TriumphTR8

Triumph TR8 Books and Sources

The road tests, factory papers, club guides, histories and results tables behind every page of this site, with what each is good for and how far to trust it.

A curved brick building behind a tall entrance arch lettered Heritage Motor Centre, Museum Entrance, two flags flying above it.
Where the factory's build records are kept: the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust's museum at Gaydon, Warwickshire, photographed in March 2013 under its former name.Morio, CC BY-SA 3.0

Four American magazines tested the TR8 between June and August 1980, and their tests, read from scans, carry most of this site's figures; the factory's own brochure, its emission certificates and a BL Motorsport memo stand beside them. The TR Drivers Club's guide to the cars' numbers, which reproduces BL's production tables, is the backbone of the counts. Every source the pages cite is in the list below, each with its address printed as plain text, and each page lists its own sources at its foot.⁠1​2​3​4

How the sources are graded

The label beside each source grades the kind of source it is, not every line in it. Primary sources were made at the time, by the maker or by people who were there: the brochures, the emission certificates, the BL Motorsport memo, the importer's own releases, and the road tests of 1979 and 1980. A later recollection, even by someone who was there, such as Mike Cook's history of 1996, is Reference, and so is later work done with care: the clubs' guides, the reference sites and the historians' articles. Database sources, such as the racingsportscars results tables, are read one entry at a time.

Unchecked sources are leads: Wikipedia, sale listings and sites that seldom name their own sources. A page uses one only beside a stronger source, or by naming it in the sentence, and never for a figure on its own.

Two sources that share an origin count as one. Motor Trend and Road Test printed the same press figures from Jaguar Rover Triumph in the summer of 1980, so their agreement is one voice, not two; and triumphtr8.com's tables of chassis numbers repeat the TR Drivers Club's, so where the two agree on a prefix or a range, the pages treat it as the club's word alone.⁠5​6​7​8​9​10

Contents

Magazines of the time

The first drive was Road & Track's, by Thos L. Bryant, near Donington early in 1979, read in the first page of the TR Drivers Club's reprint. John Miles drove a left-hand-drive coupé for Autocar in 1979 (in May, according to triumphtr8.com); by BL's press office's account, it is the only British test of the time. The American tests followed the launch: Fred M. H. Gregory's for Motor Trend and Road & Track's own in June 1980, Walt Woron's for Road Test, which named the TR8 its best new sports car, in July, and Don Sherman's road test for Car and Driver in August. All four were read from scans, Motor Trend's in the importer's reprint; Car and Driver's carry no date, and the month is Cook's. A 20,000-mile durability run by Don Green, probably from Motor Trend, adds what the car was like to live with.

Motor Sport's free archive gives the British view: its report of February 1975 on the TR7's American launch, Jeremy Walton's of September 1978 on the V8 rally car built at Abingdon, C.R.'s of April 1980 on the TR7 drophead, which put a British V8 a year or more away, and the Le Mans entry of the same spring. The road tests page lists every period test known and what was found in each.⁠11​12​9​1​10​2​13​14​15​16​17

Contents

The maker's own papers

Jaguar Rover Triumph's American brochure, printed in April 1980, gives the specification of both engines, with the Californian figures in brackets; British Leyland Motors' brochure for the coupé, printed in September 1977 for a launch that never came, shows what was planned. Two window labels, from a carburettor car of 1980 and an injected car of 1981, give the list prices that the data panels hold. The California Air Resources Board's orders for the 1979, 1980 and 1981 model years certify the engines. BL Motorsport's four-page memo of 16 December 1980, on the British development car, and the importer's release on prize money for SCCA racers in 1980 were both read from the Triumph Wedge Owners Association's scans. The factory's handbooks, workshop manual and parts books are cited by the numbers on their covers.

The experimental department's records survive through Canley Classics, which summarises the memos and the lot lists of the Measham sales of 1981 that Roy Ford saved. The British Motor Museum at Gaydon keeps the build records, and describes the Heritage Certificates it issues from them.⁠3​18​19​20​5​21​22​23

Contents

Clubs and their records

The TR Drivers Club supplied more of the research than any other club: its identification and production guide, first written by Paul Towle in 1987 and updated by Rex Holford and Mark Elbers; Holford's history of the TR8; the data panel of its "Early Cars" page; James TenCate's detective story of the production numbers, from TR Driver in 2012; its register of the works rally cars; and its articles on the TR7 Sprint. The Triumph Wedge Owners Association, which grew out of the TR8 Car Club of America, holds scans of the brochures, certificates, memos and service bulletins, its own technical pages, and Michael Hart's count of build cards at Gaydon, of 2013. The TR Register's guide to the TR7, TR7 V8 and TR8, compiled by Malcolm Paris, adds facts, a table of performance figures and answers to owners' questions, beside the Register's general buyer's guide, and the Vintage Triumph Register's TR8 page refers owners to the TWOA.⁠4​24​25​26​27​28​29​30​31​32​33​34

Contents

triumphtr8.com

The deepest reference on the TR8 alone is triumphtr8.com, a British enthusiast's site. It shows the factory's build records for the right-hand-drive cars, the type-approval papers, the press cuttings and the documents, and its pages on genuine cars, variants, export cars, engine numbers and conversions are cited across this site. Its author owns cars it describes and sells TR8 parts, so its claims about its own cars, and its opinions, are taken as leads; the scans it shows are read for what they say. It is also where most of the period road tests were read.⁠35​36​37​38​39​40​41​42​43​44

Contents

Later accounts

Mike Cook, Jaguar Rover Triumph's public relations manager in the United States, wrote the car's history for Special Interest Autos in 1996, and Michael Lamm recalled the American launch in British Car in 1999; both were there, and both wrote years afterwards. Aaron Severson's history of the TR7 and TR8 on Ate Up With Motor, of 2012, names its own sources. AROnline adds Chris Cowin's histories of British Leyland's exports to the United States and Canada, Keith Adams's story of the TR7's development and Richard Truett's comparison of a modified TR8 with a Ford Capri, of 2020. Moss Motoring's profile of Bob Tullius, of 2009, gives Group 44's beginnings, and Autocar reported in 2012 on the Triumph name. Classic & Sports Car's comparison of two TR8s, in May 2026, was read in its excerpt on triumphtr8.com.

The racing results come from racingsportscars, race by race. The leads are named wherever they are used: Wikipedia, on the TR8, on Bill Adam and on Grinnall; tr8.com, an enthusiast's site now gone, read in a copy of 2012, for the cars of 1982; and Lancaster Insurance's article of 2022.⁠6​45​46​47​48​49​50​51​52​53​7​54​55​56

Contents

Every source

  • Primarymade at the time, by the maker or by people who were there
  • Referenceserious later work: clubs, specialists, magazines, books
  • Databaseresults and listings, entry by entry
  • Uncheckedencyclopaedias and enthusiast sites: cited beside a good source, named in the sentence, or marked Unchecked
  1. Edgardo Michelotti, "Giovanni Michelotti. L'uomo e il designer" (Monografia AISA 134), AISA – Associazione Italiana per la Storia dell'Automobile (Società Editrice Il Cammello, Turin), Turin, 25 Nov 2023; web edition, https://aisastoryauto.it/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/aisa134web.pdf. Reference
  2. Chris Cowin, "History: Exporting British cars to Canada – Part Two: The British Leyland Years", AROnline, 19 Aug 2025, https://aronline.co.uk/history/exporting-british-cars-to-canada-pt2/. Reference
  3. Richard Truett, "Tested: Ford Capri 2.8 Injection vs Triumph TR8", AROnline, 29 Dec 2020, https://aronline.co.uk/reviews/best-1980s-sports-cars/. Reference
  4. Richard Gunn, "Obituary: Harris Mann 1938–2023", AROnline, 15 Aug 2023, https://aronline.co.uk/people/harris-mann/. Reference
  5. Keith Adams, "The Cars: Triumph TR7/TR8 development story", AROnline, updated 8 Feb 2024, https://aronline.co.uk/cars/triumph/tr7-tr8/bullet-development-story/. Reference
  6. Keith Adams, "Concepts and Prototypes: Triumph Broadside (1979–1981)", AROnline, 2 Feb 2024, https://aronline.co.uk/cars/triumph/tr7-tr8/triumph-broadside/. Reference
  7. Chris Cowin, "History: Exporting British cars to the USA – Part Two", AROnline, 31 May 2025, updated 21 Oct 2025, https://aronline.co.uk/history/exporting-british-cars-to-the-usa-part2/. Reference
  8. Aaron Severson, "Grandfather's Ax: The Many Evolutions of the Triumph TR4, Part 2: TR5, TR250, and TR6", Ate Up With Motor, 7 Nov 2012, https://ateupwithmotor.com/model-histories/triumph-tr5-tr250-tr6/view-all/. Reference
  9. Aaron Severson, "Grandfather's Ax: The Many Evolutions of the Triumph TR4, Part 1: TR4 and TR4A", Ate Up With Motor, 22 Oct 2012, https://ateupwithmotor.com/model-histories/triumph-tr4-tr4a/view-all/. Reference
  10. John Miles, "Miles Behind the Wheel: America's TR8", Autocar, 1979 (May, according to triumphtr8.com), https://www.triumphtr8.com/tr8-press-articles-and-cuttings/. Primary
  11. Hilton Holloway, "Triumph revival on again", Autocar, 29 Feb 2012, https://autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/triumph-revival-again. Reference
  12. Aaron Severson, "Way of the Wedge: The Triumph TR7 and TR8", Ate Up With Motor, 5 Feb 2012, pp. 1–5, https://ateupwithmotor.com/model-histories/triumph-tr7-tr8/. Reference
  13. Jackie Jouret and Helmut Werb, "507s star at Pebble Beach", Bimmer, No. 119, 25 Oct 2013, http://www.bimmer-mag.com/issues/119/articles/507s-star-at-pebble-beach. Reference
  14. R. Hurdwell (BL Motorsport, Abingdon), "TR8 Modifications" (memo, 4 pp.), BL Motorsport (via the Triumph Wedge Owners Association), 16 Dec 1980, https://triumphwedgeowners.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Hurdwell-Memo.pdf. Primary
  15. British Motor Museum (BMIHT), "Heritage Certificates", https://britishmotormuseum.co.uk/archive/heritage-certificates. Primary
  16. BMW Group Classic (BMW Classic blog), "60 Years of Pure Temptation", 2015, https://www.presstopic.bmwgroup.com/en/bmw-classic-blog/text/60-YEARS-OF-PURE-TEMPTATION-4484.html. Primary
  17. Michael Lamm, "1st Drive in the Triumph TR8", British Car, Feb–Mar 1999, pp. 46–48, https://www.triumphtr8.com/tr8-press-articles-and-cuttings/. Reference
  18. Canley Classics, "TR7 & TR8 Experimental Records", https://www.canleyclassics.com/api/archive/article/?q=tr7-tr8-experimental-records. Primary
  19. Dennis May, "Technical Report" on the TR-4 (cover story), Car and Driver, Oct 1961, pp. 19–23, https://archive.org/details/sim_car-and-driver_1961-10_7. Primary
  20. Don Sherman, "Triumph TR8" (road test), Car and Driver, Aug 1980, pp. 36–40, https://www.triumphtr8.com/tr8-press-articles-and-cuttings/. Primary
  21. Tim Pollard, "Spen King, Range Rover creator (1925–2010)", CAR, 2010, https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/features/opinion/tim-pollard/remembered-spen-king-range-rover-creator-1925-2010/. Reference
  22. California Air Resources Board (via the Triumph Wedge Owners Association), California Air Resources Board executive orders A-5-47 (1979 model year), A-5-49 (1980) and A-220-5 (1981), with supplemental data sheets, 22 Feb 1979; 18 Mar 1980; Mar 1981, https://triumphwedgeowners.org/tr8-california-air-resources-board-emissions-certifications/. Primary
  23. carrozzieri-italiani.com, "Giovanni Michelotti"; "The Partnership Between Michelotti and Triumph", https://carrozzieri-italiani.com. Unchecked
  24. carrozzieri-italiani.com, "Triumph TR5 Ginevra" (listing), 7 Nov 2024, https://carrozzieri-italiani.com/listing/triumph-tr5-ginevra/. Unchecked
  25. Malcolm McKay, "Triumph Spitfire buyer's guide: what to pay and what to look for", Classic & Sports Car, 10 May 2019, https://classicandsportscar.com/node/48297. Reference
  26. Classic & Sports Car, RIP Bob Tullius 1930-2026, Jack Phillips, 19 Mar 2026, https://www.classicandsportscar.com/obituaries/rip-bob-tullius-1930-2026. Reference
  27. Classic & Sports Car, Triumph TR8 comparison: a left-hand-drive personal-export car and the BL Motorsport right-hand-drive development car, May 2026, https://www.triumphtr8.com/classic-and-sports-car-tr8-article/. Reference
  28. Martin Buckley, "Out for the Count: Michelotti's BMW 507", Classic & Sports Car, https://www.classicandsportscar.com/features/out-count-michelottis-bmw-507. Reference
  29. Giles Chapman, "Harry Webster" (obituary), The Independent, 17 Feb 2007, https://independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/harry-webster-6228822.html. Reference
  30. Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust, "1974 Jaguar E-Type Group 44 Racing Car", https://www.jaguarheritage.com/vehicle-collection/1974-jaguar-e-type-group-44-racing-car/. Primary
  31. Jaguar Rover Triumph Inc. (via the Triumph Wedge Owners Association), "1980 Competition Awards Program – SCCA National Events" (Competition News release), 1980, https://triumphwedgeowners.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/1980-Competition-Awards-Program-SCCA-National-Events.pdf. Primary
  32. Jaguar Rover Triumph Inc. (Leonia, N.J.), Triumph TR8 (sales brochure), USA, printed 4/80, 1980, https://triumphwedgeowners.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/US-1980-TR8-Brochure.pdf. Primary
  33. Jaguar Rover Triumph Inc. (via triumphtr8.com), Window labels (suggested retail price and EPA economy) of a 1980 TR8 convertible (49-state, carburettor) and a 1981 TR8 (injected), 1980, https://www.triumphtr8.com/tr8-documents/. Primary
  34. British Leyland Motors Inc. / Jaguar Rover Triumph (via triumphtr8.com), TR8 documents (group): handbooks AKM4335 and AKM4779, workshop and injection guides, parts books, and two sales brochures, https://www.triumphtr8.com/tr8-documents/. Primary
  35. G. William Krause, The Illustrated History of Triumph Sports and Racing Cars, CarTech, 2017, https://static.summitracing.com/global/images/technicalarticles/sad-ct596.pdf. Reference
  36. Lancaster Insurance, "The Triumph TR8 remembered", 12 May 2022, https://www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk/news/2022/may/12/the-triumph-tr8-remembered/. Unchecked
  37. Moss Motoring, "Bob Tullius, Group 44 Inc.", 5 Apr 2009, https://mossmotoring.com. Reference
  38. "Johnny Oversteer", "Almost Famous – Triumph TR5 Ginevra", Moss Motoring, 25 Mar 2015, https://mossmotoring.com/almost-famous-triumph-tr5-ginevra/. Reference
  39. Moss Motoring, "Press Release: British Sports Car Hall of Fame", 20 Mar 2017, https://mossmotoring.com. Reference
  40. Graham Robson, "Harry Webster – My Technical Mentor", Moss Motoring (Moss Motors), 12 Jun 2019, https://mossmotoring.com/harry-webster-my-technical-mentor/. Reference
  41. Graham Robson, "Alick Dick: Triumph's Managing Director 1954–1961", Moss Motoring, 18 Jan 2021, https://mossmotoring.com. Reference
  42. Graham Robson, "One Design, Many Derivatives", Moss Motoring, 26 Oct 2022, https://mossmotoring.com. Reference
  43. Alan Henry, "Sports round-up", Motor Sport, Dec 1974, p. 32, https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/december-1974/32/sports-round/. Primary
  44. Clive Richardson ("C.R."), "The TR7 makes a quiet British bow", Motor Sport, Feb 1975, p. 30, https://motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/february-1975/30/the-tr7-makesa-quiet-british-bow/. Primary
  45. Motor Sport, "Around and About, December 1975", Dec 1975, p. 32, https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/december-1975/32/around-and-about-december-1975/. Primary
  46. Jeremy Walton, "Abingdon finds a new Healey called Triumph", Motor Sport, Sep 1978, p. 30, https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/september-1978/30/abingdon-finds-new-healey-called-triumph/. Primary
  47. "C.R.", "The Triumph TR7 Drophead" ("Sunshine Seven"), Motor Sport, Apr 1980, p. 35, https://motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/april-1980/35/sunshine-seven/. Primary
  48. Jeremy Walton ("J.W."), "A TR7 for Le Mans", Motor Sport, May 1980, p. 37, https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/may-1980/37/tr7-le-mans/. Primary
  49. Andrew Frankel, "V12 Epoch", Motor Sport, Dec 2004, p. 70, https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/december-2004/70/v12-epoch/. Reference
  50. Andrew Frankel, "Unsung heroes: The V12 Jaguars that kept its racing heritage alive", Motor Sport, Mar 2015, p. 58, https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/march-2015/58/keeping-british-end/. Reference
  51. Motor Sport, News, editorials and short items on the TR7 (group), Jul 1975 – Aug 1981; Apr 2002, https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/. Primary
  52. Fred M. H. Gregory, "TR8 V-8: A mighty Triumph" (road test), with the sidebar "A String of Triumphs", Motor Trend, Jun 1980, https://www.triumphtr8.com/tr8-press-articles-and-cuttings/. Primary
  53. Don Green, "Triumph TR8: a 20,000-mile durability run", Motor Trend (probably: not printed on the scans), 1980 or 1981, https://www.triumphtr8.com/tr8-press-articles-and-cuttings/. Primary
  54. Revington TR, "ZOOM Prototype" (TR Derivatives and Prototypes), https://www.revingtontr.com/the-tr-series/tr-derivatives/zoom-prototype. Reference
  55. Revington TR, "Technical Specification Change Points" (TR6), https://revingtontr.com/the-tr-series/tr6/technical-specification-change-points. Reference
  56. Walt Woron, "1980 Triumph TR8 Convertible: RT's Selection for 'Best New Sports Car of 1980'", Road Test (US), Jul 1980, pp. 16, 83–86, https://www.triumphtr8.com/tr8-press-articles-and-cuttings/. Primary
  57. racingsportscars.com, "BMW M1 – All Results", https://www.racingsportscars.com/type/results/BMW/M1.html. Database
  58. racingsportscars.com, Race, results and car-data pages with BMW M1 entries, 1979–86 (group), https://www.racingsportscars.com. Database
  59. racingsportscars.com, "Jaguar E-Type – All Results", https://www.racingsportscars.com/type/results/Jaguar/E-Type.html. Database
  60. racingsportscars.com, US Champions Road Atlanta [BP] 1975, results, https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Road_Atlanta-1975-11-02c.html. Database
  61. racingsportscars.com, Sebring 12 Hours 1963, results, https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Sebring-1963-03-23.html. Database
  62. racingsportscars.com, Sebring 12 Hours 1966, results, https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Sebring-1966-03-26.html. Database
  63. racingsportscars.com, Sebring 12 Hours 1968, results, https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Sebring-1968-03-23.html. Database
  64. racingsportscars.com, "Triumph Spitfire – All Results" (9 pages, 880 entries, 1962–87), https://racingsportscars.com/type/results/Triumph/Spitfire.html. Database
  65. racingsportscars.com, "Triumph TR250 – All Results", https://www.racingsportscars.com/type/results/Triumph/TR250.html. Database
  66. racingsportscars.com, "Triumph TR6 – All Results", https://www.racingsportscars.com/type/results/Triumph/TR6.html. Database
  67. racingsportscars.com, Driver pages (group): John Kelly (USA), John McComb (USA), Pat Bedard (USA), Ken Slagle (USA), Lee Mueller (USA), Bill Adam (CDN), Peter Bulkowski (CDN), Bruce Kulczyk (CDN), Luc Behar (CDN), https://www.racingsportscars.com. Database
  68. racingsportscars.com, "All Results of Triumph TR8" (1979–1999), https://www.racingsportscars.com/type/results/Triumph/TR8.html. Database
  69. Road & Track, "Triumph TR8: Good news from the other side" (road test), Jun 1980, pp. 76–79, https://www.triumphtr8.com/tr8-press-articles-and-cuttings/. Primary
  70. Michael L. Cook, "1981 Triumph TR8: Fast and Last", Special Interest Autos, no. 156, Nov–Dec 1996, pp. 10–17, https://www.triumphtr8.com/tr8-press-articles-and-cuttings/. Reference
  71. Chris Phillips, "V12 Jaguar E-Type", Sports Car Digest, 1 Aug 2011, https://sportscardigest.com/v12-jaguar-e-type/. Reference
  72. The Daily Telegraph, "Harry Webster" (obituary), 9 Feb 2007, https://telegraph.co.uk. Reference
  73. TR Register, Buyer's guide pages (group): "Buyer's Guide" (general), "Triumph TR3 Buyers Guide", "Triumph TR3A Buyers Guide", https://www.tr-register.co.uk/resources/buyers-guide. Reference
  74. Bruno Dwinger, "Geschichte, Typenkunde und Kaufberatung: British Leyland Triumph TR 6PI und TR 6 (Vergaser) – Die Karmann Autos", TR-Register Deutschland, c. 2010, 13 pp. (PDF), https://tr-register.de/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Kaufberatung_TR6_und_TR6PI.pdf. Reference
  75. Frédéric Reydellet (racing history), tr5passion.com (group): "En bref / Summary", "Identification", "Lucas injection", "Options", "Technical spec", "Colours", "TR5 Ginevra", "Racing history", TR5 Passion, https://www.tr5passion.com. Reference
  76. tr8.com, "The 1982 Model Year TR7's & 8's", http://www.tr8.com/TR8-1982.htm. Unchecked
  77. Brian Ridley-Jones ("The Italia") and Mike Napoli ("The F Type Devin") and Steve Dival ("The Swallow Doretti"), Articles (group): "The Italia", "The F Type Devin", "The Swallow Doretti", TR Drivers Club, https://www.trdrivers.com/articles21/italia1.html. Reference
  78. Rex Holford, "A Brief History of the TR8", TR Drivers Club, https://www.trdrivers.com/articles/historybrief.html. Reference
  79. TR Drivers Club, "Early Cars: TR8" (data panel), https://www.trdrivers.com/earlycars/tr81.html. Reference
  80. James TenCate, "Production Numbers – A Detective Story", TR Driver (TR Drivers Club), 2012 no. 2, https://www.trdrivers.com/articles21/prodnumbers1.html. Reference
  81. Thos L. Bryant, "New from Britain: Triumph TR7 Convertible & TR8", Road & Track (reprinted by the TR Drivers Club), 1979, https://trdrivers.com/articles21/newfrombritain1.html. Primary
  82. Jim Johnson, TR7 Sprint articles (group): "The Original TR7 Sprint", "Update June 2005", "Early TR7 Sprint Competition Cars", TR Drivers Club, https://trdrivers.com/articles21/tr7sprint2.html. Reference
  83. Paul Towle and Rex Holford (update) and Mark Elbers (update), "TR7 & TR8 Identification & Production Data Explained", TR Drivers Club, 1987, updated (© 2016), https://trdrivers.com/tr7_-_tr8_vin_numbers.htm. Reference
  84. Chris Turner (credited by the club), "The Works Triumph TR7 V8 Rally Cars" and the car pages (group), TR Drivers Club, https://trdrivers.com/articles21/rallyhistory.html. Reference
  85. triumphtr8.com, Pages (group): "FHC V8's 'TR8 Pre Production'", "TR8s with Creative Histories" and its linked case page, "Triumph TR8 RHD vs LHD: Factory Conversion Myths", "Buying a TR8", "TR8 Test, Development. EXP cars", https://www.triumphtr8.com/odd-ball-v8s/. Reference
  86. triumphtr8.com, "Rover V8", 12 Aug 2026, https://www.triumphtr8.com/rover-v8/. Reference
  87. triumphtr8.com, "European Spec LHD TR8's", 27 Dec 2025, https://www.triumphtr8.com/export-eu-lhd-tr8/. Reference
  88. triumphtr8.com, "TR8's Genuine Factory cars: History & Authentication" and "Is it a genuine TR8?", 6 Jun 2026, https://www.triumphtr8.com/tr8-genuine-factory-cars/. Reference
  89. triumphtr8.com, "TR8 How Fast", 10 Feb 2026, https://www.triumphtr8.com/tr8-how-fast/. Reference
  90. triumphtr8.com, Pages (group): "TR8 Press Cars UK", "TR8 Press Articles and Cuttings" (21 Mar 2026), "Classic and Sports Car TR8 Article" (9 Apr 2026), 2026, https://www.triumphtr8.com/tr8-press-cars-uk/. Reference
  91. triumphtr8.com, "Production Figures for the TR8", 5 Jan 2026, https://www.triumphtr8.com/production-figures-for-the-tr8/. Reference
  92. triumphtr8.com, Pages (group): "TR8 VIN/CHASSIS", "TR8 Paint Codes", "TR8 trim codes", "TR8 Documents", "TR8 Adverts", "TR8 Clubs", "TR8 Efi – Injection system and sensors", "WL9 Camshaft", "Leyland Special Tuning", "TR8 FIA RAC", "TR8 Auto Choke", "TR8 Badges where do they go?", parts pages, posts "RHD TR8 UK SPEC" and "Round Britain Reliability Run 2023", https://www.triumphtr8.com/tr8-vin-chassis/. Reference
  93. triumphtr8.com, "Right hand drive TR8 Home Market UK" and "TR8 RHD Production Story", modified 23 May 2026, https://www.triumphtr8.com/right-hand-drive-tr8-home-market-uk/. Reference
  94. triumphtr8.com, Variant pages (group): "FHC TR8 (ACN) 1977", "FHC TR8 (TCN) 1978–1979", "TR8 (TCV) 1979 DHC", "TR8 (TP) 1980", "DHC TR8 (SAT) 1981/82", https://www.triumphtr8.com/fhc-tr8-acn-1977/. Reference
  95. Malcolm Paris (compiler), "Triumph TR7 / TR7 V8 and TR8 Buyers Guide", TR Register, https://tr-register.co.uk/resources/buyers-guide/triumph-tr7-tr8. Reference
  96. Triumph Sports Owners Association, Triumph Sports Owners Association Newsletter, June 1962, Jun 1962, https://vintagetriumphregister.org/tsoa/TSOAJune62.pdf. Primary
  97. Triumph Sports Owners Association, Triumph Sports Owners Association Newsletter, September–October 1962, Sep–Oct 1962 (vol. 8 nos. 9 and 10), https://vintagetriumphregister.org/tsoa/aTSOA091062.pdf. Primary
  98. Triumph Sports Owners Association, Triumph Sports Owners Association Newsletter, September 1963, Sep 1963 (vol. 9 no. 8), https://vintagetriumphregister.org/tsoa/TSOA0963.pdf. Primary
  99. Triumph Sports Owners Association, Triumph Sports Owners Association Newsletter, March 1964, Mar 1964 (vol. 10 no. 3), https://vintagetriumphregister.org/tsoa/TSOA0364.pdf. Primary
  100. Triumph Sports Owners Association, Triumph Sports Owners Association Newsletter, November 1964, Nov 1964, https://vintagetriumphregister.org/tsoa/TSOA1164.pdf. Primary
  101. Triumph Sports Owners Association, Triumph Sports Owners Association Newsletter, February 1966, Feb 1966 (vol. 12 no. 2), https://vintagetriumphregister.org/tsoa/TSOA0266.pdf. Primary
  102. Triumph Sports Owners Association, Triumph Sports Owners Association Newsletter, June 1968, Jun 1968 (vol. 14 no. 6), https://vintagetriumphregister.org/tsoa/TSOAJune68.pdf. Primary
  103. Triumph Sports Owners Association, Triumph Sports Owners Association Newsletter, September 1968, Sep 1968 (vol. 14 no. 9), https://vintagetriumphregister.org/tsoa/TSOASept68.pdf. Primary
  104. Triumph Sports Owners Association, Triumph Sports Owners Association Newsletter, December 1968, Dec 1968 (masthead "Volume 14, Number 11"), https://vintagetriumphregister.org/tsoa/TSOADec68.pdf. Primary
  105. Triumph Sports Owners Association, Triumph Sports Owners Association Newsletter, November 1972, Nov 1972 (vol. 18 no. 11), https://vintagetriumphregister.org/tsoa/TSOANov72.pdf. Primary
  106. Triumph Sports Owners Association, Triumph Sports Owners Association Newsletter, December 1972, Dec 1972 (vol. 18 no. 12), https://vintagetriumphregister.org/tsoa/TSOADec72.pdf. Primary
  107. Triumph Sports Owners Association, Triumph Sports Owners Association Newsletter, August–September 1975, Aug–Sep 1975 (vol. 21 no. 5), https://vintagetriumphregister.org/tsoa/TSOAAugSep75.pdf. Primary
  108. Triumph Sports Owners Association, Triumph Sports Owners Association Newsletter, October–November 1975, Oct–Nov 1975 (vol. 21 no. 6), https://vintagetriumphregister.org/tsoa/TSOAOctNov75.pdf. Primary
  109. Triumph Wedge Owners Association, "The Club", https://triumphwedgeowners.org/the-club/. Reference
  110. Triumph Wedge Owners Association, Document pages (group): "TR8", "Memos", "Brochures", TSB indexes, "Deciphering the Wedge", "Component Serial Numbers", "TR8 Cooling Fan System", "TR8 ECU", https://triumphwedgeowners.org/brochures/. Reference
  111. Michael Hart, "Counting TR7 Spiders: A Day at the Gaydon Archive", Triumph Wedge Owners Association, © 2013, https://triumphwedgeowners.org/spider/. Reference
  112. Vintage Triumph Register, "TR8", with the buyer's guides page, https://vintagetriumphregister.org/tr8/. Reference
  113. Wikimedia Commons, "Category:Triumph TR8", https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Triumph_TR8. Database
  114. Wikipedia (EN), Articles (group): "Bill Adam", "Grinnall Specialist Cars", 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org. Unchecked
  115. Wikipedia (EN), "Triumph TR8", 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_TR8. Unchecked

Contents

Sources

  • Primarymade at the time, by the maker or by people who were there
  • Referenceserious later work: clubs, specialists, magazines, books
  • Databaseresults and listings, entry by entry
  • Uncheckedencyclopaedias and enthusiast sites: cited beside a good source, named in the sentence, or marked Unchecked
  1. Road & Track, "Triumph TR8: Good news from the other side" (road test), Jun 1980, pp. 76–79, pp. 76–79. Primary
  2. Don Sherman, "Triumph TR8" (road test), Car and Driver, Aug 1980, pp. 36–40, pp. 36–40. Primary
  3. Jaguar Rover Triumph Inc. (Leonia, N.J.), Triumph TR8 (sales brochure), USA, printed 4/80, 1980, the specification panel. Primary
  4. Paul Towle and Rex Holford (update) and Mark Elbers (update), "TR7 & TR8 Identification & Production Data Explained", TR Drivers Club, 1987, updated (© 2016), the whole guide; the identification and production guide. Reference
  5. R. Hurdwell (BL Motorsport, Abingdon), "TR8 Modifications" (memo, 4 pp.), BL Motorsport (via the Triumph Wedge Owners Association), 16 Dec 1980, pp. 1–4. Primary
  6. Michael L. Cook, "1981 Triumph TR8: Fast and Last", Special Interest Autos, no. 156, Nov–Dec 1996, pp. 10–17, pp. 10–17. Reference
  7. racingsportscars.com, "All Results of Triumph TR8" (1979–1999), All Results of Triumph TR8; the race pages, 1979–81. Database
  8. Wikipedia (EN), "Triumph TR8", 2026, introduction. Unchecked
  9. Fred M. H. Gregory, "TR8 V-8: A mighty Triumph" (road test), with the sidebar "A String of Triumphs", Motor Trend, Jun 1980, the data panel; the road test and "A String of Triumphs". Primary
  10. Walt Woron, "1980 Triumph TR8 Convertible: RT's Selection for 'Best New Sports Car of 1980'", Road Test (US), Jul 1980, pp. 16, 83–86, p. 86, the data panel; pp. 16, 83–86. Primary
  11. Thos L. Bryant, "New from Britain: Triumph TR7 Convertible & TR8", Road & Track (reprinted by the TR Drivers Club), 1979, page 1 of the reprint. Primary
  12. John Miles, "Miles Behind the Wheel: America's TR8", Autocar, 1979 (May, according to triumphtr8.com), "Miles Behind the Wheel". Primary
  13. Don Green, "Triumph TR8: a 20,000-mile durability run", Motor Trend (probably: not printed on the scans), 1980 or 1981, pp. 1, 2 and 5. Primary
  14. Clive Richardson ("C.R."), "The TR7 makes a quiet British bow", Motor Sport, Feb 1975, p. 30, the American launch. Primary
  15. Jeremy Walton, "Abingdon finds a new Healey called Triumph", Motor Sport, Sep 1978, p. 30, the V8 rally car. Primary
  16. "C.R.", "The Triumph TR7 Drophead" ("Sunshine Seven"), Motor Sport, Apr 1980, p. 35, p. 35. Primary
  17. Jeremy Walton ("J.W."), "A TR7 for Le Mans", Motor Sport, May 1980, p. 37, the Le Mans entry. Primary
  18. British Leyland Motors Inc. / Jaguar Rover Triumph (via triumphtr8.com), TR8 documents (group): handbooks AKM4335 and AKM4779, workshop and injection guides, parts books, and two sales brochures, the early US sales brochure, printed "9/77". Primary
  19. Jaguar Rover Triumph Inc. (via triumphtr8.com), Window labels (suggested retail price and EPA economy) of a 1980 TR8 convertible (49-state, carburettor) and a 1981 TR8 (injected), 1980, the two window labels. Primary
  20. California Air Resources Board (via the Triumph Wedge Owners Association), California Air Resources Board executive orders A-5-47 (1979 model year), A-5-49 (1980) and A-220-5 (1981), with supplemental data sheets, 22 Feb 1979; 18 Mar 1980; Mar 1981, orders A-5-47, A-5-49 and A-220-5. Primary
  21. Jaguar Rover Triumph Inc. (via the Triumph Wedge Owners Association), "1980 Competition Awards Program – SCCA National Events" (Competition News release), 1980, Competition News: SCCA National awards. Primary
  22. Canley Classics, "TR7 & TR8 Experimental Records", the experimental fleet and the Measham lists. Primary
  23. British Motor Museum (BMIHT), "Heritage Certificates", service description. Primary
  24. Rex Holford, "A Brief History of the TR8", TR Drivers Club, the whole article. Reference
  25. TR Drivers Club, "Early Cars: TR8" (data panel), the data panel. Reference
  26. James TenCate, "Production Numbers – A Detective Story", TR Driver (TR Drivers Club), 2012 no. 2, the whole article. Reference
  27. Chris Turner (credited by the club), "The Works Triumph TR7 V8 Rally Cars" and the car pages (group), TR Drivers Club, the rally history and the car pages. Reference
  28. Jim Johnson, TR7 Sprint articles (group): "The Original TR7 Sprint", "Update June 2005", "Early TR7 Sprint Competition Cars", TR Drivers Club, "The Original TR7 Sprint". Reference
  29. Triumph Wedge Owners Association, Document pages (group): "TR8", "Memos", "Brochures", TSB indexes, "Deciphering the Wedge", "Component Serial Numbers", "TR8 Cooling Fan System", "TR8 ECU", the document pages and service bulletin indexes. Reference
  30. Triumph Wedge Owners Association, "The Club", "The Club". Reference
  31. Michael Hart, "Counting TR7 Spiders: A Day at the Gaydon Archive", Triumph Wedge Owners Association, © 2013, the whole article. Reference
  32. Malcolm Paris (compiler), "Triumph TR7 / TR7 V8 and TR8 Buyers Guide", TR Register, facts, performance and FAQ. Reference
  33. TR Register, Buyer's guide pages (group): "Buyer's Guide" (general), "Triumph TR3 Buyers Guide", "Triumph TR3A Buyers Guide", the general buyer's guide. Reference
  34. Vintage Triumph Register, "TR8", with the buyer's guides page, "TR8". Reference
  35. triumphtr8.com, "Right hand drive TR8 Home Market UK" and "TR8 RHD Production Story", modified 23 May 2026, both pages. Reference
  36. triumphtr8.com, "TR8's Genuine Factory cars: History & Authentication" and "Is it a genuine TR8?", 6 Jun 2026, both pages. Reference
  37. triumphtr8.com, Variant pages (group): "FHC TR8 (ACN) 1977", "FHC TR8 (TCN) 1978–1979", "TR8 (TCV) 1979 DHC", "TR8 (TP) 1980", "DHC TR8 (SAT) 1981/82", the variant pages. Reference
  38. triumphtr8.com, Pages (group): "TR8 VIN/CHASSIS", "TR8 Paint Codes", "TR8 trim codes", "TR8 Documents", "TR8 Adverts", "TR8 Clubs", "TR8 Efi – Injection system and sensors", "WL9 Camshaft", "Leyland Special Tuning", "TR8 FIA RAC", "TR8 Auto Choke", "TR8 Badges where do they go?", parts pages, posts "RHD TR8 UK SPEC" and "Round Britain Reliability Run 2023", TR8 VIN/CHASSIS; TR8 Documents; the parts pages. Reference
  39. triumphtr8.com, "Production Figures for the TR8", 5 Jan 2026, the whole page. Reference
  40. triumphtr8.com, Pages (group): "TR8 Press Cars UK", "TR8 Press Articles and Cuttings" (21 Mar 2026), "Classic and Sports Car TR8 Article" (9 Apr 2026), 2026, TR8 Press Articles and Cuttings. Reference
  41. triumphtr8.com, "TR8 How Fast", 10 Feb 2026, the whole page. Reference
  42. triumphtr8.com, "European Spec LHD TR8's", 27 Dec 2025, the whole page. Reference
  43. triumphtr8.com, "Rover V8", 12 Aug 2026, the engine prefixes. Reference
  44. triumphtr8.com, Pages (group): "FHC V8's 'TR8 Pre Production'", "TR8s with Creative Histories" and its linked case page, "Triumph TR8 RHD vs LHD: Factory Conversion Myths", "Buying a TR8", "TR8 Test, Development. EXP cars", the case pages. Reference
  45. Michael Lamm, "1st Drive in the Triumph TR8", British Car, Feb–Mar 1999, pp. 46–48, pp. 46–48. Reference
  46. Aaron Severson, "Way of the Wedge: The Triumph TR7 and TR8", Ate Up With Motor, 5 Feb 2012, pp. 1–5, p. 4, and the notes on sources. Reference
  47. Chris Cowin, "History: Exporting British cars to the USA – Part Two", AROnline, 31 May 2025, updated 21 Oct 2025, the TR8. Reference
  48. Chris Cowin, "History: Exporting British cars to Canada – Part Two: The British Leyland Years", AROnline, 19 Aug 2025, the TR8. Reference
  49. Keith Adams, "The Cars: Triumph TR7/TR8 development story", AROnline, updated 8 Feb 2024, the TR8. Reference
  50. Richard Truett, "Tested: Ford Capri 2.8 Injection vs Triumph TR8", AROnline, 29 Dec 2020, the whole test. Reference
  51. Moss Motoring, "Bob Tullius, Group 44 Inc.", 5 Apr 2009, the whole article. Reference
  52. Hilton Holloway, "Triumph revival on again", Autocar, 29 Feb 2012, the Triumph name. Reference
  53. Classic & Sports Car, Triumph TR8 comparison: a left-hand-drive personal-export car and the BL Motorsport right-hand-drive development car, May 2026, the excerpt on triumphtr8.com. Reference
  54. tr8.com, "The 1982 Model Year TR7's & 8's", "The 1982 Model Year TR7's & 8's". Unchecked
  55. Lancaster Insurance, "The Triumph TR8 remembered", 12 May 2022, the whole article. Unchecked
  56. Wikipedia (EN), Articles (group): "Bill Adam", "Grinnall Specialist Cars", 2026, "Bill Adam"; "Grinnall Specialist Cars". Unchecked

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