Triumph Spitfire
A pretty little roadster for the price of a family saloon.

The story
Triumph built its rival to the Austin-Healey Sprite on the chassis of the Herald saloon. It was better equipped than the Sprite, with wind-up windows, and it stayed on sale for eighteen years.
Inside

Two low seats and dials grouped in the middle of the dash on early cars. There is a useful shelf behind the seats.
In period colours
Tap a colour to respray the drawing.
The whole front end tilts forward, so you can sit on a wheel while you work on the engine.
Meanwhile, in 1962
The Beatles released Love Me Do, and the first James Bond film, Dr No, reached cinemas.
Best-selling single of 1962: I Remember You by Frank Ifield
Before you buy a 1960s car
- Check the sills, floorpans, wheel arches and the bottom of the doors for rust.
- Ask for any old MOT certificates, service records and bills.
- Parts for popular cars are often available from specialists, but trim and body panels can be hard to find.
General notes, not specific to this model. Check the model's own history before buying.
Rivals of its day
Picked automatically: cars on sale at the same time with similar size, speed and price.
See the real thing
These open in a new tab: the car on Wikimedia Commons, the interior and the badge as Google image searches.
Today's money: the launch price adjusted for inflation to 2026, using the Office for National Statistics price index.