Description
This lot will be auctioned via Iconic Auctioneers, The Iconic Sale at the NEC Classic Motor Show 2024 - Cars on Saturday the 9th of November, NEC, Birmingham, B40 1NT. Sharp, clean and ruggedly handsome, the TR6 looked far more modern than TR roadsters of old and proved a huge hit with the sporting driver of the early 1970s. Restyled in 1969 by Karmann of Osnabruck, it gained a full width nose and a squared-off tail, however under its new 'party frock', the chassis remained basically the same as its independently-rear-suspended TR5 predecessor. Handling was improved courtesy of wider wheels and a front anti-roll bar and the 6 was a little more refined than its predecessors featuring pile carpets, plush looking bucket seats, a traditional wooden dashboard and a full complement of instrumentation.
The 150bhp 2. 5-litre Lucas fuel-injected straight-six power unit was initially unchanged but was detuned to 125bhp for the US-market and subsequently for the UK-market from 1973 onwards to meet stricter emissions regulations. Even in the later detuned specification, it could still hit 60mph in just 9. 5 seconds with a top speed of 116mph.
This is an original home-market, UK-supplied, right-hand drive car and according to its Heritage Certificate, was built on 29th January 1974, fitted with overdrive and finished in Mimosa with a black interior, a colour scheme that it proudly displays to this day. However, instead of being sold through the normal dealer network, RDU 998M was seconded by the factory 'Press and Publicity Department' to be used as a Road Test car, offered on short term loan to prominent motoring journalists in the hope of attracting lots of favourable publicity. This was certainly the case and the car regularly appeared in magazine features and newspaper articles. Thoroughbred and Classic Cars magazine ran a feature on RDU in their January 1975 issue and pleasingly, there is a copy of this in the Owners File. Naturally, during the period when it was being presented to the press, it was washed, polished and maintained on a daily basis in order to create the most favourable impression.
Our vendor has owned this car since 2019 and covered a mere 132 miles in that time. In his own words - 'I have proudly displayed it at local classic car shows as it still presents really well today with good shut lines, excellent paintwork, well cared for interior, a tidy engine bay, and a smart black hood. I have had the brake system overhauled including fitting a new brake servo and master cylinder. Prior to my ownership, this lovely TR was family-owned for 15 years. A regular at Owners Club events, RDU 998M is well known and well regarded within the Triumph community. The current indicated mileage is 42, 629 and, as you might expect from an enthusiast owned car, it's accompanied by lots of unique history, period brochures, Press Pack, original documents, manuals, the Heritage Certificate, old tax discs, and previous MOT Certificates'.
Sensibly guided, this is a very special TR6, part of Triumph's history and would be very welcome at any gathering of Triumph enthusiasts.
