TRIUMPH DOLOMITE 1850

4-door 4-seater saloon.

Pause to unscramble the heritage! Basically a 1500/1500TC superstructure, including four headlamps, well equipped and smart interior, with Toledo/1500TC-type rear-drive floorpan. Then add the new-generation 91bhp/1.85 litre overhead-cam slant-four engine, all-synchro transmission (some with overdrive from '73, some with automatic instead), and firmed-up handling. Result was 100mph and sports saloon behaviour, desirable, and a would-be BMW competitor at first. Character later seemed to fade, but always a good car. Underrated in the eighties.