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TRIUMPH STAG : 30 years after it was developed, the Triumph Stag is a connoisseur possession,a model to be lovingly collected , painstakingly maintained and proudly parked in prominent places.

It is not cheap to run, but it appreciates in value, selling for sums considerably higher than its original on-the-road-price.In concept, the Stag was ahead of its time; its performance, styling and level of refinement are still highly relevant today. It started life when Giovanni Michlotti turned a Triumph 2000 into a special... intended for the Turin Motor Show but bought back on sight by Triumph. Their board adopted the broad design in 1966 with launch planned for 1968.It made the showrooms two years late.

Many modifications were needed to turn Michelotti's original car into a production model, but engine selection was the major delay factor.

The eventual choice was a 3- litre power unit which appeared exclusively in this car.Technically, it was very advanced, and it was matched by a high general specification including independent suspension all round, servo-assisted brakes and power steering. The launch model was a 4-speed manual with overdrive originally an option, like the Borg Warner 3 speed automatic transmission.

With its refined styling, distinctive roll-over bar and hard/soft top options, the car was widely acclaimed.Unhappily for British Leyland (who had since acquired Standard Triumph), it was not so widely bought.The Stag sold poorly in America, where it did not slot into a recognised market sector, and was withdrawn from the USA in 1973.

Meantime, at home, it acquired early a reputation for mechanical problems, only some of which were quickly overcome, and which ensured that the car would never sell in the quantities it deserved.Despite the launch of the MkII cars in 1973, and a series of improvements made each year, sales figures were never sufficient to earn a place in the line-up of a volume car manufacturer, and production ended in June 1977. Disappointment all round.How different the story is today.The sporty growl from twin exhausts, the feel of dashboard veneer, the pleasure of open top grand touring..these are pleasures enjoyed by thousands of loyal Stag devotees,many with more than one vehicle.