Britain vs Germany
it wasn’t the fastest car of its time, but these figures were enough in combination with the plush interior for Triumph to claim it had built a car that would impress in the company of German rivals, but at a fraction of the price.
The Dolomite did actually gain some motorsport credentials, but there was no escaping the fact that the good-value standard road car couldn’t compete with some punchier rivals, the BMW 2002 being one example. As such, 1973 saw the unveiling of the sportier 16-valve Dolomite Sprint, which boasted significantly higher performance (see specifications box at the top of page 21).
The Sprint was well received by motorists and the Triumph remains a popular choice of classic performance car today. It is still being used in historic racing, too.
YOU can just about still buy a British “executive” saloon today, although Jaguar seems more focused on luxury SUVs than replacing the XE or XF. It’s German brands Audi, BMW and Mercedes that dominate the market.
So, on the 50th anniversary of both the Triumph Dolomite and Audi 80, we took the opportunity to compare these two cars half a century on to see if it could have been the watershed moment for German saloons getting the better of our home-grown ones.
For this comparison, we got hold of an Audi 80 – a 1975 GT model to be precise – and took it up to the British Motor
Museum at Gaydon, where the curators were kind enough to lend us a Triumph Dolomite, a 1980 Sprint model, and the very last example to roll off the production line.
Lining these two cars up next to each other, there are some clear similarities, with the four-headlight design at the front being the most obvious. The Dolomite Sprint also features some sporty styling cues, but without them – as per the basic version (see panel, right) – the pair are similarly understated.
That being said, although both these models were originally launched in 1972, the Audi looks and feels newer – and that’s not just because of its vibrant orange paintwork outshining the maroon finish of the Dolomite. The 80 has a lower, wider stance that makes it seem more contemporary compared with the Dolomite. Its lines are sleeker and neater, too.
There’s a similar story inside. The Audi’s neat, dark interior must have felt modern at the time; you certainly don’t feel as though you’re sitting in an antique 50 years on. The Triumph feels more like a classic car, though, with its spongy seats and dated controls.
Today, however, there’s something comforting about the Dolomite’s cabin. In fact, if a classic ambience is what you want, then it’s understandable why you’d opt for a Triumph. That’s even more the case on the road. While our time driving these cars was limited – and neither model comes anywhere close to current standards – the Dolomite was noticeably spirited and fun behind the wheel, while the Audi 80 felt more refined but still eager.
It’s easy to see why someone would take the Audi 80 as an everyday car back in the seventies, but judging from this experience, the Dolomite must have still held some appeal, so it’s not all bad news for Triumph.
Then again, Triumph is a firm that can trace its 19thcentury roots back to Germany and whose branding is currently owned by BMW, so perhaps it’s fitting that we Brits love to buy German saloon cars in the 21st century.