One of just 12 Mk1 Vitesse Estates believed to have been built and the only currently road-worthy example
Judged as a “condition 1” vehicle by the Triumph Sport Six club
Fastidiously restored by the previous owner and with just two owners in the last 40+ years
Unbelievable condition and truly unique
The Appeal
The Triumph Vitesse was introduced in 1962 as a six-cylinder performance version of the company’s Herald small saloon.
Over the life of the Vitesse various enhancements were introduced and, by the time this car was built, the cars boasted a 95 bhp 1998cc, straight-six engine prompting Triumph to dub the car the “two-seater beater.”
This particular car, however, is an incredibly rare variation of the “standard” Vitesse.
The estate body was available as a special-order option with conversion of a Vitesse saloon undertaken by Standard-Triumph's Service Depot at Park Royal in West London. When new, the cost of the estate was twice the price of a standard Vitesse. Roughly the same price as an E-Type Jaguar of the period.
This is perhaps why only 12 Mk1 Vitesse Estates are believed to have been built with this example thought to be the sole surviving road worthy example in the world today.
The History and Paperwork
The car was first registered to a dealer in Brixton on 12th January 1968
The car was then sold to a solicitor in Wembley in October 1968
Several owners enjoyed the car’s charms until the previous owner acquired the car in 1980
During the previous owner’s tenure, the car underwent a fastidious, ground-up restoration
The restoration addressed all areas of the vehicle both mechanical and cosmetic
The car was then acquired by the current owner, a friend of the previous owner, in 2013
The car is only now for sale due to a health condition impeding access
The car includes some fascinating provenance providing paperwork
These include a copy of the original registration document
A ledger detailing all receipts that are included with the car….running to three pages
A copy of an Autocar classified advertisement for this particular car
An original factory paintwork schedule which was found under the carpet upon restoration
A detailed pictorial record of the restoration is present
The current V5 registration document is also present
The car is registered as a historic vehicle so is understood to be MOT and VED exempt
The original Buff Log Book is the only real way to prove provenance that this is a genuine Park Royal Estate as they are know in the Triumph World
The Interior
The interior appears to be predominantly original and in a charming period condition
The black leather seat covers are in fine, overall condition
The black carpet set appears to be in a very good overall condition
The wood veneer dash is populated by a number of original Smiths gauges
The veneer presents very well
Ahead of the steering wheel is the large speedometer and tachometer so evocative of the period
A delightful, three spoked Triumph steering wheel is fitted
The door cards are finished in black vinyl and appear to be in good overall shape with integral pockets
The doors and rear panels are wood capped, a feature carried over from the Vitesse saloon
The car features a fabric sunroof which operates effortlessly and transforms the cabin
A period-correct push-button radio is fitted but is not currently working
The boot area features protective aluminium strips
The rear bench folds easily to provide a near flat, and very capacious, luggage area
A lidded section houses the jack, wheel brace and tools
A real time-capsule of an interior this one. In great order throughout and with an emphasis on the more sporty nature of the Vitesse with its straight-six engine.
There’s some great detail in here too. From the column mounted overdrive to the Webasto type sunroof and the big, clear Smiths gauges, this is a lovely place to spend time.
In the rear of the car the full length wood capping was only available in Genuine Park Royal Estate’s making them very rare.
The Exterior
The Vitesse Estate is finished in Royal Blue with copious amounts of chrome embellishments
The car was repainted in its previous ownership and the standard of the paint and bodywork remains exemplary
As you will see from our photographs the car exhibits a deep and lustrous shine
All the obligatory Vitesse specification badges are present and correct
The steel wheels are finished with chrome hub caps with a high shine
All light lenses and cabin glass appear to be original and are in an excellent condition
The very fastidious owner did point out a couple of very minor cosmetic blemishes
These include a small rust bubble on the nearside C pillar and some minor pitting to the chrome overriders
The Michelotti design is an enduring one.
Quite a small car by today’s standards but one which continues to appeal with its classic beauty and charm. The car looks fantastic overall and is a very eye-catching and head-turning vehicle.
During our photo-shoot several people came over to discuss and comment on this rare and desirable classic.
The Mechanics
The Vitesse Estate is fitted with the same 1,998cc, 6-cylinder engine
The engine is fed through twin carburettors was originally rated at around 95 bhp
This gave the Vitesse a very competitive performance for the time with a top speed of over 100 mph
Power is fed to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual gearbox
The car features a column mounted overdrive which operates on third and fourth
This car underwent a full mechanical restoration roughly 10,000 miles ago
As a result, the car is understood to perform very well with no mechanical issues being reported
For many Triumphs straight-sixes of this period represent a sweet-spot for British sporting saloon cars.
It was a considerably more appropriate powerplant than the lowlier four-cylinder units of the time giving these cars some impressive performance for the time. They sound great too. Purposeful without being obtrusive.
An ideal companion to the svelte Anglo-Italian styling of the Vitesse Estate.
Summary
Very few classic cars at any price can claim to be the only currently roadworthy example of only 12 ever built. That fact alone makes this a highly desirable car and a genuine “once-in-a-(Royal)-blue-moon” opportunity.
Add to that the fact that this car is an excellent restored condition and can provide the new owner with regular, reliable transport if required, then you have something pretty special indeed.
It is a real crowd-pleasing car too. It elicits very positive comments and reactions from passers by and is a truly charming car.
Notice to bidders
This item is sold on an ‘As is Where is’ basis. The condition of this item is the opinion of the seller and may differ from your own opinion. Photos and listing descriptions are for guidance purposes only. Car & Classic do not warrant listing accuracy. Full inspection is recommended. Viewings are at the seller’s discretion. Buyer is responsible for delivery and collection of any item purchased.
A non-refundable buyer’s deposit is payable on this item, refer to FAQs and T&Cs for the applicable percentage.
Car & Classic's secure payment system protects buyers and sellers. At the end of the auction, the winning bidder transfers payment into a third-party escrow account. Once the transfer of the vehicle is complete, both parties confirm they are happy with the sale and the money is released to the seller.
More about buying with us
1968 Triumph Mk1 Vitesse Estate
About Max Bids
The max bid process allows you to bid without any hassle.
Enter your maximum bid and we will then bid on your behalf to ensure you're the highest bidder - just enough to keep you in the lead and only up until your maximum.
Anti-sniping
Car & Classic prevent auction snipers from bidding in the last seconds to win an auction.
Auctions are extended by 3 minutes if anyone bids within the last 2 minutes to allow other bidders to react and counter-bid.
Auto-bidding increments
If your maximum bid is equal to or below the reserve price, your maximum bid will be applied in full if you are the highest bidder.
If you are the highest bidder and place a maximum bid above the reserve, we will automatically put in the reserve as your first bid.
Once the reserve has been met, Car & Classic will make sure you are the highest bidder using only the bidding increments stated below.
We will keep you in the lead up until your maximum bid OR the increment closest to your maximum bid, providing your maximum bid is enough to cover the increment value.
Bid Amount
Increment
£0 to £9,999
£100.00
£10,000 to £49,999
£250.00
£50,000 to £99,999
£500.00
£100,000 +
£1,000.00
Automatically outbid immediately
When you place a max bid and are outbid immediately that means that another bidder has placed a max bid limit which is higher than yours.
You can bid again and we will use our automatic bid system to try and get you as the highest bidder.
Matching max bids
When there are two max bids of the same value, the one placed first remains the lead bidder.
Pre-authorisation
We may hold a pre-authorisation charge on your card until the end of the auction when the hold will be cancelled. If you win, we'll take a security deposit which counts towards the payment for the vehicle and isn't any extra cost to you.
What are pre-bids?
A pre-bid means you're able to place a bid before the official start of the auction.
You will be notified whether or not you are the highest bidder when the auction starts.
Problem with your bid
Bids are contractually binding. To help protect you, we have some rules in place if we think it's been mistyped. Please check and amend what you have entered.