1973 Autocar Triumph Dolomite Sprint road test report...

For everything to do with Dolomites, Toledos, FWD cars and Dolomite-based kitcars.
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grifterkid

1973 Autocar Triumph Dolomite Sprint road test report...

#1 Post by grifterkid »

I am sure you good folks have seen/read this before but I thought I'd put it up here for those of you that haven't...!

It's a great period piece and really shows how much the motoring press loved the Dolomite Sprint when it was first launched way back in 1973...

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Big thanks & credits have to go to 'Trigger' who scanned this article in &, along with hundreds of others, can be viewed here...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/triggerscarstuff/

...That little lot is well worth a peruse!
Jon Tilson
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Re: 1973 Autocar Triumph Dolomite Sprint road test report...

#2 Post by Jon Tilson »

Note the staggering prices for the Bmw 2002tii and the Alfa, which presumably was the coupe? I think the berlina was a bit more reasonable.

Think the XJ6 was about 2.5k around then....and the 3500S p6 somewhere in between...(both do the mid 120's top end..)

Jonners
Note from Admin: sadly Jon passed away in February 2018 but his humour and wealth of knowledge will be fondly remembered by all. RIP Jonners.
grifterkid

Re: 1973 Autocar Triumph Dolomite Sprint road test report...

#3 Post by grifterkid »

Does the car from this article still exist...?!
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covcourier
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Location: Coventry and beyond.........

Re: 1973 Autocar Triumph Dolomite Sprint road test report...

#4 Post by covcourier »

FRW797L VA1 last taxed 01/01/83 Reg 11/01/73 - in Coventry museum
FRW798L gone from DVLA
FRW799L gone from DVLA
FRW800L gone from DVLA
FRW801L last taxed 01/09/84 Reg 19/01/73
FRW802L VA6 sorned 02/03/13 Reg 12/01/73 - subject of this thread
FRW803L gone from DVLA
FRW804L gone from DVLA
FRW805L gone from DVLA
FRW806L gone from DVLA
FRW807L last taxed 01/08/82 Reg 14/02/73
FRW808L Last taxed 01/11/82 Reg 14/02/73
FRW809L Last taxed 24/06/84 REg 19/02/73
FRW810L gone from DVLA
FRW811L Last taxed 01/01/84 Reg 01/02/73
FRW812L Taxed until 01/10/13 Reg 01/02/73 - Brian ****** ST Rally Car, Did this car go to Geneva?
FRW813L Last Taxed 01/06/84 Reg 06/02/73
FRW814L gone from DVLA
FRW815L Last Taxed 25/11/83 Reg 07/02/73
FRW816L Last Taxed 01/08/83 REg 20/2/73
FRW817L Gone from DVLA
FRW818L Last Taxed 26/07/75 Reg 01/03/73
FRW819L Last Taxed 01/03/85 Reg 01/03/73
FRW820L Last Taxed 24/04/83 REg 01/03/73
***I'd rather ask for forgiveness after than seek permission before!!***
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VYO 372M

Re: 1973 Autocar Triumph Dolomite Sprint road test report...

#5 Post by VYO 372M »

Jon Tilson wrote:Note the staggering prices for the Bmw 2002tii and the Alfa

Jonners
The sprint was an absolute bargain (at first) by comparison with the competition listed in the article. I doubt none of those cars were anywhere near as well appointed as the sprint. The beemer appeared to offer very marginally better performance, but was a staggering £1000 pounds more money! You'd have to be hard pressed to justify the extra expense of the beemer in comparison to the sprint in my opinion. Even the spartan Escort was slightly more expensive to buy when the sprint was first introduced!

Steve
grifterkid

Re: 1973 Autocar Triumph Dolomite Sprint road test report...

#6 Post by grifterkid »

It is amazing how keenly the Sprint was priced on launch...

Triumph could have easily charged a couple of hundred more and still had a bargain in the showroom!!!

With the extra cash generated from that they could have worked on developing a Sprint Turbo or such like to really put something super, SUPER, hot at the top of the tree... :roll:

Failing that they could have spent the extra money on sorting the Stag out...!!!
Jon Tilson
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Re: 1973 Autocar Triumph Dolomite Sprint road test report...

#7 Post by Jon Tilson »

What have the UK motor industry launched since that was so blindingly class leading?

The SD1 Rover was a pretty big deal at launch but the build quality issues didn't take too long to knock the gloss off.
I liked the series 3 XJ6 too. The XJ40 was naff and they didn't get it right again until the X300, but it was still hardly class leading
against the various Beemers and Mercs. XJR was seriously cool though.

The R8 was ok but still too much a Honda....nobody preserves them now do they?

Rangies have been good and I like the MGF but I'm struggling to see even them as so far ahead of the competition.
When the Sprint came out you couldn't really make a case for buying anything else....some of us would say you still can't.

Jonners
Note from Admin: sadly Jon passed away in February 2018 but his humour and wealth of knowledge will be fondly remembered by all. RIP Jonners.
grifterkid

Re: 1973 Autocar Triumph Dolomite Sprint road test report...

#8 Post by grifterkid »

Agree with you 110% Jon...!

The Sprint broke the mould in a way that really pushed things forward, not just for Triumph, but for other car makers too...

I think, in a way, it might have been too ahead of its time engine wise...!

Let's all just be thankful that it was put in to production :wink:
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