In the desperate, export-starved postwar economy, Standard-Triumph started off with some solid but uninspiring sedans and a few haughty “roadsters” with no real sporting pretensions.
They offered their first four-wheeler in 1923, and the automotive portion of the company was split off from the motorcycle firm in 1936, went into receivership in 1939, and was absorbed into the Standard Motorcar Company during the war. Originally Triumph built mostly bicycles and motorcycles (dating back to the turn of the century!), but added a three-wheeled “car” in 1903.
Triumph’s background is a bit more convoluted. Triumph: Two, Three and Finally Four Wheels MG’s final T-Series, the comparatively rakish TF (slanted-back grille, headlamps faired into the fenders, 1500cc engine) arrived in 1953. Soon after in 1952, the Nuffield Group- MG, Morris, Riley and Wolseley-joined forces with Austin and Austin-Healey to form BMC, the British Motor Corporation. MG followed up with the not-quite-so-upright TD for 1950-standard equipment included 15-inch perforated disc “baby buggy” wheels and an independent front suspension. Still, it captured a lot of American hearts.
The TC was jaunty, whippy, eager and fun to drive, even if it took more than 20 seconds to reach 60 and was out of breath at 75. Morris took over the operation in 1935, later becoming part of the Nuffield Group, but it wasn’t long before sports cars were phased out and war materiel was phased in thanks to Herr Hitler and his gang of thugs.Īs legend has it, American GIs were first exposed to-and fell in love with-MGs during the war years, and the old, upright MG TC from 1945 through 1949 is generally credited with getting the whole sports car boom rolling over here in the States. His tiny, supercharged MGs-the name stood for Morris Garages-scored some impressive class wins in international competition during the 1930s. The MG bloodline is unbroken since tinkerer/entrepreneur/garagiste Cecil Kimber assembled the first one out of redundant Morris parts back in 1924.
It’s a sad story, but at least it left behind some wonderful machines to preserve and play with and a generation of memories that will last forever. MG and Triumph are both examples of an English sporty-car tradition that started as little more than a struggling, small volume, back-alley garage business between the wars.įrom there, they both blossomed brilliantly thanks to the desperate need to export in the shattered postwar British economy, flourished to the point of near market domination in the ‘60s and early ‘70s, and then faded back to a small volume, back-alley garage business thanks to arrogant, shortsighted management, spotty quality, selfish unions and an attempt to replace hard work, straight thinking and clever ideas with an out-of-touch/cover-your-ass corporate mentality.
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