Standard Vanguard: one car for the whole world, and the engine that powered everything (1947–1963) The Standard Vanguard was post-war Britain's one-model gamble, a beetle-backed export machine whose wet-liner engine also powered the Ferguson tractor and the Triumph TR sports cars. A guide to the three phases, the Standard name's fate, the Triumph connection, what to check when buying, and what a Vanguard costs today.