End of an era?

Press, 28 May 1981, Page 19

End of an era?

NZPA London The traditional massproduced British sports car has reached the end of the line. The stylish open-topped cars represented by the i grand marques of MG and the Triumph TR range have finally been killed off by economic pressures. j The knell for the cars, much-loved by enthusiasts. 1

was sounded’ earlier this month by Mr Michael Edwards, the chairman of the giant State-owned car maker, British Leyland. Mr Edwards, who shut down the MG amid worldwide protests last year, put the Triumph TR7 on the hit list of a new BL economy push. ' His decision leaves the high-class Morgan as the

only traditional sports car still under construction in Britain — the original home of the sports car. To ge,t a new Morgan enthusiasts have to wait for as long as a year and then come up with more than $23,000 for the privilege. The demise of the TR7 and its pedigree stretching back to the Triumph Roadster and the TR2, has been forced on BL, the company says.

The high value of sterling has forced up costs in the United States — the main market for the TR7 -- and hit sales there. The Solihull factory where it and many Rover' cars are made will be closed, five years after it opened as a showpiece factory. More than 3000 jobs will go, and the factory will be put “in mothballs "