Triumph Breaks Hibernation With A Cute TR25 Roadster Concept

Triumph Motor Company were well known for their cars back in the 1950s and 60s before retiring in 1984. 2023 marks 100 years since the Triumph emblem first appeared on a production car and also the 25th anniversary for Makkina - an automotive design house based in London. Fittingly, both brands, along with BMW, came together to collaborate to produce this stunning TR25 roadster concept. 

If you don’t know who and what Makkina is – don’t question your automotive know-how, because they usually like to keep behind the curtains and not sing poems about their creations. They are caterers of automotive niches and usually like to stay low-key, but for its 25th anniversary (as visible in the concept’s moniker), the design house has come out for its first public project ever.

The styling of Triumph Makkina’s TR25 pays a clear homage to the record-breaking 1953 ‘Jabbeke’ Triumph TR2, MVC575. Seventy years later, the TR25 is a reminder of the feat and goes to show how well retro styling blends with futuristic design, if done right.

The curved front-end is a nod to the original car, while the bug-eyed headlight styling of the original car has also been retained. Although, they have been modernised by incorporating LED elements within them. You’ve got a very clean design with a flat surface, only obstructed by the driver’s bay.

Don’t expect significant protection from wind, thanks to the tiny little screen at the front. In contrast to the overall design, the exposed carbon rear buttress is rather sharp and edgy. Surfaces begin to sharpen up as you move toward the rear, yet they still retain a certain degree of curviness. And of course, traits of being a concept are clearly visible in the scissor doors, the quirky taillights, and its alloy wheels.

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The minimalist cabin is driver-focused (as if they had any other option) and makes use of minimal clusters and displays for information relay. The three-spoke steering wheel is another hark back to the Jabbeke TR2, but sports a self-adjusting dial for vital information display. 

BMW’s contribution comes in the form of its i3S platform, which has been used in the TR25 and has allowed Makkina to achieve a 50-50 weight distribution. So the powertrain comprises a 42.2 kWh battery pack which feeds juice to its 184PS/270Nm electric motor. Unlike the Jabbeke TR2, the TR25’s top speed of 185kmph won’t be breaking any speed records in today’s day and age. 0-100kmph still comes up relatively quickly in 5.2 seconds. It weighs 1,095kg and is driven by the rear wheels only.

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We believe that concepts like these should make it to production, not just for the sake of Triumph’s revival but also for showcasing that electric vehicles don’t just have to look futuristic. Sure, looking forward is great, but one shouldn't lose track of their roots. And that’s exactly what the TR25 concept is - a nod back to the era of classic cars while being equally modern and futuristic at the same time.