The last of the classic open-top Triumphs was also one of the best. A long-running and bitterly fought automotive battle was finally drawing to a close by the end of the 1970s. For years previously, anyone looking to buy a small British open-top two-seater sports car bought either an MG Midget or a Triumph Spitfire, and die-hard fans frowned upon anyone who defected from one marque camp to the other. How ironic, then, that the final incarnations of each car should share the same 1500 engine. The Spitfire arguably had the last laugh, though: where the Midget latterly sprouted federal-spec plastic bumpers and a raised ride height, the Spitfire 1500 retained most of the earlier mark IV’s svelte chrome bumper good looks and would go on to last a year longer.

This particular example, finished in striking Triumph Pimento Red, is in excellent condition and ready for its next adventure.