United Kingdom · UK launch specification, unveiled June 1973; model produced to 1980

Triumph Dolomite Sprint

The Dolomite Sprint hid sports-car pace inside a compact four-door body, using one camshaft to operate sixteen valves in a wonderfully clever way.

Sport sedans

Front three-quarter · Photo shows exact-model representative. Visually reviewed as a Dolomite Sprint with four round lamps, alloy wheels and Sprint trim. The file identifies a 2005 photograph but not the car's model year.
Triumph Dolomite Sprint · B. Kaineder (file uploader PACE~commonswiki) · Public domain

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A place in vehicle history

More than a set of wheels.

Triumph unveiled the Dolomite Sprint in June 1973 to answer faster rivals such as the BMW 2002. Spen King's team enlarged the slant-four to 1,998 cc and developed a 16-valve head in which one camshaft directly works the intake valves and operates the exhaust valves through rockers. The stronger engine brought upgraded gearbox, differential and brakes, plus alloy wheels, a front spoiler, vinyl roof and twin exhausts. Its cylinder head won a British Design Council award in 1974.

Look a little closer.

The Sprint is widely credited as the first truly mass-produced 16-valve car, and its unusual cylinder head used only one camshaft.

Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.

Sixteen valves, one camshaft

Four valves per cylinder make more room for fresh mixture to enter and exhaust to leave, but Triumph avoided the usual twin-cam layout. That compact solution was clever enough to earn a 1974 Design Council award and made advanced breathing available in a practical family saloon.

Source: Triumph Owners Club · Dolomite Sprint ↗

Performance needed changes beyond the engine

Triumph did not simply bolt in more power. The close-ratio gearbox and differential came from larger models, rear drums grew, front-pad material changed, and a load-sensing rear valve was added. Those changes show how a complete performance car is a system, not just a horsepower number.

Source: Triumph Owners Club · driveline and brake changes ↗

Where these facts come from

Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed 2026-10-02.

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