used by rival MG in the MGB. The TR6's independent rear suspension carried over from the TR4A, while the 2.5-liter inline six-cylinder engine was a holdout from the TR250. Sometimes the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, and that was certainly the case with the TR6. Despite changes that cut engine output in 1972 and again in 1974 (not to mention the sales-limiting absence of an available automatic transmission), consumers in North America simply kept buying them. Exports to the United States peaked in 1973, when Triumph sold 11,924 TR6s to buyers here, and from 1969 to ’76 a total of 76,470 were imported.That’s even more remarkable when one considers that U.S.-specification models were significantly down on power compared to the TR6 offered in Great Britain and Europe, which received a 9.5:1 compression ratio and Lucas fuel injection for an output of 150 horsepower. At launch, U.S. models -- fed by a pair of Stromberg carburetors since the fuel injection did not meet emission standards here -- received 8.5:1 compression for an output of 104 hp and 143 lb-ft of torque. In 1972, compression for carbureted U.S. models was lowered to 7.75:1, and as a result the torque output fell to 133 lb-ft but horsepower rose (likely due to other changes in tuning) to 106 hp. The last significant engine change came in late 1974, when compression was lowered to 7.5:1, dropping output to 101 hp and 128 lb-ft.




Despite the lower horsepower, early U.S. models were still able to run 0-60 mph in under 11 seconds (or under 10 seconds, when driven by Car and Driverstaffers) on the way to a top speed of 109 mph. Though not as quick as other sports cars of the day, the TR6s were comfortable and stout, blessed with capable handling and reasonable luggage capacity, adding to their practicality. As Bob Tullius demonstrated with his Group 44 team, the TR6 could be converted into a competitive racing car as well.

The final fuel-injected TR6 was built in February 1975, but carbureted variants left the Coventry assembly line until July 1976. By then, its replacement -- the wedge-shaped, four-cylinder TR7 -- had arrived in U.S. dealerships, cutting into the TR6’s sales. Just 6,083 TR6s were built for the U.S. in 1976, and by period accounts, many lingered in Triumph dealerships well into 1977.


Fifty years after its market debut, the Triumph TR6 remains a popular sports car choice for hobbyists, with good reason. Though body panels and frames were prone to rust, strong aftermarket support for the model means that many parts remain available today, up to and including replacement frames. Mark J. McCourt identified common problem areas in a 2006 article for Hemmings Motor News, and, as with any other classic car purchase, a thorough inspection by a shop well versed in the model is recommended before writing a check to buy one.

As for values, don’t expect to strike it rich in the future with a well-bought TR6. In 2017, NADAguides put the value of an “average” TR6 at $18,200, while Hagerty’s driver-quality, #3 condition estimate was $12,500. Two years later, the NADA value has climbed by $2,500, to $20,700, while the Hagerty estimate has risen by just $700, to $13,200. That hardly makes the TR6 a portfolio-topping automotive investment, but as a classic British sports car that’s affordable to buy and maintain, the TR6 is a wise choice -- even five decades after it first hit the market.

Go for it Robb and we can tip one, or two, or three at the next all British meet somewhere!

 

Glad to hear she has some people in the know helping her. Wouldn’t happen to be the car from the graduate would it?

 

Got back the car this afternoon. In addition to the tires/alignment, oil change and inspection, also had to have the brake fluid and coolant changed. Total bill was not cheap but the Perkymobile should be good to go for quite some time! I also noticed the car rides much more smoothly. Not sure if it was the tires, alignment, or both.

 

I've always liked TR-6 over MGB. Though I owned Spitfire many many years ago, I always regretted I sold it. If you can have the car examined carefully, and if it's well sorted, you should follow your dream.

 

Honda is going to build an exciting car.

 

This show is likely why its coming out now and here's part of the push.

TOYOTA UNVEILS ELECTRIC CONCEPTS
Toyota has started putting a lot more effort into EVs and it will use the Japan Mobility Show at the end month to reveal a couple of concepts that hint at its electric future. The FT-3e is an SUV that looks like it could have a similar shape to the Jaguar I-Pace and display the charge level and interior temp and air quality on a long band that stretches across the lower part of the front doors. And the FT-Se is a sports car that is meant to have a more immersive driving experience with several display screens mounted around the rectangle steering wheel. Toyota recently showed how it’s going to take a more modular approach to vehicle manufacturing and despite the big differences in these concepts, they’ll share major components with each other. It also says it wants these cars to continue to grow with the driver through software updates as well as offer convenience functions that sound like different levels of ADAS and hands-free driving. We’ll learn more when the Japan Mobility Show kicks off on October 26th.

 

Do you drive your S year round Deb or do you put it away for winter?

 

If I had a lot of garage space I would ask the owner if he would sell it but unfortunately I’m out of space. Big problem here is finding any kind of rentals whether it be apartments,garages there is just nothing available. I always look around in garages/barns like I think a lot of us do and found it cool to find an old British car squirreled away in a barn, goes to show that there are still some finds out there!

 

I have the space but no longer the energy to take on a new project. 30+ years ago I only had a house garage for the wife and my car, so this is how I stored two MGAs for the winter. I would take the screen walls down and park them inside. I then cut blue board (not shown) and put it in every separate screen area so it was totally free of the the snow. In this shot I am just waiting for Spring. I now have garage space for 3 MGAs and 2 daily drivers without the porch.

 

Looks like something I would do. I rent otherwise I would build a garage or put up some kind of storage building but that is not an option. My friend and I have been looking for something to go in on together but nothing that isn’t outrageously expensive has popped up but we will continue to look. I’m hoping that the real estate market comes down to earth again someday.