When Triumph peeled the wraps off the Herald saloon
in 1959, British small cars took a turn for the better.
Nothing quite like it had been seen before. Its
sharp lines signalled the end of boroing styling that had been
the hallmark of prevoius small British cars.
The Herald was the work of Italian styling guru
Michelotti. Its radical styling was in sharp contrat to its dumpy
litlle predecessors, the Standard and 10.
With its long bonnet hinged on the radiator, the
entire front end could be lifted to allow unhindered access to
the engine, which was another breakthrough. And the Herald had
a lot more to offer eager buyers than just a pretty face. With
towns becoming increasingly more congested, the car had another
ace up its sleeve - a 25ft turning circle.
Soon after its release, the cute Herald Coupe,
with twin "go-faster" carburettors was launched, That
was quickly followed by a pretty convertable model in 1960.
Over the years the model range increased to include
a good-looking estate, a van and the Vitesse model - the star
of the range. It came with smart new twin headlights and a flying
1,600cc engine that moved the Herald a step up motoring's performance
ladder.
And it was the humble Herald that eventually sired
the successful Triumph Spitfire sports car range.
Today, all Heralds are collectables - especially
the coupe and the Vitesse convertables.
