Triumph: Born from a Typewriter

Fast-forward three years and appoint a designer who’s also a skilled rider as factory manager. Under Harry Hathaway’s guidance, the Model 3HP takes shape: a 363 cc single-cylinder engine delivering 3 hp at 1,500 rpm, with a top speed of 70 km/h.

More than a motto, it proved an idea that could be perfected. Jack Marshall’s victory in the 1908 Isle of Man TT confirmed the machine’s reliability. Its “free engine” mechanism—allowing the engine to run even with the stand down—and the British government’s decision to issue large numbers to dispatch riders at the front earned it the nickname “the Reliable,” setting the benchmark for rival firms.

As in every good fairytale, the inevitable arrived. In 1920 Otto Bettmann—remember our German entrepreneur?—on the advice of general manager Claude Holdbrook, acquired the Clay Lane works of the Dawson Car Company, a former car plant, and founded Triumph Motor Co. The split from Schulte was now final. Production began on a 1.4-litre saloon designed by Lea Francis, which insisted on royalties for every car. A rival under the same roof? Production was significant but not yet mass-market. True independence had to wait until 1927 and the Super 7.

More than a run of bad luck… Of the three divisions—Triumph Cycle Co., Triumph Motorcycle Co., and Triumph Motor Co.—by the mid-1930s only the car division remained. Independent at last. Under new chief engineer Donald Healey, the Dolomite was born, an inline-eight inspired by the Alfa Romeo 8C 2300. But wartime upheavals struck: the company changed hands, production halted, and in 1940 the factory was destroyed by bombing.

In 1945, revival began. What remained of Triumph Motor Co. was acquired by Standard Motor Co. A bold new gamble followed: the Triumph Roadster 1800 with distinctive aluminium body panels—easier to source in the immediate post-war period. In quick succession came the Renown, Mayflower, and Triumph Roadster 2000. Ten more years of evolution led to the diminutive Herald, the first in a long lineage, penned by Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti.

Some stories never end. Under Michelotti’s hand came the Vitesse, the Spitfire Spyder, the GT6 coupé, and the new generation of TRs. British Leyland, born of multiple mergers, focused on sporty cars and elegant saloons that enjoyed success. Yet the writing was on the wall. British Leyland was nationalised, then dismantled. The Acclaim, the last heir to the name, dates from 1981. Since then, the rights to the Triumph brand have rested with BMW. All that remains is our desire to drive one…