Have you seen the new Vanguard?

As a Triumph enthusiast you know of course that there is in the Belgian Mechelen also Triumph automobiles were produced. From 1946 to August 1958 were Triumphs assembled in the village of Nessonvaux near Liège. In the factory of Imperia, a Belgian car brand that originated in 1906.

Affected by the crisis of the 1930s, people ogled after the 2^e World War initially to Volkswagen who was looking for production capacity for the Beetle. Already in 1934 they had a contract with Adler, whereby her type Trumpf was sent in parts by rail to Nessonvaux to become a 'car' there. Imperia sold it under its own name and gave them winged designations such as Hirondelle and Alouette. In 1942, the war was already in full swing, that collaboration ended abruptly. Working for the Germans was so short after the end of that disagreement not done, but luckily Sir John Black, director of the StandardTriumph factories in Coventry, UK, which saw an opportunity at Imperia to bypass the high import duties and thereby sell its cars on the Continental market at an attractive price. The condition was that those cars like Standard of Triumph would go through life. In 1947 saw the first Standard Eight the Belgian light, soon followed by the Ten, the 12 and the 14 (where the last two were put on the market by 'number'). This series of models originated from before the war, but that didn't bother anyone. Just like with Adler, the parts were brought by train, ship and train from Great Britain to Belgium; upholstery and other additional items were made locally. In 1948 the completely renewed Vanguard appeared on the market, extremely popular with the buyers. Also on the Continent, where forty-two (!) Cars were assembled every week. That were the days. Also Triumph was assembled in Nessonvaux. Starting with the Mayflower and ending with the TR3. An interesting story - which we will come back to in detail at an appropriate time - and all through a restored mural that was intended to draw the attention of the new-rushing (…) buyers to the new Standard Vanguard Mk III.