1968 Triumph TR5 'Surrey Top' Roadster

Description

Arguably Triumph’s finest sports car, the TR5 combined all the best qualities of the earlier popular TR series with a powerful fuel injected six-cylinder engine, wrapped in a stylish Italian suit penned by maestro Giovanni Michelotti. Launched in 1967, the TR5 was Triumph’s attempt to compete with the likes of the Big Healey and MGC and was seen as something of a stop-gap until the new TR6 arrived in 1968. Ironically, the curtailed production life – with only 2,947 were made in just thirteen months  - makes it easily the rarest member of the TR family, contributing to the TR5’s value today. The Triumph’s chassis, a development of the TR4A, employed independent rear suspension adapted from the 2000 saloon, disc brakes up front, precise rack-and-pinion steering and 15-inch alloy wheels on the latest radial rubber, although wires remained an option. The TR5’s all-synchromesh gearbox (with Normanville overdrive a useful option) could easily cope with the power of the 2498cc in-line six, and, with a healthy 152 bhp to play with, the model could crack 120mph on the open road. The TR4 had long been praised for its well appointed cockpit and the TR5 continued this tradition, offering wind-up windows, decent ventilation and more creature comforts for the occupants. An expensive option that greatly added to the appeal of the TR5 was the unique ‘Surrey’ top, a versatile hardtop arrangement consisting of an aluminium frame with a fixed rear window, a detachable metal roof panel and a simple soft-top for emergency use when the centre panel was removed. Available new or as an aftermarket option, the ‘Surrey’ topped TR5s are in great demand today. Stylish, sporting and individualistic, the TR5 remains the most sought after variant of the TR family and the perfect British sports car for a weekend blast in the country.