Triumph TR25 electric sports car concept revealed
British car-maker’s classic Triumph TR2 reborn as modern EV roadster, based on BMW i3sTriumph fans, rejoice! A new all-electric sports car concept – the Triumph TR25 – was unveiled in the UK overnight, rekindling a flame that still burns inside Aussie enthusiasts of the classic British marque.
Just as Chinese auto giant SAIC is returning MG to its roots with the new 2024 MG Cyberster – and is looking at more affordable models in the family – London-based automotive design firm Makkina has worked in partnership with BMW (owner of the Triumph brand) to tap into the fast-growing EV sports car segment.
Triumph was the arch-rival of MG last century, its TR range of two-seater sports cars running from the mid-1950s with the much-loved TR2 until the early 1980s, when the less-successful TR7 bowed out.
The original TR2 is still highly sought-after among classic car enthusiasts, and its basic premise of fun and affordability in a compact sports car have driven the development of this modern-era battery-electric TR25.
It’s based on the BMW i3 platform and, according to the little-known Makkina, pays homage to the Triumph TR2 MVC575 – aka the Jabekke TR2 – which competed in the 1953 speed trials in Jabekke, northern Belgium, where it clocked 124.889mph (200.984km/h) to break the land speed record for sub-2.0L production cars.
The Jabekke TR2 was a pre-production prototype, which is a neat tie-in with the TR25 that for now remains a tantalising concept.
Design elements referencing the MVC575 include its headlight treatment, aero-honed bodywork and minimalist single-seat cockpit with optional flip-out jump seat for the passenger.
The TR25 is claimed to have a near 50:50 weight distribution, helped by the low centre of gravity and compact proportions of the BMW i3, which is no longer in production.
Compared to the donor i3s, the TR25 rests on the same 2570mm wheelbase and measures 4032mm long (+26mm), 1826mm wide (+35mm) and 1045mm high (-545mm). It has a shorter front but longer rear overhang at 675/786mm respectively and, importantly, is 195kg lighter at 1095kg.
It uses the same MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension as the i3s, but employs 300mm disc brakes all-round (+20mm) and one-inch-bigger 21-inch alloy wheels with Pirelli P Zero 255/35-section tyres.
Using the same 135kW/270Nm single electric motor, the rear-drive TR25’s notional 0-100km/h acceleration is 5.2sec (-1.7sec) and top speed 185km/h (+25km/h).
Driving range from its “reconfigured” 42.2kWh lithium-ion battery is a claimed 306km (+24km).
Makkina describes the TR25 as “the next chapter in British sports car history” but there’s no suggestion at this stage that it’s heading for production.
There is, however, a current listing on carsales (at the time of writing) for a stunning 1954 Triumph TR2 for less than $60,000. Check it out here…
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