Many beautiful vehicles have come out of Britain over the years, but the years have been unkind to the British motor industry – many carmakers are extinct or in a tight spot. One brand that was lost, but not forgotten is the Triumph car company. This British marque has been off the motoring scene for some time now, but if recent rumours are to be believed, there might just be a Triumph revival…
Triumph forms part of the Rover group that BMW bought in 1994, and with the recent announcement that BMW is looking to extend its portfolio, comes speculation that the company will use the Triumph brand to do so. There have been many renderings doing the rounds on the web that suggest what a modern Triumph could look like. The vehicle depicted in the rendering draws a great deal of inspiration from the TR4. It’s clear that a modern-day Triumph would have a retro influence about it.
The Triumph Motor Company can be traced back to 1885 when a company called Bettmann & Co started selling Triumph bicycles in London. The company soon branched out into making Triumph motorcycles, and in 1897 Bettmann & Co became the Triumph Cycle Company. In 1921 Seigfried Bettmann, co-founder of the company, was convinced by his general manager Claude Holbrook to buy the assets of the Dawson Car Company and to start producing cars. The company’s success came in 1927 with the introduction of the Triumph Super 7. The sales of this vehicle helped boost the image of the company, and in 1930, the company changed its name to the Triumph Car Company.
BMW now has full ownership of the Triumph Car Company, and if it goes ahead with plans to revive this brand, it may soon be able to compete in the affordable roadster market currently dominated by the Mazda MX-5. With BMW’s engines and technology, a modern Triumph might just be able to give current segment-leading roadsters a run for their money.
BMW has not issued an official statement regarding Triumph, but it has said that “The BMW Group explored all the options for future growth during the strategic review, including potential acquisitions or the creation of a fourth brand. However, this would require the new automotive brand to be a perfect fit for the company.”
Further details about BMW and their plans for Triumph will be released by the end of the year.