Editing Triumph TR7 (section)

==Variants and derivatives==

===TR7 drophead coupé===
[[File:Triumph TR7 cabriolet 1998cc Aug 1982.JPG|thumb|Triumph TR7 cabriolet 1,998cc]]

Because of proposed US legislation on roll-over protection at the time of its launch,{{citation needed|date=August 2012}} the TR7 was not initially available as a convertible. In early 1979, Triumph belatedly introduced a convertible version, called the "TR7 drophead coupé" (DHC), which first went on sale in the US (the original hardtop model being known as the "fixedhead coupé", or FHC). A small number of pre-production cars were manufactured at Speke in 1978, soon after the pre-production TR7 V8 (later designated TR8) and TR7 Sprint cars. The British market received it in early 1980. The prototype for the convertible version of the original Harris Mann design came from Michelotti and the engineering to make it work was done by Triumph.<ref name=TR7UntoldStoryConv>{{cite book |title=Triumph TR7 The Untold Story|last=Knowles|first=David|year=2007|publisher=Crowood Press|isbn=978-1-86126-891-4 |pages=173–190}}</ref>

===TR8===
{{Main|Triumph TR8}}
For export to the US market, Triumph created a much more powerful [[Triumph TR8]] model in 1977/78, which was a TR7 with a {{convert|135|bhp|kW|0|abbr=on}} 3.5&nbsp;L [[Rover V8 engine]]. While some genuine TR8 models stayed in Britain, these examples are exceedingly rare. Most TR8s went to the US, where they did not fare well, owing to Triumph's poor build quality at the time and the unusually strong pound, which peaked at around $2.40 by 1980, making Triumphs fairly expensive compared to competitors.

The TR8 was only launched as a convertible (DHC) model. However, about 400 hard-top (FHC) TR8s were produced at Speke and Canley, as these were needed (possibly with some TR7s converted by BL to TR8 specification) for the Group&nbsp;4 homologation of the TR7V8 rally car.

===Spider===
In 1980, a limited edition version of the TR7 Drophead was launched for the US market by the US importer. Called the "TR7 Spider", it was available only in "maraschino black", with reflective red striping and badging plus black interior trim. Alloy wheels and the steering wheel from the TR8 were fitted, along with a "pewter grey" carpet and grey striped upholstery. Based on an exhaustive inventory of the factory build cards at the British Heritage Motor Centre archives, it has been confirmed that 1,070 carburetted Spiders were built at the Solihull factory with an additional 548 fuel-injected (Bosch L-jetronic) Spiders built specifically for California. VIN numbers for Spiders run from 400301 to 401918 overall and for the fuel-injected version from 401374 to 401918. All the Spider-specific equipment was installed at the factory, with the exception of the radio-cassette, which was stored in the boot and installed at the port of entry.<ref name=spider>{{cite web |last=Hart |first=Michael |title=Counting TR7 Spiders: A Day at the Gaydon Archive |url= http://www.triumphwedgeowners.org/tr7-spider.html |work=triumphwedgeowners.org |access-date=5 December 2014 |archive-date=7 December 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141207223851/http://www.triumphwedgeowners.org/tr7-spider.html |url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Grinnall===
Slightly less than a decade after the original TR7 ceased production, another British manufacturer, [[Grinnall Specialist Cars]] modified existing TR7 and TR8 cars. TR7 cars were upgraded with TR8 subframes and dash. They then installed V8 engines (optionally bored to larger capacities), and other parts like suspension, gearbox and brakes from the [[Rover SD1]]. The front and rear wings were widened to match the SD1 axles and suspension. 350 convertible cars were produced, each with Grinnall badging.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.grinnallcars.com/about-trike |title=About Us |publisher=Grinnall Cars & Trikes |location=UK |access-date=12 September 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://classiccars.brightwells.com/viewdetails.php?id=1915 |title=Triumph TR7 V8 Grinnall Convertible |publisher=Brightwells |location=UK |access-date=12 September 2021}}</ref>

===Cancelled variants===

====TR7 Sprint====
{{Main|Triumph TR7 Sprint}}
[[File:TR7 Sprint from rear.JPG|upright=1.33|thumb|TR7 Sprint from rear, showing side stripe intended for the production version<ref name=TR7UntoldStorySprint/>]]

A variant of the TR7 powered by the Dolomite Sprint engine (dubbed the "TR7 Sprint") was developed, but never put into full production; though British Leyland had the 16-valve engined TR7 [[homologation|homologated]] for use in competition. These cars can be identified by a different chassis number to the production eight-valve model: prefixed ''ACH'' rather than ''ACG'', etc. The original engines are also numbered with the format ''CHnnnHE'', rather than the ''VAnnnnHE'' format of Dolomite 16-valve engines. Production records at the [[Heritage Motor Centre|British Motor Industry Heritage Trust]] (BMIHT) cover 58 prototype and pre-production cars, all fixedheads, built between February and October 1977. Another car, without production records, is identified by DVLA details, and the possible existence of two more has been inferred from the commissioning number sequence; making a possible maximum of 59 to 61 cars, of which several still exist in the UK and elsewhere.<ref name="BMIHT archive">British Motor Industries Heritage Trust Archives, [[Heritage Motor Centre]], [[Gaydon]], [[Warwickshire]], England: accessed<!--by phone--> June 2013.</ref> These cars were built at the BL plant at Speke, at the same time as the pre-production runs for the convertibles and TR7 V8s, including a run of about 30 cars built on the line during the factory changeover to the 1978 year model in June 1977. However, it is claimed{{by whom|date=January 2024}} that some cars at least were converted at Canley from completed TR7s built at Speke.

Production of the TR7 Sprint stopped with the closure of the Speke plant. However, the failure of the TR7 Sprint to go into full series production is also blamed on BL's sales and marketing department because they claimed its performance was not sufficiently different from the TR7, though its top speed and 0–{{convert|60|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}} time were almost identical to those for the US specification carburetted version of the 3.5 litre {{convert|135|bhp|kW PS|0|abbr=on}} [[Rover V8]] powered [[Triumph TR8]].<ref name="TR8 specs">{{cite web |url= http://www.classicandperformancecar.com/front_website/octane_interact/carspecs.php/?see=3401 |title=Triumph TR8 {{!}} Car Specs {{!}} Octane |website=Classic and Performance Car |location=UK |access-date=13 September 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131018025615/http://www.classicandperformancecar.com/front_website/octane_interact/carspecs.php/?see=3401 |archive-date=18 October 2013}}</ref> Also, the Sprint engine was unsuitable for the emission-control equipment necessary for sale in the US, which was Sales and Marketing's main target market for the TR7 and TR8.<ref name=TR7UntoldStorySprint>{{cite book |title=Triumph TR7 The Untold Story |last=Knowles |first=David |year=2007 |publisher=Crowood Press |isbn=978-1-86126-891-4 |pages=110–5}}</ref>

Even so, BL required some, probably about 50, 16-valve engined TR7s suitable for normal sale before the end of 1977. This was for the rehomologation of the 16-valve head to allow the 16-valve TR7 rally car to be used in the 1978 season following a change to the FIA's rules. That the TR7 Sprint was used in this is shown by a series of six photographs in the [[British Motor Museum]]'s archives, taken on 1 November and listed as ''TR7 Sprint Homologation''. The 16-valve head was approved for use with the Group-4 rally car a second time in February 1978 in time for the Mintex Rally.<ref name="FIA1976252G">FIA, Appendix J to the ''International Sporting Code'' 1976: Classification, definition and specifications of cars, 11 December 1975, Article 252, clause g.</ref><ref name="motorsportmag">J. W. (?), ''For Chevette HS 2300 read HSR 2300...'', Motorsport, May 1980, p36-7.</ref><ref name="Smith 2014">Roy Smith, ''The Porsche 924 Carrera: – evolution to excellence'', 2014, Veloce Publishing Ltd, {{ISBN|1845846451}}, 9781845846459.</ref><ref name="rallysportmag">Jeff Whitten, Feature car: Vauxhall Chevette, 2007, {{cite web |url= http://www.rallysportmag.com.au/home/other-news/1625-feature-car-vauxhall-chevette |title=RallySport Mag - Feature car: Vauxhall Chevette |access-date=10 March 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312053338/http://www.rallysportmag.com.au/home/other-news/1625-feature-car-vauxhall-chevette |archive-date=12 March 2017 }}, Retrieved 24 October 2016.</ref><ref name="FIA1976261XDD">FIA, Appendix J to the ''International Sporting Code'' 1976: Classification, definition and specifications of cars, 11 December 1975, Article 261, clause x, sub-clause dd.</ref><ref name="Robson 2008">Robson G., "Ford Escort RS1800" Rally Giants, page 16, Veloce Publishing Ltd, 2008, {{ISBN|1845841409}}, 9781845841409.</ref><ref name="Robson 2008-2">Robson G., "Ford Escort RS1800" Rally Giants, page 30, Veloce Publishing Ltd, 2008, {{ISBN|1845841409}}, 9781845841409.</ref><ref name="BMIHT F&PA">Negatives from number T105512 to T105517 (6 negatives), "TR7 Sprint Homologation", British Motor Industries Heritage Trust Film & Picture Library.</ref><ref name="RAC3071"/><ref name="TRAction 2017">Fountain G., ''The Mystery of the Triumph TR7 Sprint'', p50-53, Issue 296, TR Action, March 2017.</ref>{{overcite|date=January 2024}}

Converting a two-valve TR7 to the four-valve Sprint specification is relatively simple, compared to conversion to TR8 specification, because the TR7 and TR7 Sprint have virtually identical engine blocks. As a result, there are a number of such converted TR7 models around:<ref name="DriversSprintArticle">{{cite web |url= http://www.trdrivers.com/tr7_sprint_article_-_1991.html |title=TR Driver's Club Sprint Article |publisher=www.trdrivers.com |access-date=16 December 2011}}</ref><ref name=TR7UntoldStorySprint/><ref name="PiggottSprints">{{cite book |last=Piggott |first=Bill |title=Original Triumph TR7 & TR8|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Y05jNS4ZbssC |access-date=26 January 2013 |year=2000 |orig-year=2000 |publisher=MBI Publishing|location=Osceola, WI USA |isbn=0-7603-0972-8 |pages=66–68 |chapter= Sprints, Special Editions & Grinnall Conversions}}</ref> "There are a [comparatively] large number of privately built Sprint conversions about&nbsp;... Buyers should beware of this if they are asked a premium price for an alleged 'genuine' TR7 Sprint."<ref name="Piggott 2009">{{cite book |last1=Piggott |first1=B. |last2=Clay |first2=S. |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ZVRq-KUY_bgC&q=Chapter+39&pg=PA320 |title=Collector's Originality Guide Triumph TR2 TR3 TR4 TR5 TR6 TR7 TR8 |pages=312–5 |year=2009 |publisher=MotorBooks International Company |isbn=9780760335765}}</ref>

====Lynx====
[[File:1978 Triumph TR7 (Project Lynx) Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon.jpg|thumb|The last remaining Triumph Lynx prototype at the Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon.]]

While the TR7 was under development in the early 1970s, a 2+2 [[fastback]] derivative, codenamed ''Lynx'' was also planned. Intended to be a replacement for the [[Triumph Stag]], the Lynx had a [[wheelbase]] stretched by {{convert|12|in|mm}}, the Rover V8 engine, with the rear axle from the [[Rover SD1]]. It was originally scheduled for launch in 1978, however, due to the closure of the Speke factory and concerns about low potential sales, the Lynx was cancelled. 18 prototypes were produced, with only one currently remaining.<ref name="aronline">{{cite web
 |last        = Adams
 |first       = Keith
 |url         = https://www.aronline.co.uk/cars/triumph/tr7-tr8/
 |title       = AROnline: Triumph TR7/TR8
 |work        = AROnline
 |df          = dmy-all
}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ingram |first=Antony |date=2022-07-21 |title=Concept Cars That Never Made The Cut: Triumph Lynx |url= https://www.hagerty.co.uk/articles/automotive-history/concept-cars-that-never-made-the-cut-triumph-lynx/ |access-date=2024-08-15 |website=Hagerty UK |language=en-GB}}</ref>

====Broadside====
In early 1979, a joint [[MG Cars|MG]]-Triumph project to produce a new sportscar based on the TR7 was started under the name ''Project Broadside''. This was based on the TR7, with a wheelbase stretched by {{convert|5|in|mm}}, with either an O-Series or Rover V8 engine, and both drophead and fastback body styles. Project Broadside was cancelled later in 1979, owing to a lack of funding.<ref name="aronline"/>

Examples of both Lynx and Broadside can be seen at the [[Heritage Motor Centre|BMIHT]], [[Gaydon]], England.

====Boxer====
During the latter part of 1979, as an exercise in [[badge engineering]], another MG version of the TR7 was developed under the codename ''Boxer'' as a potential replacement for the [[MG MGB|MGB]]. Various concepts were presented and ultimately a design from BL's American headquarters at [[Leonia, New Jersey|Leonia]] was accepted. Major changes to the standard TR7 hardtop were the addition of a MG-type [[Grille (car)|grille]] to the nose panel, headlights similar to those of a [[Porsche 928]] and a new tail panel with light units from a [[Rover SD1]]. The proposal was ultimately rejected on the grounds that the car was insufficiently different from the TR7.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Hogg |first=Tony |date=June 1982 |title=The MG that almost was |journal=Road and Track |volume=33 |issue=10 |pages=76D–76H |issn=0035-7189}}</ref>

====O-Series Engined TR7====
About 25 prototype/development TR7s fitted with the [[BL O-series engine]] were built. Build dates are not currently known, nor when the programme was cancelled. However, there are records showing these cars were either partly scrapped to rolling shells or converted to TR8 specifications, before being sold off in 1983.<ref name="CC O-Sieries">{{cite web |url= https://www.canleyclassics.com/triumph-experimental-cars/tr7-tr8-experimental-records/ |title=TR7 & TR8 Experimental Records |website=Canley Classics |access-date=13 October 2021}}</ref>

At least one of these O-Series TR7s (KPH 537V) was fitted with an early (Canley developed) version of the O-Series turbo-charged engine. This was recorded as being the fastest ever Triumph on the test track at [[MIRA Ltd.|MIRA]] achieving an average lap speed of {{cvt|129.16|mph|km/h|2}} and a flying {{cvt|1/4|mile|m|round=5}} speed of {{cvt|132.35|mph|km/h|2}} - both figures being almost {{cvt|2|mph|km/h|round=0.5}} faster than the fastest recorded TR8 (KPH 574V) at MIRA.<ref name="CC FASTEST TRIUMPH">{{cite web |url= https://www.canleyclassics.com/?archive=the-fastest-ever-triumph |title=Fastest ever Triumph |website=Canley Classics |access-date=14 October 2021}}</ref>