HISTORY
The TR5 PI was officially unveiled on 3rd October 1967 in a bid to compete against rivals like the MGC, Austin Healey 3000 etc, which were becoming increasingly competitive in terms of performance.
It replaced the TR4 that had come out in 1962 (then updated to TR4 A IRS in 1965) and used the majority of its components. In fact, it is hard to tell a TR5 PI from a TR4 A IRS at first glance as there are so few aesthetic differences between them. Apart from a few details (see section TR4 vs TR5) they are like clones.
The major change was under the bonnet: a 2498 cc straight-6 engine fed by Lucas mechanical injection putting out some 150 cv DIN (165 cv SAE). The rustic 4-cylinder engine powering the TR4 only developed 104 cv DIN.
The TR5 was produced between August 1967 and September 1968 and only 2947 cars rolled off the production lines making it one of the rarest TRs.
It was replaced by the TR6 PI at the start of 1969, which had been restyled by the German company Karmann to fit the fashion criteria of the early 70s.
Note: The TR5 PI (petrol-injection), designed by Giovanni Michelotti, was the first series production British sports car fitted with petrol injection.
For the American market the TR5 was called the TR250 and its injection system was replaced by carburettors to comply with anti-pollution standards. This effectively cancelled all the advantages of injection and it lost around 50 bhp!
