Triumph · 1946–1954

Triumph Renown

The Triumph Renown is the name given to the large saloon car made by the Triumph Motor Company from 1949 to 1954, but it is actually part of a three-car series that includes the 1800, 2000, and Renown models. Together with the Triumph Roadster, they were the first vehicles to carry the Triumph badge following the company's takeover by the Standard Motor Company.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Predecessor: Triumph 1800 · Successor: Triumph 2000

All Triumph Renown data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years →

Bodywork

The cars were distinctively styled in the later 1930s vogue for Razor Edge coachwork used in the 1940s by others including Austin for its big Sheerline. The six light (featuring three side windows on each side) design and the thin C pillars at the rear of the passenger cabin anticipated the increased window areas that would become a feature of British cars during the 1960s. The car's side profile resembled that of the contemporary Bentley Mark VI saloons, which some felt was more than a coincidence. Similar styling subsequently appeared on the smaller Triumph Mayflower. The Managing Director of the Standard Motor Company at that time, Sir John Black, commissioned the design of the Razoredge saloon. There has been much discussion over the years as to exactly which designers of that period were responsible for the styling but it is very clear from the records that Sir John drove the production forward and used the Triumph name from the prewar Triumph company that had been bought by the Standard Motor Company. The body was built by Mulliners of Birmingham in the traditional coachbuilder's method of sheet metal over a wooden frame. The principal panels were constructed not from steel, which was in short supply in the wake of the Second World War, but from aluminium. It had been used extensively for aircraft manufacture during the war, which had taken place in a number of car plants (known at the time as "shadow factories") in the English Midlands. By the mid-1950s, aluminium had become the more expensive metal, which may have hastened the Renown's demise.

Triumph 1800 Town and Country Saloon (1946–1949)

The 1776 cc, 65 bhp (48 kW) engine and the gearbox for the 1800 came from the pre-war Standard Flying Fourteen (also built 1945–1948). The chassis was fabricated from tubular steel and was a lengthened 108 in (2,743 mm) version of the one on the Roadster with which it also shared its transverse leaf spring front suspension. The cars were well fitted out with leather seats and a wooden dashboard. A total of 4000 were produced. It cost £1425 including purchase tax.

Triumph 2000 TDA (1949)

The 2000 Type TDA was only produced for one year and was essentially a Triumph 1800. The front independent suspension used a transverse leaf spring. The car used the larger 2088 cc four-cylinder engine with a single Solex carburettor as fitted to the Standard Vanguard. The engine produced 68 bhp (51 kW) at 4200 rpm. The 3-speed gearbox with column shift also came from the Vanguard and had synchromesh on all the forward ratios. There was an independent suspension at the front and a solid axle and half-elliptic leaf springs in the rear. Lockheed hydraulic brakes with 9 in (229 mm) drums were fitted. 2000 were produced.

Triumph Renown Mk I TDB (1949–1952)

The car was renamed the Renown in October 1949. It had an entirely new chassis based on the Standard Vanguard with pressed steel sections replacing the tubes previously used. The front suspension changed to coil springing. Although the 3-speed column change transmission was retained, from June 1950 an overdrive unit was offered as an option. Inside there was a new instrument layout. A Renown tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1950. They recorded a top speed of 75.0 mph (120.7 km/h) and a 0–60 mph (97 km/h) acceleration time of 24.3 seconds. A fuel consumption of 23.9 miles per imperial gallon (11.8 L/100 km; 19.9 mpg‑US) was recorded. The test car cost £991 including taxes. Of the 6501 produced, fewer than 100 are known to have survived.

Triumph Renown Limousine (1951–1954)

In 1951, a limousine version was announced with an extra 3 in (76 mm) in the wheelbase. A glass partition was placed behind the driver, separating the front and back of the car. A radio and heater were fitted as standard. A limousine with overdrive tested by The Motor magazine in 1952 had a top speed of 77.5 mph (124.7 km/h) slightly quicker than they had recorded two years earlier for the saloon and could accelerate from 0–60 mph (97 km/h) in 25.0 seconds. The reported fuel consumption was 21.6 miles per imperial gallon (13.1 L/100 km; 18.0 mpg‑US). The test car cost £1440 including taxes. A total of 190 were made, of which only a few remain.

Triumph Renown Mk II TDC (1952–1954)

The final version of the Renown used the longer-wheelbase chassis from the limousine. It is easily distinguished from the earlier cars by virtue of the push button door handles and the wider rear window. Of the 2800 produced, only 150 remain worldwide.

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name: Triumph 1800 , Triumph 2000 TDA , Triumph Renown
Production: 1946–1954 , 15,491 made
Manufacturer: Standard Motor Company
Body style: 4 door saloon, limousine.
Engine: 1766 cc or 2088 cc OHV I4
Transmission: 3-speed manual
Wheelbase: 108 in 1800, 2000 and Renown, 111 in TDC and limousine
Length: 168 in 2000, 178 in Renown, 181 in TDC and limousine
Width: 64 in
Height: 65 in

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

Sources

Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q940701CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_RenownCC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1375591470 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Triumph_Renown_first_registered_April_1954.jpgCC BY-SA 3.0 · Photo: Charles01 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.