A survey conducted by the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs in 2009 revealed that Triumph is the most popular classic car in the UK accounting for 12% of the total. Of this number, a healthy proportion must be Triumph Stags as the Stag Owners Club is usually regarded as one of the biggest single model classic car clubs in the country. The level of support that still exists for the Stag so long after manufacturing ceased is quite amazing considering the amount of problems which blighted the car's reputation from the very beginning.
With the benefit of hindsight it can be gauged that, if the Stag project had been given sufficient investment to be fully developed before it was put on sale and all the inherent faults with the V8 engine properly sorted out, it would undoubtedly have achieved the success the concept deserved. Modern materials and improvements made by aftermarket specialists have transformed the Stag into the reliable and enjoyable long distance grand tourer it was always meant to be.
Between the Stag's much delayed press launch in June 1970 and the end of production exactly seven years later, nearly 26,000 cars were built. A little under 7,000 of these were exported, making the high survival rate today an even more remarkable phenomenon. A victim of the turbulent 1970s when the British motor industry was in a constant state of turmoil, in the 21st century the Stag is more widely appreciated than ever before.
The entire story of the Stag; the excitement it generated when first introduced, the disillusionment with the car as the faults became evident and its resurrection as a truly outstanding classic are all revealed in the articles contained in this book. Included are road and comparison tests, full specifications plus technical and performance data. Advice is offered on acquiring a classic Triumph Stag.