The later model, introduced in September 1970 as the Triumph 1500, featured a remodelled front and rear, styled by Michelotti, and a larger 1,493 cc (91 cu in) engine.

Triumph were however dissatisfied with the market performance of the 1300; although it had been moderately successful, the higher price and greater complexity meant sales never reached the levels of the simpler and cheaper Herald which preceded it.

Initially, the only version available used the new slant-four 1,854 cc engine, which mated an alloy overhead cam (OHC) head to an iron block, providing 91 bhp (68 kW) which offered sprightly performance.

[3] The car was aimed at the new compact performance-luxury sector, vying for sales against cars such as the BMW 2002 and Ford Cortina GXL, and was offered with a high level of standard equipment, including twin headlamps, a clock, full instrumentation, luxury seats and carpets, a heated rear window, and a cigar lighter.

Although the Dolomite proved to be refined and rapid, competitors such as the BMW 2002 had a performance advantage which was costing Triumph both sales and prestige.

With co-operation from Harry Mundy and the Engineers at Coventry Climax, a 16-valve cylinder head was designed",[4] with all of the valves being actuated using a single camshaft rather than the more conventional DOHC arrangement.

However according to Matthew Vale,[6] it was during development that Triumph switched to measuring power from imperial(SAE) to metric(DIN), which calculated outputs approximately 5 per cent lower.

Trim was similar to the 1850, with the addition of standard alloy wheels (another first for a British production car), a vinyl roof, front spoiler, twin exhausts and lowered suspension.

Motor summarised its road test (subtitled "Britain leads the way") with glowing praise: ...the Sprint must be the answer to many people's prayer.

In addition, all Sprints were fitted with body side trims, a plastic surround for the gearlever, and a driver's door mirror.

In addition to stunning performance, the $7700 road going Sprints were praised for full instrumentation, a walnut interior, clock, and corded bri-nylon upholstery as seen on the Porsche 911.

As described by Mark Oastler, [15] Hodgson invested six figure amounts developing the Sprint into a unique competition car which was to be amongst the fastest of its type anywhere in the world.

At the 1976 Bathurst 1000, Jack Brabham's Torana was famously rammed and heavily damaged by a Dolomite Sprint driven by John Dellaca and Kerry Wade.

The 1300 retained simplified fittings, including single, square, headlamps, basic instrumentation and seats, with the wooden dashboard and carpeting of the Toledo.

The HL model had an improved specification level over the standard Dolomite 1500 including a rev counter, volt meter, separate fuel and temperature dials, clock, adjustable steering column and driver's-seat height adjust, head rests, front seat rear pockets, rear centre arm rest and walnut door cappings on all four doors.

All the cars were painted black with wide silver stripes running full length, with the letters "SE" at the end of the rear wing.

The Dolomite was replaced a year later by the Triumph Acclaim, a four-door front-wheel drive family saloon produced in a joint venture with Honda.

However, the Acclaim was not a sporty model, designed instead to compete with traditional family saloons, although it did manage strong sales on British market.

In particular, it required the cooling system to be kept in good condition, and partially filled with a rust inhibitor, otherwise corrosion leading to radiator blockages and overheating could occur.

[26][27] It met with some success, with Andy Rouse winning the Drivers' Championship in 1975, and also lifting the manufacturer's title in 1974 with teammate Tony Dron.

In 1976 Broadspeed only ran one Dolomite Sprint in British Saloon Car Championship, with Rouse finishing second in the two-litre class.

It appears that, at least from some point, the racing Dolomites Sprints used in the BSCC series were fitted with larger 2" SU HS8 carburettors, instead of the 1.75" HS6 carbs of the production cars.

Neither is there any evidence of BL documentation supposed to mislead the FIA that 5000 cars fitted with HS8s and a higher lift cam, as an 'emissions kit', were exported to California.

Due to the heavier bodyshell and somewhat fragile Group-2 tuned engine,"rated at 225 bhp at 8000 rpm" by 1977,[32] the Dolomite Sprint was less successful in rallying.

[33] Things improved slightly in 1975 when a Sprint crewed by Brian Culcheth and Johnstone Syer finished 11th overall in the Welsh Rally in May 1975 (FRW 812L).

This was quickly followed up with an impressive second place overall in the Tour of Britain in August 1975, and in the 1975 Lombard RAC Rally Culcheth and Syer won Group 1 and were first in class.

Culcheth and Syer had to retire in the Granite City Rally held in March, while Pond and Richards came home fourth overall and finished first in Group 1.

[35] Culcheth and Syer finished second overall in the Tour of Britain and in the Manx Trophy Rally held in August, while P. Ryan and F. Gallagher came in ninth overall.

Triumph Dolomites continue to be used in many forms of classic motorsport today, with cars being campaigned on track, hillclimbs, rally stages and autocrosses in the UK,[37] mainland Europe,[38] and Australia,[39] as well as the USA.

[40] The early Robin Hood S7 used the front subframe and mechanical components from any Dolomite, attached to a monocoque body made out of stainless steel.