There are fewer British cars that speak more eloquently of the automotive culture of Britain in the 1970’s than the Triumph Stag.
The burly, rakish, cool but unreliable Michelotti-designed brute was more than the sum of its butch parts. Having evolved from the relatively lumpen Sweeneymobile that was the Triumph 2000 – the whole Playboy stance of the Stag reeked of Old Spice – but as the marketing campaign highlighted with a triple option of targa, soft and hard top – it also was rather revolutionary for the UK car market in its adaptability. And hey – it came with Triumph’s own V8 engine – even if it was a siamese 2×4 cylinder unit!
The notoriously shoddy finish and workmanship of British Leyland era manufacturing meant that the cars suffer terribly from rust and reliability issues – but know this: every English summer there will be a Stag patrolling the country lanes. What more appropriate car is there to nip down to the country pub for a swift half of lager and lime?
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