The Italia was born from an agreement between Triumph and its Italian importer to offer a car which married sumptuous Italian bodywork with the dependability of British mechanicals. Its TR3 underpinnings also meant spare parts were plentiful and easy to source. Once Giovanni Michelotti had penned the Maserati 3500-esque coachwork, the chassis and drivetrains were shipped to Italy and then bodied by Vignale in Turin.

Though seemingly a marriage made in heaven, the collaboration was short-lived; Triumph's new owner, Leyland Motors, withdrew its support for the project, deciding instead to concentrate its resources on developing the TR4. As a result, just over 300 Italias were produced and, despite selling slowly in period due to their premium over the standard TR3, they’re now highly sought after.

This 1961 example is currently being offered by Dutch Classic Driver dealer Altena Classic Service for 77,500 euros.

Photos: Marc Vorgers