1968 Triumph TR5 PI Roadster

• 6-cylinder variant of the popular TR4

• First British production car with fuel injection

• “Surrey” style removable hard top for summer fun

• Rare left-hand drive model built for Continental Europe

This classic black 1968 TR5 with an optional fiberglass hard top and red interior was based upon the earlier Giovanni Michelotti-designed TR4 and offered a 2.5 Liter 6-cylinder engine with Lucas mechanical fuel injection.  Offering 150 horsepower in a lightweight chassis with disc front brakes and independent suspension front and rear, the TR5 was aimed solely at the European market while the American Spec TR250, also equipped with the 6-cylinder powerplant but with dual Stromberg carburetors due to cost constraints, had only 111 horsepower. 

The TR5 shown here is a left-hand drive version slated for continental Europe and accounted for slightly more than half of the 2900-unit production of the TR5. Still, the total output for the TR5 paled in comparison to the over 8500 TR250s exported to the US and Canada over two years, making the TR5 a rare and desirable performance roadster. 

This well-restored TR5 appears in high gloss black with a contrasting ivory-colored “surrey” fiberglass hard top and a bright red vinyl interior.  The top features a fabric front section that can be removed for warm weather motoring in the sunshine.  After just 2 years of production, the TR5 and TR250 were replaced by the Karman-designed TR6, losing the fuel injection but retaining the powerful 2.5-liter 6-cylinder engine.

Specifications

Engine: 2498cc OHV inline 6-cylinder, Lucas mechanical “petrol” injection (hence PI on the nameplate)

Transmission: 4-speed manual

Chassis: Front Disc Brakes, Independent Suspension Front and Rear, rack and pinion steering

Performance: 150 horsepower, ¼ mile 16.5 seconds, top speed 120 mph

Weight: 2210 lbs