1966 Triumph Herald
Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti styled angular bodywork that departed from traditional British compact car design.
Separate chassis construction allowed multiple body configurations including saloon, coupe, convertible, and estate variants. All outer panels bolted to the frame, while the entire front end hinged forward as a single unit, providing exceptional engine access.
The Herald 1200 used an enlarged 70-cubic-inch (1.1-liter) overhead-valve four-cylinder producing 48 bhp through a four-speed manual transmission. Independent suspension at all four corners combined with rack-and-pinion steering to deliver a roughly 25-foot turning circle, often compared to London taxi maneuverability.
Chrome bumpers with rubber-faced overriders, a wood-laminate dashboard, and revised seating distinguished the 1200 from earlier 948cc models. Interior trim and minor exterior updates gave the car a more upmarket feel without altering its basic mechanical layout.
Production ran from 1961 through 1970 with approximately 290,000 examples built across all body styles. The coupe disappeared from the range in late 1964 following the introduction of the Spitfire sports car. Straightforward mechanical design and bolt-together construction simplified maintenance and repair work.
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