Introduced in 1962, the Vitesse was based on the Herald but fitted with a 1596cc 6-cylinder engine, greatly improving the car's performance. Giovanni Michelotti, who penned the Herald’s styling, gave the Vitesse a distinctive twin headlamp front view.

In 1966 the Vitesse was uprated to a 2-litre using the engine normally fitted to the Triumph 2000. The 2-litre Mark II followed two years later, with improved independent rear suspension which was not so prone to swing-axle tuck-under as the original model had been.

An approximate total of 51,212 Vitesse models of all types were made before the Vitesse was discontinued in 1971.