Showing posts with label Vitesse. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vitesse. Show all posts
Tuesday, 4 November 2014
Tuesday, 13 September 2011
1977 ECotY - Rover Vitesse
There were not many four door executive vehicles that would look comfortable parked along side a Ferrari or Maserati in the 1970's but the Rover SD1 powered by the familiar alloy Buick derived V8 and designed by David Bache is certainly one that could keep such company in any car park and not look out of place.
Thanks in part to a painfully slow process of rationalisation that was occurring at British Leyland during the early 1970's involving many duplicitous departments and management within the nationalised organisation it took 54 months for the SD1 to move from drawing board to production.
David Bache was not in the least shy about his design influences incorporated into the SD1 including these indicator lights which are almost identical to those found on a Ferrari Daytona.
Built in a new purpose built £31 million factory in Solihull the SD1 was marketed as the Rover 3500 and launched in July 1976 to an ecstatic reception regarding the styling and performance, though the quality of some of the materials used and build were short of the market leaders particularly the emerging BMW brand. The deep front spoiler and BBS pattern wheels on this model signifies a later model in this case built in 1986.
The Vitesse badge hitherto associated with Triumph models belies the fact that the SD1 had technical and marketing input from the still separate and competing Triumph design and management offices. In late 1980 the Rover Vitesse, seen here at the Atwell Wilson Motor Museum, was introduced as the performance version of the Rover 3500 and the Vanden Plas the Luxury version that included leather seats.
While the styling of the SD1 was ahead of it's time the rear suspension was actually a technological step back from the de Dion suspension used on the previous Rover P6 to a live rear axle, though this made the cars easier and cheaper to build the move did not compromise the handling, much praised in the contemporary press, in anyway.
Since British Leyland had so many competing brands in its range the 1977 European Car of the Year award winner was not the money spinner that it should have been because it was priced so as not to compete directly with the Jaguar XJ6 against which it was seen in an extremely favourable light.
Thanks for joining me on the 1977 European Car of the Year edition of 'Gettin' a lil psycho on tyres', I hope you'll join me again tomorrow when I'll be looking at a fully loaded turbocharged competitor of the Rover SD1. Don't forget to come back now !
Thanks in part to a painfully slow process of rationalisation that was occurring at British Leyland during the early 1970's involving many duplicitous departments and management within the nationalised organisation it took 54 months for the SD1 to move from drawing board to production.
David Bache was not in the least shy about his design influences incorporated into the SD1 including these indicator lights which are almost identical to those found on a Ferrari Daytona.
Built in a new purpose built £31 million factory in Solihull the SD1 was marketed as the Rover 3500 and launched in July 1976 to an ecstatic reception regarding the styling and performance, though the quality of some of the materials used and build were short of the market leaders particularly the emerging BMW brand. The deep front spoiler and BBS pattern wheels on this model signifies a later model in this case built in 1986.
The Vitesse badge hitherto associated with Triumph models belies the fact that the SD1 had technical and marketing input from the still separate and competing Triumph design and management offices. In late 1980 the Rover Vitesse, seen here at the Atwell Wilson Motor Museum, was introduced as the performance version of the Rover 3500 and the Vanden Plas the Luxury version that included leather seats.
While the styling of the SD1 was ahead of it's time the rear suspension was actually a technological step back from the de Dion suspension used on the previous Rover P6 to a live rear axle, though this made the cars easier and cheaper to build the move did not compromise the handling, much praised in the contemporary press, in anyway.
Since British Leyland had so many competing brands in its range the 1977 European Car of the Year award winner was not the money spinner that it should have been because it was priced so as not to compete directly with the Jaguar XJ6 against which it was seen in an extremely favourable light.
Thanks for joining me on the 1977 European Car of the Year edition of 'Gettin' a lil psycho on tyres', I hope you'll join me again tomorrow when I'll be looking at a fully loaded turbocharged competitor of the Rover SD1. Don't forget to come back now !
Thursday, 30 December 2010
All about the anodised alloy - Triumph Vitesse 6
The Triumph Vitesse 6 was a four seat sports car available as a four seat convertible.
Styled like the Triumph Herald, with separate chassis and body panels, by Michelotti, the Vitesse 6 is distinguished by the twin head light bonnet, a 6 cylinder engine and up rated brakes and front suspension.
From the rear there is little to help distinguish a Vitesse from a Herald apart from the anodised alloy bumper bar in place of the white plastic covered item of the Herald and the chrome mid rift trim of the Vitesse goes all the way back to the tail lights.
The twin carb 6 cylinder engine of the Vitesse 6 can trace its origins back to the 4 cylinder Standard 8 of 1953, a weld seam on the block shows where the 'extra cylinders' were added.
This model registered in Guildford in 1966 with around 80 hp has a top speed of 91 mph. The Vitesse was superseded by the Vitesse Mk2 in 1968.
I'd like to round out today's edition with congratulations to 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres' contributors Ed and Steve Arnaudin, father and son who celebrate their wedding anniversaries today, not forgetting to congratulate their undoubtedly better halves :-)
Hope you have enjoyed todays 6 cylinder edition of 'Getting a lil' psycho on tyres and that you'll join me tomorrow for Ferrari Friday any one for seven Ferraris on 7th day of Christmas ? Don't forget to come back now !
Sunday, 26 September 2010
Sunday Best - Triumph Vitesse
Yesterday, like to day, there was no racing going on locally, but it would have been criminal not to go out and enjoy the fresh autumn air and unbelievably bright sunshine that turns the world of photographers such as my self into a super illuminated paradise.
So I headed out to my local track Castle Combe where there was an event billed as a 'Mini Festival', there were hundreds of the cute critters in a variety of states of tune to be seen and I'll post pictures of them in due course, because the vehicle that leapt out at me as the subject for today's blog was this convertible Triumph Vitesse MKII.
The 1968 - 71 Triumph Vitesse 2 originally featured a 104 hp 6 cylinder 2 litre / 122 CUI engine with two carburettors which gave it a 0 - 60 mph performance time of 11 seconds. As can be seen above this 1968 model has been upgraded with triple carburettors.
The Vitesse was outsold, in the UK, by its smaller 4 cylinder sibling the Herald, at a rate of 10 to 1, and was no match for the cheaper Ford Mustang in the US, however as is the way of these things the Vitesse has a strong following amongst aficionados of performance convertibles.
Slightly off topic, I tuned into JTV to watch the Nationwide NASCAR race at Dover last night just in time to see Kyle Busch taking his victory bow in a cloud of smoke of his own making, congratulations to Kyle on winning his 11th Nationwide race of the season thereby beating the Sam Ard's record of 10 wins which he set in 1983.
Further off topic, I see Kevin Harvick took the NASCAR 'have at 'em' policy to heart during practice for the Dover Cup race ! Much as I'd like to see Kevin take the Cup home at Miami Homestead, these actions do not inspire me, sitting in the peanut gallery, with confidence about his chances.
These play ground antics probably make great headlines and are sure to provoke a further on track response from "Dangerous 'I am owed four cups' Denny" Hamlin, I just hope they are not a distraction from the real job in hand for Kevin, which is to make sure he beats Jimmy Johnson in the infernal #48 to the big trophy at the end of the season.
Looking forward to tonight's race at Dover hope to catch some of you on Rowdy Chat.
Look forward to to hearing from you all, 'y'all come back now ! Hear !
So I headed out to my local track Castle Combe where there was an event billed as a 'Mini Festival', there were hundreds of the cute critters in a variety of states of tune to be seen and I'll post pictures of them in due course, because the vehicle that leapt out at me as the subject for today's blog was this convertible Triumph Vitesse MKII.
The 1968 - 71 Triumph Vitesse 2 originally featured a 104 hp 6 cylinder 2 litre / 122 CUI engine with two carburettors which gave it a 0 - 60 mph performance time of 11 seconds. As can be seen above this 1968 model has been upgraded with triple carburettors.
The Vitesse was outsold, in the UK, by its smaller 4 cylinder sibling the Herald, at a rate of 10 to 1, and was no match for the cheaper Ford Mustang in the US, however as is the way of these things the Vitesse has a strong following amongst aficionados of performance convertibles.
Slightly off topic, I tuned into JTV to watch the Nationwide NASCAR race at Dover last night just in time to see Kyle Busch taking his victory bow in a cloud of smoke of his own making, congratulations to Kyle on winning his 11th Nationwide race of the season thereby beating the Sam Ard's record of 10 wins which he set in 1983.
Further off topic, I see Kevin Harvick took the NASCAR 'have at 'em' policy to heart during practice for the Dover Cup race ! Much as I'd like to see Kevin take the Cup home at Miami Homestead, these actions do not inspire me, sitting in the peanut gallery, with confidence about his chances.
These play ground antics probably make great headlines and are sure to provoke a further on track response from "Dangerous 'I am owed four cups' Denny" Hamlin, I just hope they are not a distraction from the real job in hand for Kevin, which is to make sure he beats Jimmy Johnson in the infernal #48 to the big trophy at the end of the season.
Looking forward to tonight's race at Dover hope to catch some of you on Rowdy Chat.
Look forward to to hearing from you all, 'y'all come back now ! Hear !
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