Triumph Vitesse
ENGINE 1596cc/6-cyl/OHV POWER 70bhp@5000rpm TORQUE 92lb ft@2800rpm MAXIMUM SPEED 91mph 0-60MPH 15.5sec FUEL CONSUMPTION 20-25mpg TRANSMISSION RWD, four-speed manual MoT July 2020 ODOMETER 20,075 miles
WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?
We doubt that you’ll get behind the wheel of a Triumph Vitesse that drives better than this one. The smooth six-cylinder engine provides far more power than you’d ever dare to tap into and it sounds wonderfully smooth. The gearchange is slick (though there’s no overdrive) and the steering light and accurate, exactly as a Triumph Vitesse would have been in period. Handling was never classleading and yes, taking a couple of sharp bends at speed makes you realise that you could become swing axle unstuck if you were stupid enough to hurl this car around, especially on a wet, greasy road. The recently overhauled brakes are the best you’ll find on one of these cars.
BODYWORK CHECK
This Vitesse has been undersealed from new and is beautifully preserved throughout. The chassis is like new and there is no rot anywhere on the car. The original Gunmetal paint (with white flash) gleams and has no significant blemishes in it. You have to look hard to spot the tiny amount of well-executed touching-in above the rear wheel arch and the original brightwork has survived extremely well, with only a couple of tiny scratches of note. The radial tyres are in excellent condition, with plenty of tread remaining.
HOW’S THE INTERIOR?
Prepare to be amazed – this all-original interior looks as if it belongs to a car that has just left the showroom in 1964. Even the wooden dash gleams like new, with all the instruments and switches unmarked and working as they’re supposed to. There’s not so much as a tiny nick in the seats and the condition of the headlining will leave you open-mouthed. As for the door cards and carpets, they’re spot on. The Britax front seatbelts appear to have been there from new and are in excellent condition.
UNDER THE BONNET
The immaculate engine bay shows no sign of leaks or seepage. It’s very much all original here and everything is in excellent order. There’s the tiniest spot of surface rust between the brake/clutch fluid filler caps on the bulkhead, but all of the visible front suspension and chassis sections are in excellent condition and the clutch is new.
THE CCW VIEW
This concours, all-original Triumph Vitesse is virtually as it left the factory – mentioning the tiny paintwork issues seems rather churlish, in fact – and comes with a vast amount of original paperwork. The vendor bought the car eight years ago and is only selling it because his wife wants an MG. As an aside, this Vitesse took part in the 2012 London Olympics procession, so it even has a bit of famous provenance. Not cheap, but what price for the best?