Dollars for TR3s
It is becoming increasingly difficult to think-up new publicity stunts but Mr. I. J. Penrice, Publicity Manager of the Standard Motor Co., Ltd., scored a distinct triumph in this direction when he heard that 40 members of the American Triumph Sports Owners’ Association wished to purchase new TR3s.
He chartered a Douglas DC-7C aircraft from B.O.A.C. and flew 80 U.S. enthusiasts to London Airport, where they were met by the Press during the morning of May 4th. After their images had been committed to many hundreds of feet of camera and cine film, the American visitors took delivery of their gleaming new Triumph TR3s and drove, in imposing convoy, to “The Bull” at Gerrards Cross for lunch.
Each TR3 wore English number plates, having been taxed for a quarter and lightly run-in, and the cars were, of course, as specified by their new owners, some red, many white, a few hard-tops but the majority open 2/4-seaters, some with the available “extras,” some on Dunlop Road Speed, others on Michelin X tyres. One young lady, drove her Triumph away solo, followed by many pairs of envious male eyes.
After lunch the convoy proceeded to the inevitable Stratford-on-Avon overnight stop. Sunday was a free day, on the Monday the Americans were entertained to another lunch at the Standard works and shown the TR3 production-line, and on the Tuesday they left for a T.S.O.A. rally on the Continent — another of this club’s non-competitive social rallies but with each car flying British and American flags and carrying a small numbered rally plaque.
Altogether this rally was a very neat way of emphasising that the Triumph TR3, as Motor Sport wrote last month , is selling extremely well in dollar markets, 90 per cent of the output of this value-for-money Coventry sports car being exported. We were glad to hear that B.O.A.C. co-operated splendidly in Mr. Penrice’s ingenious venture.
Motorsport Magazine, June 1957