The Triumph 20TS was a prototype

sports car A sports car is a car designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as handling, acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving and racing capability. Sports cars originated in Europe in the early 1900s and are currently produced by ...

shown by Standard-Triumph in October 1952 at the

London Motor Show London Motor Show, formerly the London Motorfair, is a motor show in England. It was held biannually at Earls Court Exhibition Centre, from 1977 to 1999. When the event won the support of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and P&O ...

. Extensive development of the 20TS led to the introduction of the

Triumph TR2 The Triumph TR2 is a sports car produced by the Standard Motor Company in the United Kingdom between 1953 and 1955. It was only available in roadster form. The car had a 121 cid (1991 cc) four-cylinder Standard wet liner inline-fou ...

in March 1953 at the Geneva Motor Show, after which the 20TS was unofficially referred to as the Triumph TR1. Only one example of this car was ever made by

Triumph The Roman triumph (Latin triumphus) was a celebration for a victorious military commander in ancient Rome. For later imitations, in life or in art, see Trionfo. Numerous later uses of the term, up to the present, are derived directly or indirectl ...

Concept and design

The 20TS was built using existing components: its engine came from the

Standard Vanguard The Standard Vanguard is a car which was produced by the Standard Motor Company in Coventry, England, from 1947 until 1963. The car was announced in July 1947, was completely new, with no resemblance to the previous models, and, designed in 19 ...

, its suspension from the Triumph Mayflower, and its chassis from the Standard 8 hp, itself based on the pre-war Standard Flying Nine. The body was designed to be built economically, with no panels requiring double-action presswork. Economy of design was considered vital, as the company did not expect high sales figures and had targeted a price of £500 before sales tax. The rear of the car was short and curved and had the spare tyre bolted to it.

Earls Court, Ken Richardson, and the TR2

The 20TS was shown to the public in October 1952 at the

Earls Court Earl's Court is a district of Kensington in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in West London, bordering the rail tracks of the West London line and District line that separate it from the ancient borough of Fulham to the west, the ...

. Reactions to the 20TS were mixed. Criticisms included a tight interior and lack of boot space. To get an opinion of the car's performance and handling at speed, Standard-Triumph chairman Sir John Black invited BRM development engineer and test driver Ken Richardson to drive it. Richardson had a low opinion of the 20TS's performance and handling, describing it as a "death-trap" with poor handling and a top speed of , short of Black's target of : Upon hearing Richardson's assessment, Black asked him to help redesign the car. Richardson tuned and modified the engine and worked with Triumph engineers to increase the brake size, modify the front suspension, and experiment with rear springs and shocks. A stronger frame with improved torsional rigidity was designed. Meanwhile, the stylists widened and lengthened the car for more interior room and boot space, mounting the spare wheel inside the boot. The result was the Triumph TR2, introduced in March 1953 at the Geneva Motor Show.

Legacy

The 20TS was the origin of the

Triumph TR The Triumph TR range of cars was built between 1953 and 1981 by the Triumph Motor Company in the United Kingdom. Changes from the TR2 to the TR6 were mostly evolutionary, with a change from a live axle to independent rear suspension in 1965 and a ...

sports car line, and was referred to unofficially as the TR1 after the introduction of the TR2. It is unknown whether the 20TS exists today. According to Bill Piggott, the car might have been scrapped to provide parts for a TR2 prototype.

Concept and design

Earls Court, Ken Richardson, and the TR2

Legacy

References

Further reading