Friday, 28 September 2007
Will BMW bring the Triumph brand back? Automotive News columnist speculates; enthusiasts daydream
« J.D. Power and Associates discovers that car buyers rarely cross shop imported and domestic vehicles | Main | General Motors’ future product plan revealed via United Auto Workers contract »A column by Rick Kranz in this week’s edition of Automotive News responds to rumors that BMW is considering the addition of a fourth core brand to its lineup (BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce are the current three). Kranz has an idea: how about Triumph? After all, the revival of the British-marque MINI has created a cult-like following. Pairing Triumph products with MINIs at dealerships makes sense, according to Kranz. And BMW already owns the name Triumph. Kranz lists four reasons for bring back the brand:
1) Triumph is a respected name with “loads of cachet.” Classic models include the ‘50s TR3, ‘60s TR4, ‘60s Spitfire and ‘70s TR6.
2) A good rear-wheel-drive platform already exists in house as the upcoming BMW 1-series. Both naturally-aspirated and turbocharged 3.0-liter inline sixes used across the BMW lineup could be fitted as engines, at least in the U.S.
3) MINI dealers need more diverse inventories. Yes, MINI is adding the Clubman early next year and a crossover is planned, but for now the product line remains limited.
4) A new Spitfire or TR model could slot somewhere in between the entry-level MINI and top-tier BMW Z4. The automaker would then have quite a formidable lineup of small sports cars.
The Automotive News piece generated plenty of conversation at blogs and forums in the automotive world, but the idea of BMW developing the Triumph name has been around for awhile. In January of 2005, Tim Suddard of Grassroots Motorsports posted on this very idea. A year later Jalopnik revived the conservation after running across a piece at MotoringFile. That coverage was a product of BMW protecting ownership of the Triumph name, as reported by Autocar. So while Kranz’s arguments may be valid, his idea is not novel.
If BMW/Triumph could place a two-door rear-wheel-drive sports car at the $20,000 to $25,000 price point, Mazda had better beware. The venerable Miata sits right in that segment, and challengers since the Miata’s debut in 1989 have been few. But a Triumph with BMW engineering underneath could change expectations in the class, if executed properly and priced competitively. We will wait and see.
Source: Automotive News [Subscription required]
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