The Triumph Spitfire made its debut at the London Motor Show in 1962 as a two-seat English sports car. It was conceived to be part of the small sports car market, a rival to the Austin-Healey Sprite. For this project, Triumph planned to use the mechanical work from the Herald, its small saloon. It would have a separate chassis, which was among its core advantages. Italian designer Michelotti thought of creating a swooping auto body for this project. The Spitfire would have wind-up windows and a single-piece front end that would tilt forward for easier engine access. The production of this car, however, was put on hold in the midst of Standard-Triumph's financial woes. Eventually, Leyland took over and produced the car based on Michelotti's prototype.
1962-1964: Triumph Spitfire 4/Mark I
Slight changes were done on the prototype for the production of the Spitfire 4 or Mark I. This was powered by a 1.1L 4-cylinder engine with a pushrod OHV cylinder head and 2 valves per cylinder. Twin SU carburetors were used. Based on UK specifications, the engine could produce up to 63 bhp at 5,750 rpm and 67 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,500 rpm. With a top speed of 92 mph, accelerating from 0 to 60 mph would take about 17.3 seconds. It had a 31 mpg average fuel consumption. For 1964, an overdrive option became available to the 4-speed manual gearbox.
1965-1967: Triumph Spitfire Mark II
The Spitfire Mark II was released in 1965, resembling the Mark I in many ways. The Mark II, however, had a more finely tuned engine. Power was rated at 67 bhp at 6,000 rpm. Maximum speed came at 96mph. Acceleration from 0 to 60 mph would take 15.5 seconds. The car could record a 31.7 mpg at highway speeds. Some of the upgrades included the use of a Borg and Beck diaphragm spring clutch, new grille and badges, redesigned seats, and molded carpet.
1967-1970: Triumph Spitfire Mark III
The Mark III came out in 1967. It received a major facelift, with a raised front bumper and a redesigned front end. Aside from exterior upgrades, some improvements were also done for the interior, including the use of a wood-veneer instrument surround, among other features.
The Spitfire also came equipped with a bored-out 1,296 cc engine that could produce up to 75 bhp and 75 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm. The car could reach 60 mph in about 14.5 seconds at a top speed of 95mph. Average fuel consumption was rated at 33mpg. Beginning in 1969, some changes were done on US models to comply with the regulations for safety and emissions.
1970-1974: Triumph Spitfire Mark IV
The most remarkable changes on the Spitfire could be seen through Mark IV, which had a revised cut-off rear end and featured a more cleaned-up front end. The interior was also upgraded with a full-width dashboard, among other features. In 1973, its engine was upgraded with larger big-end bearings. Maximum power was rated at 63 bhp at 6,000 rpm, with 69 lb.-ft. torque at 3,500 rpm. It would take 16.2 seconds to jump from 0 to 60 mph at top speed of 90 mph. Fuel economy was rated at 32mpg. Performance dipped slightly because of the changes made to the Mark IV. In this Triumph Spitfire model, the rear suspension was de-cambered and redesigned. A hardtop model was available with rear quarter lights and a flatter rear screen.
1974-1980: Triumph Spitfire 1500
The Spitfire 1500 was powered by a 1500 engine. For the US and Canada, this took place in 1973, while the rest of the world welcomed this change in the Spitfire in 1975. The Spitfire 1500 could produce 71 bhp at 5,500 rpm and 82 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,000 rpm. Maximum speed was rated at 100 mph and acceleration to 60 mph could be achieved in about 13.2 seconds. Fuel consumption was rated at 29 mpg. The Spitfire had its final run as a 1980 model.