Whatever car next is badged as a Triumph, regardless of where and how it's
built,
it will not be a Triumph in the sense that we think of, any more than the
Triumphs of the postwar era are related in any way those of the prewar one.
They may, however, be the beginning of a whole new chain of Triumph cars, looked
back upon in the same way we currently regard the TR2 and Triumph Roadsters of
the Standard era.
Egil Kvaleberg wrote:
> On 16 Jun 1999, Chris Lillja wrote:
>
> > ... because Rover/BMW is
> > certainly in the car business and could (in theory, anyway) re-badge the Z3
> > to meet the challenge and defend the Triumph trademark in the US market.
>
> Let us really, really hope not.
>
> Although contributing much novel thinking, good engineering and sound
> ideas, the subtle art of badge engineering, along with the Austin Allegro
> square steering wheel, certainly does not rank among the finest hours of
> the British motor industry.
>
> Instead of a graceful death, far, far too many fine British marques have
> been dishonored by badge engineering. Presumably in the belief that just
> switching the brand, more or less, would transform a vehicle into
> something which it is not.
>
> Regretfully, Triumph got its share of this folly with the Honda Acclaim.
> Luckily, it was mostly for the home market, and we have surely all more or
> less suppressed it by now.
>
> This doesn't mean I'm all against revitalizing old names, far from it. But
> there has to be substantially more to it than just a badge. The current
> Triumph motor cycle production is a remarkable example, for one. Even
> Standards use of the Triumph badge for its sportier line of vehicles was
> fair enough. Despite sharing of engines, the Triumph range of cars marked
> another era and generation compared to the Standard.
>
> But please, the world should be spared of yet any BMW, Honda or whatever
> being badged up as a Triumph.
>
> Egil
> who sees the main thing re. supporting a properly retired marquee as being
> that it will never be associated with diesels, front-wheel-drive, SUVs or
> other horrors. Just like deceased rock stars are much better suited for
> fan-dom since there is no risk that they will become neither religious nor
> generally silly as they reach old age.
> --
> Email: egil@kvaleberg.no Voice: +47 22523641, 92022780 Fax: +47 22525899
> Mail: Egil Kvaleberg, Husebybakken 14A, 0379 Oslo, Norway
> Home: http://www.kvaleberg.no/
--
George Richardson
The Wyvern - '57 TR3, TS15559L - http://www.merlingroupinc.com/tr3.htm
The Hippogrif - '71 Stag MKI, LE8176E - soon to get a site of it's own
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