The Triumph TR3 is a British sports car produced from 1955 to 1962 by the
Standard Motor Company
The Standard Motor Company Limited was a motor vehicle manufacturer, founded in Coventry, England, in 1903 by Reginald Walter Maudslay. For many years, it manufactured Ferguson TE20 tractors powered by its Vanguard engine. All Standard's tracto ...
of
Coventry
Coventry ( or rarely ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands county, in England, on the River Sherbourne. Coventry had been a large settlement for centurie ...
, England. A traditional
open two-seater, the TR3 is an evolution of the company's earlier
TR2 model, with greater power and improved braking. Updated variants, popularly but unofficially known as the "TR3A" and "TR3B", entered production in 1957 and 1962 respectively. The TR3 was succeeded by the mechanically similar,
Michelotti Michelotti is an Italian surname, derived from the given name Michele. Notable people with the surname include:
* Biordo Michelotti (1352–1398), Italian mercenary soldier leader
* Giovanni Michelotti (1921–1980), Italian automotive designer
...
-styled
Triumph TR4
The Triumph TR4 is a sports car produced by the Triumph Motor Company from 1961 to 1965. Successor to the Triumph TR3#TR3A, TR3A, the TR4's chassis and drivetrain are closely related to those of its predecessor, but with an updated body designed ...
.
The rugged ‘sidescreen’ TR, so named for its use of removable plexiglass side curtains, was a sales and motorsport success. With approximately 74,800 TR3s sold across all variants, the model was the company's third best seller in the TR range, behind the
TR7 (111,500 units) and
TR6 (94,500 units) models.
TR3 (1955–1957)
Although the base car is an open two-seater, an occasional rear seat and bolt-on steel hard top were available as extras.
The TR3 is powered by a
Standard wet liner engine. This
OHV OHV may refer to:
* Overhead valve engine
* Off-highway vehicle, aka off-road vehicle
* Off-roading
* California State Parks
California State Parks is the state park system for the U.S. state of California. The system is administered by the C ...
straight-four
A straight-four engine (also referred to as an inline-four engine) is a four-cylinder piston engine where cylinders are arranged in a line along a common crankshaft.
The majority of automotive four-cylinder engines use a straight-four layout ( ...
initially produced , an increase of 5 hp over the TR2 thanks to larger
SU H6 carburettors. This was later increased to 100
bhp
BHP Group Limited, founded as the Broken Hill Proprietary Company, is an Australian multinational mining and metals corporation. BHP was established in August 1885 and is headquartered in Melbourne, Victoria.
As of 2024, BHP was the world� ...
at 5000
rpm
Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/min, r/min, or r⋅min−1) is a unit of rotational speed (or rotational frequency) for rotating machines.
One revolution per minute is equivalent to hertz.
Standards
ISO 80000-3:2019 def ...
by the addition of a "high port" cylinder head and enlarged manifold. The four-speed
manual gearbox
A manual transmission (MT), also known as manual gearbox, standard transmission (in Canadian English, Canada, British English, the United Kingdom and American English, the United States), or stick shift (in the United States), is a multi-speed ...
could be supplemented by an electrically engaged overdrive, controlled by a switch on the dashboard. In 1956, the front brakes were changed from drums to
disc
Disc or disk may refer to:
* Disk (mathematics), a two dimensional shape, the interior of a circle
* Disk storage
* Optical disc
* Floppy disk
Music
* Disc (band), an American experimental music band
* ''Disk'' (album), a 1995 EP by Moby
Other ...
s, a first for a British series production car.
Front suspension is by
double wishbone
Double, The Double or Dubble may refer to:
Mathematics and computing
* Multiplication by 2
* Double precision, a floating-point representation of numbers that is typically 64 bits in length
* A double number of the form x+yj, where j^2=+1
* A ...
s,
manganese
Manganese is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Mn and atomic number 25. It is a hard, brittle, silvery metal, often found in minerals in combination with iron. Manganese was first isolated in the 1770s. It is a transition m ...
bronze
trunnion
A trunnion () is a cylinder, cylindrical Boss (engineering), protrusion used as a mounting or pivoting point. First associated with cannons, they are an important military development.
In mechanical engineering (see the Trunnion#Trunnion bearin ...
s, coil springs and telescopic dampers, with an optional anti-roll bar.
Steering is a worm and peg system. Unlike
MGs of the same period, the steering mechanism and linkage have considerable play and friction, which increase with wear.
The rear suspension comprises
leaf spring
A leaf spring is a simple form of spring (device), spring commonly used for suspension (vehicle), suspension in wheeled vehicles. Originally called a ''laminated'' or ''carriage spring'', and sometimes referred to as a semi-elliptical spring, e ...
s, a
beam axle
A beam axle, rigid axle, or solid axle is a suspension (vehicle), dependent suspension design in which a set of wheels is connected laterally by a single beam or shaft. Beam axles were once commonly used at the rear wheels of a vehicle, but hist ...
, and lever arm dampers. The (box) frame rails are slung under the axle. Wheels are 15 inches in diameter and 4.5 inches wide (increased from 4 inches after the first few TR2s), with 48-spoke wire wheels optional. Wire wheels were usually painted, either body colour or argent (silver), but matte chrome and bright chrome were also available.
Under most conditions the car is responsive and forgiving, but it has some
handling issues. The chassis, which is shared by the TR2, TR3, TR3A, TR3B, and TR4, has limited wheel travel. As a result, on very hard cornering, the inside rear wheel can lift, causing sudden
oversteer
Understeer and oversteer are vehicle dynamics terms used to describe the sensitivity of the vehicle to changes in steering angle associated with changes in lateral acceleration. This sensitivity is defined for a level road for a given steady state ...
due to the increased load on the outside rear tyre. This is particularly true with radial tyres; the original TR2/3/3A suspension was built for crossply tyres. The wheel lifting is more sudden than that of other cars, because it is caused by coming to the end of the suspension travel while there is still load on the tyre, so the load on the other (outside) rear wheel is a discontinuous function of cornering load, rather than just changing slope.
The TR3 is designed for sunny weather, but with removable rain protection. It has a convertible
hood
Hood may refer to:
Covering
Apparel
* Hood (headgear), type of head covering
** Article of academic dress
** Bondage hood, sex toy
* Hoodie, hooded sweatshirt
Anatomy
* Clitoral hood, a hood of skin surrounding the clitoris
* Hood, a flap of ...
that snaps on and off and removable side curtains, allowing very low doors with padding for the driver's arm to rest on. There are holes in the floor, with rubber plugs, so that the originally supplied jack might be used from inside the car, as in the
Jaguar XK120
The Jaguar XK120 is a sports car manufactured by Jaguar between 1948 and 1954. It was Jaguar's first sports car since SS 100 production ended in 1939. The XK120 was launched in open two-seater or (US) roadster form at the 1948 London Motor Sho ...
. The optional heater is poor, and the shut-off valve is under the
bonnet
A bonnet is a variety of headgear, hat or cap.
Specific types of headgear referred to as "bonnets" may include
Native American
*War bonnet, feathered headgear worn as an earned military decoration by high-ranking Plains Indians
United King ...
.
Some 13,377 examples of the original "pre-facelift" TR3 were produced, of which 1,286 were sold within the UK; the rest were exported, mainly to the United States. As of Q1 2011 there were approximately 826 licensed and 115
SORN
Sorn may refer to:
Places
* Sorn, East Ayrshire, a village in Scotland
* Sorn Castle, East Ayrshire, Scotland
* River Sorn, Islay, Scotland
* Sørn and Bernt, rocks off the coast of South Georgia
* Sorn, restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand
People
* ...
TR3/3As registered with the
DVLA
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA; ) is the organisation of the Government of the United Kingdom, British government responsible for maintaining a database of drivers in Great Britain and a Vehicle register, database of vehicles f ...
.
Specifications
*Production period – October 1955 to Summer 1957
*Original price (basic model) – £950
*Suspension – Front: independent by unequal-length double wishbones, coil springs and telescopic dampers. Rear: live axle, half-elliptic springs, lever arm dampers.
*Brakes – First 4408 models (1955–56): drums all around. Remaining 9000 (1956–57): front discs; rear drums.
*Factory options – Triumph offered a wide range of options and accessories for both the competition-minded owner and those simply wishing to personalise their vehicle. While many of these items were factory fitments, local dealers supplied some as well. Among these were: overdrive, 48-spoke wire wheels, steel hardtop kit (part No. 900711), occasional rear seat (No. 801264), push-button radio, interior heater, leather upholstery, windscreen washer (No. 553729), cast aluminium sump (No. 502126), aluminium ‘Al-fin’ brake drums (No. 202267 or No. 301590 (9- and 10-inch respectively)), spot and fog lamps (Nos. 501703, 501702), and a continental touring kit (No. 502022, spares for travels in remote regions).
Performance
British auto magazine ''
The Motor
''The Motor'' (later, just ''Motor'') was a British weekly car magazine founded on 28 January 1903 and published by Temple Press. It was initially launched as ''Motorcycling and Motoring'' in 1902 before the title was shortened. From the 14 ...
'' tested a hardtop TR3 with overdrive in 1956. The car returned a top speed of and could accelerate from 0– in 10.8 seconds. A fuel consumption of was recorded. The test car cost £1,103 including taxes.
Other figures recorded included:
TR3A (1957–1962)

In 1957 the TR3 was updated, and this revised model was commonly referred to as the Triumph "TR3A". The cars were still badged as TR3s, and the "TR3A" name was not used officially, as is evident from contemporary sales brochures. Changes included a new full-width front grille, exterior door handles, and a lockable boot handle. The previously optional full tool kit became standard equipment. The "TR3A" carried over the standard front disc brakes introduced on later TR3s. The car was known for its superior braking ability, making it an autocross favourite.
In 1959 other changes were made to the car, including raised stampings under the bonnet and boot hinges and under the door handles, as well as a redesigned rear floor section. In addition, the windscreen was attached with bolts rather than the
Dzus fastener
The Dzus fastener, also known as a turnlock fastener or quick-action panel fastener, is a type of proprietary quarter-turn spiral Cam (mechanism), cam lock fastener often used to secure skin panels on aircraft and other high-performance vehicles ...
s used on the early "A" models. This year new options included a 2138 cc engine, and 60-spoke wire wheels.

The "TR3A" was built between 1957 and 1962. Total production was 58,236 cars, making it the third best-selling TR in its own right. The TR3A was so successful that the original panel press tooling wore out and had to be replaced. It is estimated that only 9,500 of the original 58,000 built survive today.
The "TR3A" is often seen in vintage and production racing today. Despite being over 50 years old, it is still competitive in
Sports Car Club of America
The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) is a non-profit American automobile club and sanctioning body supporting Autocross, Rallycross, HPDE, Time Trial, Road Racing, RoadRally, and Hill Climbs in the United States. Formed in 1944, it runs ...
(SCCA) E-production class.
In June 1977, ''
Road & Track
''Road & Track'' (stylized as ''R&T'') is an American automotive enthusiast magazine first published 1947. It is owned by Hearst Magazines and is published six times per year. The editorial offices are located in New York City.
History
''Road ...
'' magazine published an article titled "Driving Impressions: TR3A &
TR250" in its 30th anniversary issue. For the "TR3A" it reported a 0– time of 12.0 seconds, power output of at 4800
rpm
Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/min, r/min, or r⋅min−1) is a unit of rotational speed (or rotational frequency) for rotating machines.
One revolution per minute is equivalent to hertz.
Standards
ISO 80000-3:2019 def ...
, observed kerb weight of and fuel consumption of .
TR3B (1962)
"TR3B" is the unofficial name given to the final version of the Triumph TR3, which was produced in 1962. It was sold concurrently with the TR4, which started production in 1961. The "TR3B" was a special short-production run in response to dealer concerns that the buying public might not welcome the TR4.
The appearance of most "TR3B"s is identical to that of the late US-model "TR3A", with the same wider headlamp rims, wider grille, and door handles. Two series of this version were made. 530 cars with a commission number preceded by TSF were produced, 29 of which were built as Triumph Italias. 2,804 cars were produced with commission numbers preceded by TCF. Both series were partly produced in parallel. The TSF cars, like the last run of TR3As, have a 1991 cc engine and a transmission with no synchroniser on first gear. The TCF series has a fully synchronised transmission and a 2138 cc version of the Standard wet-liner engine with a 9:1 compression ratio. Fitted with two SU H6 carburettors, it makes at 4,650 rpm and of torque at 3,350 rpm. It gets between . Top speed is limited to about by the gear ratio, unless fitted with an overdrive unit. An electrically operated
Laycock Laycock is an English surname, likely originating from the placename Lacock, in Wiltshire (which is pronounced ''Laycock'') or Laycock in West Yorkshire.
According to the 1990 United States Census, Laycock is the 22,119th most common surname.
Not ...
de Normanville Type A
overdrive, operating on second, third, and fourth gears, was offered as an option. The car weighs .
Technical data
Prototypes, Specials, and others
TR3 Speciale
After being introduced to
Giovanni Michelotti
Giovanni Michelotti (6 October 1921 – 23 January 1980) was one of the most prolific designers of sports cars in the 20th century. His notable contributions were for Ferrari, Lancia, Maserati and Triumph Motor Company, Triumph marques. He was ...
, Triumph managing director Alick Dick invited the Italian designer to produce a
concept car
A concept car (also known as a concept vehicle or show vehicle) is a car made to showcase new styling or new technology. Concept cars are often exhibited at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not ...
for the British company. Michelotti responded with the Triumph TR3 Speciale, also called the "TR Dream Car".
Built by
Vignale
Vignale is the luxury car sub-brand of Ford Motor Company used in automobiles sold in Europe.[Geneva International Motor Show
The Geneva International Motor Show was an annual auto show held in March in the Swiss city of Geneva.
The show was hosted at the Palexpo, a convention centre located next to the Geneva Cointrin International Airport. The Salon was organised by ...]
in March 1957. Triumph deemed the car too expensive to put into production, but did give the job of designing the new
Triumph Herald
The Triumph Herald is a small two-door car introduced by Standard-Triumph of Coventry in 1959 and made through to 1971. The body design was by the Italian stylist Giovanni Michelotti, and the car was offered in saloon, convertible, coupé, es ...
to Michelotti.
TR3 Beta
The TR3 Beta is a prototype of a modified version of the TR3 with wider than standard front and rear tracks, revised mechanicals, and modified bodywork with wider front and rear wings. The project is mentioned several times in the minutes of the meeting of the Standard-Triumph board on 19 September 1960.
Different reasons have been mooted to explain why Triumph created the TR3 Beta. One holds that the Beta predated production of the TR4 chassis, and was solely an attempt to improve the handling of the TR3, with the TR4 a beneficiary of the work done on the Beta. Another points out that work on the TR4 was already underway by 1960, when the Beta project was being discussed. Yet another suggests that the Beta project was begun because Triumph lacked the financial resources needed to tool up to produce the new TR4 body.
The team that produced the Beta was headed by Ray Bates. Work started on the car at Triumph's Capmartin Road (aka Radford) plant, and was later transferred back to their Fletchamstead North site. Team member Ray Henderson took chassis X693, cut it in half lengthwise, and widened the chassis. Bates then engineered changes to allow the wider chassis to be built with existing tooling.
The car was designated as a TR3B, and just two examples were built; the Black Beta and the Red Beta.
In addition to its wider chassis and modified bodywork, the TR3 Beta shared its fully synchronised gearbox, rack-and-pinion steering, and larger engine with the TR4. By late in the project the Beta had also received a new grille and grille surround, wrap around rear bumpers, and tall stone guards. Use of the
Triumph Sabrina engine
The Triumph Sabrina engine is an internal combustion engine for automotive applications developed by the Triumph Motor Company division of the Standard Motor Company in England in the late 1950s. It powered Triumph's Le Mans team entries in 195 ...
had been considered for the car.
After becoming part of
Leyland Motors
Leyland Motors Limited (later known as the Leyland Motor Corporation) was an English vehicle manufacturer of lorries, buses and trolleybuses. The company diversified into car manufacturing with its acquisitions of Triumph and Rover in 1960 a ...
, the TR4 body shell tooling was funded by the new parent company. Work on the Beta was stopped.
As of this writing, one of the Beta prototypes is owned by Neil Revington, and is undergoing a restoration.
Motorsports

The TR3 was campaigned in races, hill climbs, and rallies across Europe and North America, with several outright, team, and class victories to its credit.
After the
1955 Le Mans disaster
The 1955 Le Mans disaster was a major crash that occurred on 11 June 1955 during the 24 Hours of Le Mans motor race at Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, Sarthe, France. Large pieces of debris flew into the crowd, killing spectators and French dr ...
, the French government moved to restrict motorsports to
road rallying
A road is a thoroughfare used primarily for movement of traffic. Roads differ from streets, whose primary use is local access. They also differ from stroads, which combine the features of streets and roads. Most modern roads are paved.
The w ...
, then little more than long distance road racing. In response, Triumph competition manager Ken Richardson had steel hard tops bolted to 100 TR3s,
homologating the new sports car as a
"grand touring" coupé, the GT class still permitted to race on French public roadways. A 'grand touring kit' was made available to customers as an optional extra (part No. 554313).
TR3s were campaigned in the
RAC
RAC or Rac may refer to:
Organizations
* Radio Amateurs of Canada
* RATCH-Australia Corporation, electricity generator
* Refugee Action Collective (Victoria), Melbourne, Australia
* Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, US
* Rent-A-Cent ...
,
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo ( ; ; or colloquially ; , ; ) is an official administrative area of Monaco, specifically the Ward (country subdivision), ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is located. Informally, the name also refers to ...
,
Circuit of Ireland
The Circuit of Ireland International Rally is an annual automobile rally, which was first held in 1931 making it the third oldest rally in the world. The most recent event was held in 2025.
''The Circuit'', as it is colloquially known, is org ...
,
Alpine
Alpine may refer to any mountainous region. It may also refer to:
Places Europe
* Alps, a European mountain range
** Alpine states, which overlap with the European range
Australia
* Alpine, New South Wales, a Northern Village
* Alpine National P ...
,
Liege-Rome-Liege,
International Tulip, Scheveningen-Luxembourg,
Tour de France
The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage cycle sport, bicycle race held primarily in France. It is the oldest and most prestigious of the three Grand Tour (cycling), Grand Tours, which include the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a ...
, Douze Heures de Huy, Lyon-Charbonnieres,
Acropolis
An acropolis was the settlement of an upper part of an ancient Greek city, especially a citadel, and frequently a hill with precipitous sides, mainly chosen for purposes of defense. The term is typically used to refer to the Acropolis of Athens ...
,
Chimay National, and
Corsica
Corsica ( , , ; ; ) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the Regions of France, 18 regions of France. It is the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of the Metro ...
rallies, among others, achieving numerous outright, team, and class victories including six
"Coupes des Alpes" awards. With its robust engine and rugged reliability, the TR was a popular competitor in continental hill climbs, such as the
Ollon Villars and Eberbach Bergrennen, and endurance races like the
12 Hours of Sebring
The 12 Hours of Sebring is an annual motorsport Endurance racing (motorsport), endurance race for Sports car racing, sports cars held at Sebring International Raceway, on the site of the former Hendricks Army Airfield World War II air base in S ...
and the
Mille Miglia
The Mille Miglia (, ''Thousand Miles'') was an open-road, motorsport Endurance racing (motorsport), endurance race established in 1927 by the young Counts :it:Franco Mazzotti, Francesco Mazzotti and Aymo Maggi. It took place in Italy 24 times f ...
.
At the
1959 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 27th 24 Hours of Le Mans, Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on 20 and 21 June 1959, on Circuit de la Sarthe. It was also the fourth round of the F.I.A. World Sports Car Championship. The prospect of an ...
, three extensively modified TR3s, referred to as 'TR3S' models, were run. Resembling the production TR3, the Le Mans cars employed
glass fibre
Glass fiber ( or glass fibre) is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.
Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the inventio ...
body shells, were six inches longer than the production vehicle, and were powered by the prototype
Triumph Sabrina engine
The Triumph Sabrina engine is an internal combustion engine for automotive applications developed by the Triumph Motor Company division of the Standard Motor Company in England in the late 1950s. It powered Triumph's Le Mans team entries in 195 ...
. The Jopp/Stoop TR3S ran as high as seventh place overall before being forced to retire due to mechanical difficulties with just over an hour remaining in the race.
Citations
References
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Further reading
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External links
Informational website dedicated to the Triumph TR3
{{Authority control
TR3
Cars introduced in 1955
Cars discontinued in 1962
Sports racing cars
Roadsters
Rear-wheel-drive vehicles
24 Hours of Le Mans race cars