Triumph TR7: Project Bullet reloaded

The Triumph TR7 went on sale in its home market on 19 May 1976. The approaching 50th anniversary of the car's UK debut provides a suitable moment to take stock, and also to wonder how the model might fare if it were reimagined and reintroduced today.

The TR7's development programme was codenamed Project Bullet, but Project Stone might have been a better name, given that the aim was to kill two birds with one blunt object.

In 1968, Triumph along with its sports car rival MG had been brought under the umbrella of the British Leyland Motor Corporation, along with a roster of other historic British marques. The goal of Project Bullet was to replace two different roadsters - the MG B and Triumph TR6 - with a single new vehicle.

MG B roadster (left) and Triumph TR6 - sources: MG and TR6

Also front of mind was the US market. At the time, British sports cars did good business in America, so there was no question as to whether the model ought to abide by increasingly strict Federal safety mandates. Big, impact absorbing bumpers and tall ground clearance were required, while a soft-top was initially not on the agenda, due to fears during development about imminent rollover safety rules.

Unsurprisingly, the Bullet that eventually emerged from this barrel of compromises would not please everyone. Fans of previous Triumph sports cars were, broadly, horrified, as were some car designers. Celebrated Italian maestro Giorgetto Giugiaro famously circled the car at its Geneva debut, exclaiming, "My God! They’ve done the same on the other side!"

Today, such shock is hard to imagine. We have become accustomed to bold swage lines along the sides of vehicles, and even the TR7's gawky raised ride height seems unremarkable, now that every other vehicle is a high-riding crossover.

The car's design was the work of Harris Mann, who tackled the TR7 between the Austin Allegro and Princess saloons. Mann unceremoniously dumped the muscular curves of 1960s sports cars for an uncompromising, low-nosed, wedge silhouette.

The car's most noticeable feature is the curved slash that arcs across the bodyside, sweeping from the front wheel to the high, blunt tail. The swooping crease both echoes and reinforces the rising curve of the bonnet and gently falling line of the boot.

Black satin paint accentuated the kicked-up tail - pic: Great British Car Journeys

Black-painted sills made the car look longer and more slender, but also raised the apparent ride height another six inches. The paint continued under the rear bumper, giving a kicked-up look to the tail.

At the front, pop-up headlamps above the jutting front bumper gave the car an imposing, aerodynamic nose that seemed distinctly exotic at the time.

TR7 in rallying trim - source

Launched in in the US in 1975, the TR7 sold well, with American demand delaying its UK launch until the following year.

While never the speediest or most agile of sports cars, the TR7 notched up some success as a rally car. It also received some positive reviews when new, with road testers praising its spacious cabin and smooth ride. It eventually became the best-selling TR model, finding over 115,000 buyers during its production run.

The car's main shortcoming was always its build quality - a perennial problem for British Leyland in the 1970s and 1980s.

A convertible version arrived in 1980 and around this time production shifted from Leyland's Speke factory to Canley, and finally to Solihull, bringing welcome improvements in reliability.

The TR7's tenure was cut short as exports to the US became more challenging, due to the pound rising in value against the dollar. Production was finally axed in October 1981.

Today, the cheesy Triumph wedge is a undeniable classic, marking a bold and futuristic departure from old sports car designs.

Where next?

The Triumph brand currently belongs to BMW, following its 1994 acquisition of Rover Group and its various properties.

TR25 by Makkina

You'd barely know about its ownership from BMW's own activities. However, in 2023 the German giant did give its blessing to London-based design house Makkina, which created an audacious TR25 electric roadster concept, pictured above. It was designed to evoke the spirit of a Triumph TR2 that set a production-car land speed record in 1953.

The company probably wouldn't want to, but BMW could launch a modern Triumph brand to sit between BMW and MINI. It might even use the platform of its Z4 roadster to create a new sporting two-seater. The underlying platform is already shared with the Toyota Supra.