Trojan–Tauranac Racing

Trojan
Full name Trojan–Tauranac Racing (1974)
Noted drivers Tim Schenken
Formula One World Championship career
First entry 1974 Spanish Grand Prix
Races entered 8 (6 starts from 8 entries)
Engines Ford
Constructors'
Championships		 0
Drivers'
Championships		 0
Race victories 0 (Best: 10th, 1974 Belgian Grand Prix)
Podiums 0
Points 0
Pole positions 0 (Best: 19th, 1974 Austrian Grand Prix)
Fastest laps 0 (Best: 16th, 1974 Spanish Grand Prix)
Final entry 1974 Italian Grand Prix

Trojan was an automobile manufacturer[1] and a Formula One constructor, in conjunction with Australian Ron Tauranac,[2] from the United Kingdom.

The car producer Trojan Limited was founded by Leslie Hounsfield in 1914 in Purley Way, Croydon, Surrey, (South London)[3] and produced cars and especially delivery vans until 1964.

Around 1960, the Trojan business was sold to Peter Agg who imported Lambretta scooters for the British market.[1][3][4] In 1962, the rights to manufacture the Heinkel microcar were acquired[1] and the production line[5] was moved from Dundalk, Ireland to Croydon, Surrey. Production then commenced, renaming the bubble car as Trojan Cabin Cruiser. Production continued until 1965, when some 6,000 cars had been produced.[5] Speaking to Motor Cycle in 1965 after cessation of production, Peter Agg confirmed that a 1962 British government reduction in purchase tax from 50% to 25% aligning car taxation with three-wheelers and motorbikes, had given a big boost to the cheaper end of the car market, adversely affecting sales of the economy-sector three-wheeler, making continued production uneconomical.[6]

Also in 1962, Trojan acquired the Elva sports car business and started to make the Mk IV Elva Courier.[1] This in turn led to the manufacturing of McLaren racing cars until vehicle production finally ceased in the early 1970s. Trojan Limited still exists as an independent company though the factory was sold in the 1970s.

The Trojan T101 Formula 5000 model met with success when Jody Scheckter won the 1973 SCCA L&M Championship driving a T101 and a Lola T330.

They participated in eight grands prix,[2] entering a total of 8 cars. In 1974 David Purley won the Brighton Speed Trials driving a Trojan-Chevrolet T101. While Formula One remained the major series, sports cars were also fashionable on either side of the Atlantic. The McLaren M1 was put into production by Peter Agg's Lambretta Trojan Group in Rye, Sussex. They would make 200 McLarens during ten years.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Year Chassis Engine Tyres Drivers No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Pts. WCC
1974 Trojan T103 Ford V8 F ARG BRA RSA ESP BEL MON SWE NED FRA GBR GER AUT ITA CAN USA 0 NC
Australia Tim Schenken 23 14 Ret DNQ Ret DNQ 10
29 Ret
41 10

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "A Short History". Trojan Museum Trust. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Constructors: Trojan". grandprix.com. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  3. 1 2 Motorcycle Mechanics, September 1965, p.23 Lambretta full-page advert: Lambretta Concessionaires Ltd, Trojan Works, Purley Way, Croydon, Surrey. Accessed 1 March 2014
  4. ↑ Motorcyclist Illustrated, October 1974, p.34 "Suzuki GB is one of Peter Agg's companies, others under his guidance import Lambretta scooters and design and manufacture their own F1 racing cars, besides having numerous other import and distributing interests in other automotive areas". Accessed 1 February 2014
  5. 1 2 Heinkel Trojan Club UK. Retrieved 1 February 2014
  6. ↑ Motor Cycle 3 June 1965, p.743. Accessed 7 April 2014
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