Triumph Stag

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triumph
Triumph.stag.yellow.arp.jpg
Stag
Production period: 1970-1977
Class :
Body versions : Cabriolet
Engines: Otto engine :
3.0 liters (108 kW)
Length: 4410 mm
Width: 1610 mm
Height: 1260 mm
Wheelbase : 2540 mm
Empty weight : 1270 kg

The Triumph Stag is an open sports car from British Leyland that was sold under the Triumph brand . The vehicle, equipped with a roll bar and fixed door frame, is considered to be one of the first safety convertibles; it is also referred to in the literature as " Targa in English". The body of the Stag is a design by Turin designer Giovanni Michelotti . The stay is powered by an eight-cylinder gasoline engine specially developed for it , the stability of which was initially problematic. The car, which had hardly been further developed in its eight years of production, was not a success. Less than 26,000 copies were made between 1970 and 1977.

Development history

Badly horned in the German-speaking world as "British Elend": parent company British Leyland

The development of the Triumph Stag coincided with a phase of major, politically initiated restructuring within the British automotive industry. The frictional losses associated with this process are mentioned in the retrospective literature as the main reasons for the imperfect technical development and the failure of the stay. From today's perspective, there is the impression that the stage was created “more by chance than planned” and “in an environment of hidden traps and fatal errors, of merger and confusion”.

Corporate policy environment

Founded in 1896 as a bicycle manufacturer, Triumph belonged to the Standard Motor Company from 1944 , which in turn was taken over by the commercial vehicle manufacturer Leyland Motors in 1960 . In 1967, Rover, an automobile manufacturer, joined the Leyland Group, which had previously competed with Triumph in individual areas. In 1968, Leyland finally merged with British Motor Holdings , which in addition to the mid-range brands Austin and Morris also included the upper-class manufacturer Jaguar , to form the British Leyland Motor Corporation . These alliances were initiated by the Industrial Reorganization Corporation (IRC), a so-called intermediary organization (English: Quango ), which Harold Wilson's Labor government founded in 1966. The task of the IRC was to develop concepts that would improve the international competitiveness of British industry and especially the automotive industry. The main focus was on pooling resources and thus increasing cost efficiency. This intention could not yet be implemented with the Stag, the development of which extended over a substantial part of the merger process; the stay used almost no components from other Triumph or Leyland models.

Giovanni Michelotti's initiative

Family resemblance: The design of the front section was later also found on the Triumph 2000 / 2.5
Taillights of the Stag, later also on the Spitfire and GT6

The Triumph Stag goes back to the Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti. Michelotti had designed almost every Triumph from the late 1950s and was considered the house designer of Triumph. At the end of 1964, on his own initiative, he designed a 2 + 2-seater convertible based on the Triumph 2000 , an upper middle-class sedan released in 1963 that was the technical basis of the later Stag. The cabriolet was initially only intended as a show car for a Michelotti stand at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show ; Michelotti had initially not intended series production.

Michelotti's workshop completed the convertible as a prototype in the summer of 1965. It had the full wheelbase of the Triumph sedan. In terms of style, it already largely corresponded to the later body of the Stag, but did not yet have a roll bar. Another feature with which the prototype differed from the later production model was the front section. Here was a grille mask that stretched across the entire width of the car, with the headlights hidden behind a movable flap. Apart from that, the proportions and the lines were largely identical in detail to the later stay.

After the Triumph management had examined Michelotti's prototype, Triumph bought the rights to the design in early 1966, before the prototype was even exhibited once. A little later, the decision was made to mass-produce the model.

positioning

The car developed under the code name Stag (German: Hirsch , but also colloquially: unbound gentleman) was the third convertible from the Triumph brand after the TR5 or its successor TR6 and the Spitfire . It should serve a significantly higher market segment than the other two open Triumph models and at the same time act as the brand's top model. Within the British Leyland hierarchy, the stag was supposed to close the gap between the MGB and the much more expensive Jaguar E-Type , which opened up after the foreseeable discontinuation of the six-cylinder MGC .

In an international comparison, the car was primarily aimed at the Mercedes-Benz SL , which at that time was still powered exclusively by six-cylinder petrol engines, as well as Lancia and Alfa Romeo . As with its other sports cars, the company saw the USA as the main sales market . The target group was according to the development engineer Harry Webster.

... the young executive, someone who'd gone through the motor bike / sports car / family and family saloon, and wanted something different, something sporty, but with creature comforts .

“ ... the young manager who went through the development of motorcycle - sports car - family and family limousine and is now looking for something different, something sporty with 'physical pleasure'. "

Conceptually, following this requirement, the Stag combined elements of the open sports car with those of a Gran Turismo .

Development team

The technical development of the series vehicle began in 1966. It was shaped by a clash of previously competing development teams from Rover and Triumph, which had only been merged into a joint company through the takeover of Rover in 1967. Triumph engineer Harry Webster initially led the development work. After moving to Austin-Morris in 1968, Charles Spencer "Spen" King , who came from Rover, took over his position. The Triumph engineers were critical of their new boss because of his Rover roots. Spen King was not informed of all the details by them and in some cases was also misinformed. On the other hand, King, who was simultaneously involved in the development of the first Range Rover and the conceptual beginnings of the Rover SD1 , deliberately gave the Stag development team a lot of freedom.

Motorization: Triumph or Rover?

Eight-cylinder gasoline engine from Triumph
Based on a Buick design: the eight-cylinder engine from Rover

The biggest specialty of the Stag was and is its motorization. The Stag had an eight-cylinder engine developed by Triumph itself and not used in any other vehicle, the creation of which, generally regarded as uneconomical, contradicted the restructuring efforts of the Industrial Reorganization Corporation . According to many authors, it was the result of an internal rivalry between Triumph and Rover.

In accordance with the specifications for the envisaged market segment, a large-volume gasoline engine was planned for Triumph's top model. There were initially two engines to choose from, later three:

  • Triumph had had an in-line six-cylinder engine based on a tractor engine in its program since 1961, which was initially used in the standard Vanguard and from 1963 was also used in its successors, the Triumph 2000 and 2.5.
  • Since 1965, Triumph has also been working under the direction of engineer Lewis Dawtrey on an eight-cylinder V-engine that was technically based on an in-house in-line four-cylinder. The development of the Triumph eight-cylinder engine, initially with a displacement of 2.5 liters , began before Leyland took over the previously independent automobile manufacturer Rover.
  • After the merger of Leyland and Rover, the group also had a fully developed eight-cylinder engine that was based on a Buick design and had been mass-produced for several years.

There was also another eight-cylinder engine from Jaguar , the development of which began in the late 1960s in great secrecy and was ultimately abandoned for economic reasons.

Initially, there were considerations to equip the Stag with the well-known, 2.5-liter six-cylinder engine from the Triumph 2000. However, early test drives showed that its engine performance did not enable the cabriolet to achieve the sporty performance that the company management expected due to the increased vehicle weight of the convertible compared to the sedan. The management decided instead to offer the Stag with an eight-cylinder engine in order to position the car technically closer to the Jaguar E-Type; In addition, it expected an increased attraction of an eight-cylinder on the US market.

After the merger of Leyland and Rover, Spen King temporarily considered discontinuing Triumph's in-house development in favor of the Rover engine. Ultimately, however, he decided to only offer the Triumph construction in the stay. As a result of this decision, British Leyland had a further eight-cylinder engine in its range in addition to Rover's 3.5 liter unit. Both engines had no interchangeable parts, but offered almost identical performance (145 bhp for the Triumph and 143 bhp for the Rover engine).

The decision to keep the Triumph engine is often attributed to targeted false information from the development team, but also to only half-hearted support for the project by Spen King. The Triumph technicians stated, among other things, that the in-house development was too far advanced to finish the project with an economically justifiable effort. The literature doubts whether this was actually the case: Triumph actually needed almost two years before the Stag engine was almost ready for series production. In addition, the Triumph technicians were of the opinion that the Rover engine did not fit in the narrow engine compartment of the Stag. That was an inaccurate claim: in fact, Stag owners have been converting their cars to Rover engines since the 1970s, and in 1975 British Leyland even factory-built three prototypes with the Rover engine. Years later, King confirmed that he had been provided with incorrect information at the time, but added that Rover did not have sufficient production capacities at that time to produce units for the stay in addition to the engines it needed.

construction

body

The Stag was Triumph's first sports car with a self-supporting body . The body was made of steel; the individual pressed components were welded together. The structure and floor assembly were structurally similar to those of the Triumph 2000, but the floor assembly and wheelbase were 12 centimeters shorter than that of the sedan. Overall, there were only a few identical parts. Reinforcements were incorporated into the Stag body in various places, including in the bulkhead and behind the rear seats. British Leyland initially sourced steel from Great Britain; from 1974 it switched to Italian and Spanish steel for cost reasons, which according to contemporary drivers was significantly more susceptible to rust.

Safety convertible and hardtop coupé

Roll bar with T-bar
Second series hood: no rear side windows
Triumph stag with hardtop

The Triumph Stag was a 2 + 2-seater convertible. Michelotti's design was still a full convertible with a fabric top that managed without a roll bar. However, test drives with the prototype had shown that this version was very torsion-free. In order to ensure the necessary strength of the superstructure and in view of the expected tightening of US safety regulations, the development team decided in autumn 1966 to equip the car with a roll bar.

Michelotti designed the roll bar on behalf of Triumph. It was padded, reached behind the doors at roof height across the entire width of the car and was connected in the middle to the windshield frame by a strut. This made the body of the Stag exceptionally stiff for a convertible. In addition, the window frames of the doors were rigid. The sports car manufacturer Reliant later adopted this concept for the Scimitar GTC presented in 1980 , but did not use any technical components of the Stag. Even Bristol leaned on the roof of the 412 at the the Stag.

The hood was made of fabric and could be completely folded up in a covered compartment behind the rear seats. It could be opened and closed by hand; an electrically operated convertible top mechanism was prepared in the development phase, but did not go into series production for economic reasons. The rear window was made of flexible plastic. It was fastened to the top fabric with a zip and could be removed by opening the zip when the top was open; this allowed the interior to be additionally ventilated. Initially, the convertible top had an additional triangular plastic window on each flank. These triangular windows were omitted from 1973 in favor of a complete fabric covering of the side parts, which significantly impaired the view to the rear. In a works prospectus, this step was justified with the intention of increasing the privacy of rear passengers; Critics attribute the abandonment of the triangular windows primarily to financial considerations; because the new convertible top was much cheaper to manufacture. In addition, complaints about damaged window plastic could not arise in the first place.

As a complement, Triumph offered a hardtop made of metal. Michelotti also designed it. The hardtop had very thin pillars and was extensively glazed on the side. The view to the rear was significantly better than with the soft top down.

Design details

The stay was only produced in a notchback version. Even before the start of series production, there were considerations of adding a closed version with a hatchback body to the open stay. However , there was no series production of the Fastback . For details, see the section " Variations not produced in series ".

Michelotti later picked up design elements from the Stag for several other Triumph models. The design of the front section was carried over to the second version of the sedan 2000 or 2.5 (so-called Innsbruck series) from 1969 , while the shape of the rear section was found on the Spitfire Mark 4, which was sold from 1970, and on the GT6 coupé . Models by Leyland's Spanish subsidiary Authi, such as the Austin Victoria and its South African offshoot Austin Apache, also wore stylistic elements from the Stag in the 1970s.

inner space

Interior of the stay. In the instrument panel on the left: the round Driver Information Center

The Triumph Stag was a 2 + 2 seater. The vehicle had two single seats at the front and a one-piece bench as two jump seats at the rear. Contrary to initial planning, the seats were not covered with leather at the factory for cost reasons, but had a plastic cover made of vinyl , which made a leather-like impression. The flanks of the seats were smooth, the seat surfaces and backrests structured like fabric. A real leather interior was available at an additional cost.

The top of the dashboard was made of black, textured plastic. The instrument panel and the cover of the glove compartment were veneered with real walnut wood. The instrument panel was slightly curved to avoid reflections. In addition to the usual instruments for speed and engine speed, the stay also had a round display in which “pie-like” multi-colored warning lights for eight engine and vehicle functions (e.g. lighting, oil pressure and low fuel tank level) were grouped together. Triumph named the advertisement the Driver Information Center . Drivers, however, found the benefit to be limited because the display was mostly covered by one of the driver's hands due to its positioning while driving.

engine

Eight cylinder engine of the Stag

construction

The stay had an eight-cylinder V-engine with a bank angle of 90 degrees. The internal designation was Project PE188 . The design of the Stag engine was based on an in-line four-cylinder (Project PE104S) , which Triumph had initially developed in a 1.7-liter version for Saab from 1963 . The eight-cylinder gasoline engine is often described as a "four-cylinder in-line engine with a second cylinder bank".

The first prototypes of the Triumph eight-cylinder engine had a displacement of 2.5 liters. In order to achieve a sufficient differentiation from its own, equally large in-line six-cylinder engine and also to increase engine performance, the development team increased the displacement of the series engine to 3.0 liters. This also made the gasoline injection originally intended to increase performance superfluous. The engine developed an output of 145 bhp (146 PS / 108 kW) at 5500 / min and a torque of 230 Newton meters at 3500 / min. In vehicles that were offered on the US market, the engine output deviated significantly with regard to national emission protection regulations with only 127 bhp.

The engine block was made of gray cast iron , while the cylinder heads were made of an aluminum alloy. Each bank of cylinders had an overhead camshaft that was driven by a chain. Each cylinder had two valves. The mixture was prepared by two Stromberg carburettors. Initially, it was planned to use a gasoline injection system from Bosch ; Spen King ultimately opted for the carburettor version because of some problems that could not have been resolved with an acceptable financial outlay.

The engine's power development was described in contemporary reports as being particularly cultivated.

Technical defects

The engine is often seen as the main weak point of the stay. It was not considered stable and could cause high repair costs. The engine's design flaws included:

  • an insufficiently hardened crankshaft
  • weakly dimensioned timing chains for the camshafts, the tension of which slackened early and which had to be replaced after 25,000 miles
  • thermal problems, d. H. a tendency to overheat caused by an inappropriately positioned coolant pump

drive

Shift lever with overdrive switch in the knob

The Triumph Stag had rear-wheel drive . A manual four-speed gearbox was used as standard for power transmission, which Triumph basically took over from 2000, but increased it in view of the higher torque of the eight-cylinder engine and modified some details. It could be equipped with an overdrive from Laycock-de Normanville that worked on third and fourth gear , so that when driving forward, six different gear ratios were ultimately available. It was initially only available on request and at an additional cost; From October 1972 it was part of the standard equipment in conjunction with the manual transmission. The overdrive was switched on and off with a slide switch on the gear knob.

Alternatively, and at an additional cost, a Borg-Warner 35 automatic transmission with hydraulic torque converter and three stages was available from BorgWarner . At first it was Type 35; from October 1976 Type 65, whose gear changes were perceived as "noticeably softer".

At the beginning of the 1970s there were considerations to offer the stay with all-wheel drive as an alternative to rear-wheel drive. Several prototypes were created for this; mass production, however, did not materialize. For details see section " Variations not produced in series ".

Chassis and suspension

The floor pan of the Stag was similar to that of the Triumph 2000, but it was shortened by 12 cm. All wheels were individually suspended , at the front on triangular wishbones with MacPherson struts , and a semi-trailing arm axle was installed at the rear . Here, too, there were constructive similarities with the wheel suspension of the 2000. The rack and pinion steering came from the supplier Alford and Adler ; she had standard power assistance . Compared to the Triumph 2000, the stay had bigger brakes.

Facelift

During the eight-year construction period, the stay underwent minor detailed modifications almost every year; British Leyland did not, however, undertake a fundamental revision or further development. This also applied to the engine, the weak points of which had been known since the early 1970s but were not eliminated. In the literature, there is often a subdivision into two series (Series 1 / Series 2 or Mark I / Mark II), with the vehicles produced from February 1973 being referred to as the second series. However, this differentiation was not expressly made at the factory.

"Series 2" vehicles: radiator grille with a matt black background

The changes introduced in 1973 that led to the Series 2 included:

  • newly designed pistons and revised combustion chambers in the cylinders
  • associated with this was the increase in the compression ratio from 8.8: 1 to 9.25: 1, which increased the engine output by 1 bhp
  • Introduction of a closed cooling system
  • Tailpipes with a smaller diameter
  • Fabric hood without side triangular windows
  • matt black lined radiator grille and sills
  • Decorative stripes on the sides of the car

Manufacturing process

After Triumph had only produced and tested six prototypes of the Stag, series production of the new model began in November 1969. Production of the Triumph Stag ran until June 1977. In 1969, only one vehicle was built that was still almost entirely handcrafted. Regular series production did not begin until February 1970. The delay in series production was due to difficulties at a supplier company. The originally commissioned body manufacturer Pressed Steel was unable to supply the pressing tools for the Stag bodies. Triumph then turned to German competitor Karmann , who helped out at short notice.

The body shell of the Stag was created at Triumph Liverpool Number 2 Coachworks in the Liverpool district of Speke . Here the structure was completed and painted. The vehicles were then transported to Canley near Coventry , where the engine, transmission and some other technical components were added to another Triumph plant. Initially, production took place on the same line as the GT6 sports car; after its discontinuation in 1976, the production of the Stag was merged with the sedan 2000 and 2.5 on the so-called Innsbruck line .

Variations not produced in series

Fastback

On behalf of Triumph, Michelotti created two prototypes one after the other, which differed from one another in particular with regard to the course of the roof line. In his second design, Michelotti envisaged a circumferential, lamellar cladding in the rear area, which was realized a few years later by Marcello Gandini for the Lamborghini Urraco , among others . This draft fell through with the Triumph managers.

Third prototype of a Stag Fastback (1969 or 1971)

The third and final hatchback version was built by Triumph itself. The body was designed by Triumph's designer Les Moore. This version retained the swing of the hips over the rear wheels, but had a strong resemblance to the company's own GT6 sports car in the area of ​​the roof line. According to Moore's design, the car body manufacturer Carbodies built a ready-to-drive prototype either in the winter of 1968/69 or in 1971, depending on the source. The car had the 2.5 liter Triumph six-cylinder engine, which initially had gasoline injection before being fitted with a twin carburetor in 1971. This fastback coupe still exists. It is owned by a collector and is occasionally shown at exhibitions.

all wheel drive

In 1972 the British company Ferguson Research developed an all-wheel drive version of the Stag. Among other things, Ferguson had supplied the all-wheel drive for the Jensen FF and was looking for a successor model after its production was discontinued. After a single Ford Mustang had previously been converted to four-wheel drive, Ferguson turned to the then newly released Stag. Ferguson constructed two prototypes at his own expense and, according to other sources, three prototypes with the aim of arousing British Leyland's interest. In terms of design, the all-wheel drive corresponded to that of the Jensen FF; like this, the Stag 4x4 also had a Maxaret anti-lock braking system. However, the engine compartment of the Stag was significantly rebuilt to make room for the all-wheel drive; several ancillary units, including the starter, were given a new position. According to a driving report, the all-wheel-drive stay lacked the tendency to break away in curves that the production car usually had.

Series production did not materialize; In 1972 British Leyland was confronted with considerable warranty claims from disappointed Stag customers and saw no need to bring another version of the Stag with ambitious, cost-intensive technology onto the market.

Individual changes by customers

As an alternative to the Triumph eight-cylinder, some owners retrofitted their stays with eight-cylinder Rover engines; others installed the 2.0 or 2.5 liter in-line six-cylinder Triumph engine.

Prices

When the Triumph Stag was launched in the UK in early 1970, it cost £ in 1995 including tax. In the autumn of the same year the price had risen to £ 2,093; a Mercedes-Benz 280 SL at the time was more than double that at £ 4,655. In Great Britain, the price of the Stag rose only moderately in the first few years: from October 1972 the basic model cost £ 2,471; in July 1974 the price exceeded £ 3,000 for the first time. In the mid-1970s, however, the UK suffered from high inflation, mostly in the double-digit percentage range. This also had an impact on automobile prices. The base price for the Stag was £ 4,089 in July 1975, £ 5177 in July 1976 and a asking price of £ 6,907 last year. The latest new vehicles have been sold at prices up to £ 10,000.

In Germany, the Stag was sold from 1971 to 1975. In 1971 and 1972 the Stag without hardtop cost 22,950 DM. This made it 3,000 DM more expensive than a Ford Mustang with an eight-cylinder engine and almost 6,000 DM more than a Peugeot 504 convertible . In 1973 the German sales price fell to 19,890 DM, only to rise to 20,990 DM for the 1974 and 1975 model years.

production

Production numbers

Contrary to expectations, rarely: “Federal Stag” for the US market

The first stages were delivered in the UK in June 1970; in the USA the market launch took place in September 1971. In Germany the Stag was offered from 1971 to 1975.

Initial planning saw a worldwide market for around 12,000 stages annually. Most of the production was to be exported; Triumph had the USA in particular as a sales market in mind. The expected production figures were never achieved. The American market in particular reacted cautiously from the start: In the first year after the market launch there, only just under 1,000 vehicles were sold in the USA, after which sales fell sharply. With the introduction of the second series, Triumph withdrew the stage from the American market; The car was no longer adapted to the stricter vehicle safety regulations that came into force there from 1974, which would have required, among other things, a change to the bumpers.

By the end of production, a total of 25,939 copies of the Stag had been made. For comparison: The Triumph TR6 sold over 91,000 times between 1968 and 1976. Overall, Triumph was only able to sell 20 percent of the Stag production (6,780 copies) abroad; the other vehicles remained on the domestic market. Around 1700 export vehicles were sold in Australia by 1978 or 1979.

The production figures in detail:

Production
figures Triumph Stag
Model year British market Export market total
1970 700 40 740
1971 1,990 1.911 3,901
1972 3,505 999 4,504
1973 3,194 2,314 5,508
1974 2,606 836 3,442
1975 1,986 912 2,898
1976 2,466 644 3.110
1977 1,372 613 1,836
total 17,819 8,120 25,939

Reasons for failure

The production volume of the Triumph Stag fell far short of expectations. It took Triumph almost eight years to build and sell as many vehicles as the original plans should have sold in two years.

The main reason for the failure of the stay is usually the engine, whose stability was inadequate and which could lead to considerable repair costs. Early reports of expensive engine malfunctions severely damaged the car's reputation. The problem was exacerbated by the fact that Leyland made almost no changes to the engine during the entire production period, so the known weak points were not eliminated. In addition, the workshops were not adequately prepared for servicing the eight-cylinder engine. There was also a fundamental image problem for Triumph, especially in the North American market: the brand was not anchored in the upper-class segment here. In the USA, Triumph only appeared as a manufacturer of small and technically undemanding sports cars, but not as a competitor for Mercedes-Benz or Jaguar. In retrospect, observers agree that “the Stag wasn't a bad car”. However, it was not designed conclusively and suffered from the unwillingness of the manufacturer to eliminate known errors. However, this is not a Stag-specific aspect, but applies equally to all British Leyland cars of the 1970s.

Potential successor

Failed follow-up project: Triumph Lynx

British Leyland ended production of the Stag in the summer of 1977 without introducing a successor. In the 1970s there were considerations to replace the Stag and the previously discontinued GT6 with a modern sporty hatchback coupé based on the Triumph TR7 . Among other things, the vehicle was to be equipped with Rover's eight-cylinder engine and sold under the Triumph and MG brands. Leyland constructed several prototypes, the design of which was based on that of the TR7, but also contained features of the Rover SD1. Observers also felt reminded of the Ford Capri in the profile . The model known as the Triumph Lynx was ultimately not approved for series production. This decision is mostly attributed to financial reasons.

The Triumph Stag in press and literature

Contemporary press

The contemporary press primarily dealt with the qualities and performance of the car. A test report by the British trade magazine Motor from September 1970 found the performance, comfort and handling of the stay to be excellent. The British motor journalist John Bolster considered the Stag “more of a Gran Turismo than a sports car”; the stay is "far from being a junior E-type". The engine and its smooth power delivery were one of the car's greatest strengths. Triumph's attempt to combine the features of a sports car and a Gran Turismo with the Stag was recognized as innovative in some cases, but also met with criticism: The Stag was "not fish, not meat: not a real sports car, but also not a real limousine" .

Retrospective considerations

The retrospective assessment of the Stag in the press and literature is very different. Sometimes there is ridicule and rejection. In the mid-1980s, for example, the Stag was referred to as “a car that came too late and left too late”. The US American Time magazine counted the Stag among the “50 worst cars of all time”, which, according to the authors, also included the Jaguar E-Type of the third series. In many cases this was mainly linked to the problematic eight-cylinder Triumph engine. In the 1990s this was even documented in the headlines of press articles; For example, an article in a vintage car magazine in 1994 was titled Magnificent Form - pathetic engine .

In the mid-1990s, the assessment of the Stag changed. The British racing driver Stirling Moss expressed the opinion in an article for the same magazine that the Stag was one of the ten best British sports cars. Two years later, a multi-page documentary had the subtitle The Secret's Out - it's Great ("The secret is out - it's great"). Today the stay is considered an "unrecognized size".

The Triumph Stag in the film

Sean Connery as 007 on the set of the film Diamond Fever in Amsterdam

In the early 1970s, the stage was widely used in film.

  • In 1971, Sean Connery drove a saffron yellow painted stay with manual transmission as James Bond with the cover identity "Peter Franks" in the movie Diamond Fever . The car could be seen here both in Great Britain and in Amsterdam in the Netherlands on the Reguliersgracht there. The film vehicle had the chassis number LD14. It was an early pre-production copy that British Leyland had repeatedly given journalists for test drives. The car still exists. Until 2014 it belonged to a private collection that was considered the world's largest collection of James Bond cars.
  • Also in 1971 Dustin Hoffman drove a white stag in Who Sows Violence .
  • In 1972 a dark red Stag MKI served as a film vehicle in the James Garner thriller The Trace of the Black Beast .
  • In the 1972 film Dracula Chases Mini Girls , a yellow stag is driven by the film character Johnny Alucard (played by Christopher Neame ), Dracula's helper. The car was also featured on the advertising posters.

The Triumph Stag as a classic

Due to the relatively low production number and its individual technology, the Stag is a sought-after classic car today. Various fan clubs have developed solutions for most of the deficiencies of the past; Spare parts are also produced regularly. Provided that the car is regularly serviced, it is considered an everyday classic. In the UK in particular, the stag is still widely used. In 2015, more than 3,500 vehicles were registered.

Regardless of this, the classic car prices are stagnating in any case on the German classic car market. A stage in an above-average, but not excellent condition, cost around 17,000 euros in 2015. This price level corresponded to that of the previous five years and is well below that for a Mercedes-Benz SL (107 series) in a comparable condition.

Technical specifications

Triumph Stag
  Mark I. Mark II
engine Eight-cylinder gasoline engine
V-configuration
Displacement 2997 cc
Bore × stroke 86.0 x 64.5 mm
power 145 bhp (UK version)
127 bhp (USA version)
 145 bhp (1973-1976)
146 bhp (1976-1977)
Mixture preparation two Stromberg carburettors
Valve control two chain-driven overhead camshafts,
two valves per cylinder
cooling Water cooling
transmission manual four-speed transmission (Triumph), optionally with overdrive, optional
automatic three-speed transmission (BorgWarner)
Front suspension Independent wheel suspension on a vertical guide
tube , lower wishbones, struts, telescopic shock absorbers
Rear suspension Independent suspension on double-joint trailing
arm axle, coil springs, telescopic shock absorbers
Brakes Front disc
brakes, rear drum brakes
chassis self-supporting body
body Sheet steel
wheelbase 2540 mm
Dimensions
(length × width × height)		 4420 × 1610 × 1260 mm
Empty weight 1210 kg
Top speed 180-193 km / h

literature

  • Roger Bell: Stag At Bay . Motor from October 6, 1979, p. 68 ff.
  • John Bolster: Attractive 2 plus 2 with V8 Engine . Road Test of the Triumph Stag in: Auto Sport from October 20, 1970, p. 24 f.
  • Martin Buckley: "They are immune to Lurch, tire squeal and understeer" Classic & Sports Car, issue 6/2012, pp. 144 ff.
  • Alastair Clements: Family Four Tunes . Comparison Triumph Stag / Reliant Scimitar GTC in: Classic & Sports Car, issue 4/2001, p. 138 ff.
  • Jeffrey Daniels: Triumph Stag. Vee-8-power and a sporting image . Autocar from January 11, 1970, p. 30 ff.
  • Dieter Günther: The stag calls . Oldtimer Markt , issue 8/1992, p. 8 ff.
  • Malcolm McKay: First & Last Stag Triumphant . History of the Triumph Stag in: Thoroughbred & Classic Cars, issue 2/1996, p. 14 ff.
  • Andrew Morland: Triumph Stag. Osprey Publishing Co , 1991, ISBN 1-85532-186-6
  • NN: Magnificent shape - pathetic engine . Model history of the Triumph Stag in: Classic Cars Special: English classic cars . Issue October – December 1994, p. 104 ff.
  • NN: Al fresco in style . Motor Test No. 42/1970 in: Motor, September 1970, p. 10 ff.
  • Frank Oleski, Hartmut Lehbrink: Series sports cars . Könemann, Cologne 1993, ISBN 3-89508-000-4 .
  • Graham Robson : A Requiem for Stag . Thoroughbred and Classic Cars, issue 2/1978, p. 30 f.
  • Till look: unrecognized size . Oldtimer Praxis, issue 11/2005, p. 6 ff.
  • Rainer W. Schlegelmilch, Hartmut Lehbrink: English sports cars . Könemann, Cologne 2001. ISBN 3-8290-7449-2 .
  • Jeremy Sinek: Broken Harts . Motor from October 6, 1979, p. 70 f.
  • James Taylor: High hopes . Model history in: Thoroughbred & Classic Cars, issue February 1992, p. 74 ff.
  • James Taylor & Dave Jell: Triumph Stag. Windrow & Greene Automotive Ltd, 1993, ISBN 1-872004-43-1
  • Mike Taylor: Stag at Bay . Sporting Cars, June / July 1984 issue, p. 51 ff.
  • Matthew Vale: Triumph Stag: An Enthusiast's Guide , The Crowood Press UK 2014, ISBN 978-1-84797-735-9

Web links

Commons : Triumph Stag  - collection of images, videos and audio files

References and comments

  1. ↑ a b Oldtimer Markt: Special Issue No. 55 - Classic Cars from 1920 to 1990 , Prices 2015, p. 289.
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g h i Dieter Günther: The deer calls . Oldtimer Markt , issue 8/1992, p. 16.
  3. ^ A b Roy Church: The Rise and Decline of British Motor Industry . Cambridge University Press, 1995, ISBN 0-521-55770-4 .
  4. ^ Matthew Vale: Triumph Stag: An Enthusiast's Guide , The Crowood Press UK 2014, ISBN 978-1-84797-735-9 , p. 30.
  5. ↑ NN: Magnificent shape - pathetic engine . Model history of the Triumph Stag in: Classic Cars Special: English classic cars . Issue October-December 1994, p. 105.
  6. ↑ a b c Rainer W. Schlegelmilch, Hartmut Lehbrink: English sports cars . Könemann, Cologne 2001, ISBN 3-8290-7449-2 , p. 381.
  7. ^ Matthew Vale: Triumph Stag: An Enthusiast's Guide , The Crowood Press UK 2014, ISBN 978-1-84797-735-9 , p. 28.
  8. ↑ a b Matthew Vale: Triumph Stag: An Enthusiast's Guide , The Crowood Press UK 2014, ISBN 978-1-84797-735-9 , p 53rd
  9. ↑ a b c d e f g h i Graham Robson: A Requiem for Stag . Thoroughbred and Classic Cars, issue 2/1978, p. 30.
  10. ↑ a b c d Magnificent shape - pathetic engine . Model history of the Triumph Stag in: Classic Cars Spezial: Englische Oldtimer , issue October-December 1994, p. 107.
  11. ↑ Overview of Michelotti's work for Triumph on the website www.aronline.co.uk (accessed September 17, 2015).
  12. ↑ Exceptions were the Triumph TR6, which was a TR5 revised by Karmann, and later the TR7, which was designed by Triumph's own designers.
  13. ↑ a b Mike Taylor: Stag at Bay . Sporting Cars, June / July 1984, p. 51.
  14. ↑ a b c Dieter Günther: The stag calls . Oldtimer Markt , issue 8/1992, p. 9.
  15. ↑ a b c d e f g h i Development history of the Triumph Stag on the website www.aronline.co.uk (accessed on September 17, 2015)
  16. ↑ Images of the prototype on the website www.aronline.co.uk (accessed on September 17, 2015)
  17. ↑ a b c James Taylor: High Hopes . Model history in: Thoroughbred & Classic Cars, issue February 1992, p. 74.
  18. ↑ a b c d e Malcolm McKay: First & Last Stag Triumphant . History of the Triumph Stag in: Thoroughbred & Classic Cars, issue 2/1996, p. 17.
  19. ↑ a b c Jeffrey Daniels: Triumph Stag. Vee-8-power and a sporting image . Autocar of January 11, 1970, p. 55.
  20. ^ Rainer W. Schlegelmilch, Hartmut Lehbrink: English sports car . Könemann, Cologne 2001, ISBN 3-8290-7449-2 , p. 378.
  21. ↑ a b c Al fresco in style . Motor Test No. 42/1970 in: Motor, September 1970, p. 10.
  22. ↑ a b c d e Mike Taylor: Stag at Bay . Sporting Cars, June / July 1984 issue, p. 54.
  23. ↑ a b c d Matthew Vale: Triumph Stag: An Enthusiast's Guide , The Crowood Press UK 2014, ISBN 978-1-84797-735-9 , 62.
  24. ↑ Here in a Rover 3500 ("P6")
  25. ↑ a b c d e Malcolm McKay: First & Last Stag Triumphant . History of the Triumph Stag in: Thoroughbred & Classic Cars, issue 2/1996, p. 18.
  26. ↑ Triumph offered Morgan its own eight-cylinder engine for use in the Plus 8; Morgan later opted for the Rover eight-cylinder engine. S. Graham Robson: A Requiem for Stag . Thoroughbred and Classic Cars, issue 2/1978, p. 30.
  27. ↑ a b c Dieter Günther: The stag calls . Oldtimer Markt , issue 8/1992, p. 11.
  28. ↑ a b c d After Matthew Vale: Triumph Stag: An Enthusiast's Guide , The Crowood Press UK 2014, ISBN 978-1-84797-735-9 , p. 50.
  29. ↑ Standard's six-cylinder engine was a further development of an engine that was initially developed for standard tractors, cf. Mike Taylor: Stag at Bay . Sporting Cars, June / July 1984, p. 52.
  30. ↑ a b c d Dieter Günther: The stag calls . Oldtimer Markt, issue 8/1992, p. 10.
  31. ↑ Mike Taylor: Stag at Bay . Sporting Cars, June / July 1984, p. 52.
  32. ↑ Some Stag customers retrofitted their vehicle to this engine, which is generally regarded as problem-free; s. Malcolm McKay: First & Last Stag Triumphant . History of the Triumph Stag in: Thoroughbred & Classic Cars, issue 2/1996, p. 18.
  33. ↑ a b James Taylor: High Hopes . Model history in: Thoroughbred & Classic Cars, issue February 1992, p. 75.
  34. ↑ According to Matthew Vale: Triumph Stag: An Enthusiast's Guide , The Crowood Press UK 2014, ISBN 978-1-84797-735-9 , p. 50, a production line had to be set up for the before the final decision in favor of the Triumph engine was made Engine block approved.
  35. ↑ a b c Magnificent shape - pathetic engine . Model history of the Triumph Stag in: Classic Cars Spezial: Englische Oldtimer , issue October-December 1994, p. 109.
  36. ↑ a b N.N .: Magnificent shape - pathetic engine . Model history of the Triumph Stag in: Classic Cars Special: English classic cars . Issue October-December 1994, p. 108.
  37. ↑ Malcolm McKay: First & Last Stag Triumphant . History of the Triumph Stag in: Thoroughbred & Classic Cars, issue 2/1996, p. 16.
  38. ↑ Adapted from Matthew Vale: Triumph Stag: An Enthusiast's Guide , The Crowood Press UK 2014, ISBN 978-1-84797-735-9 , p. 40.
  39. ^ Alastair Clements: Family Four Tunes . Comparison Triumph Stag / Reliant Scimitar GTC in: Classic & Sports Car, issue 4/2001, p. 139.
  40. ↑ a b Matthew Vale: Triumph Stag: An Enthusiast's Guide , The Crowood Press UK 2014, ISBN 978-1-84797-735-9 , p. 90.
  41. ^ A b Graham Robson: A Requiem for Stag . Thoroughbred and Classic Cars, issue 2/1978, p. 31.
  42. ↑ Private Austin Apache website (accessed September 17, 2015).
  43. ↑ a b Werner Oswald (editor): Auto Modelle, catalog 1971/72. United Motor-Verlage, Stuttgart 1971, p. 120.
  44. ↑ a b c d e Dieter Günther: The stag calls . Oldtimer Markt , issue 8/1992, p. 15.
  45. ^ Matthew Vale: Triumph Stag: An Enthusiast's Guide , The Crowood Press UK 2014, ISBN 978-1-84797-735-9 , p. 104.
  46. ^ A b Matthew Vale: Triumph Stag: An Enthusiast's Guide , The Crowood Press UK 2014, ISBN 978-1-84797-735-9 , p. 107.
  47. ↑ a b Dieter Günther: The stag calls . Oldtimer Markt, issue 8/1992, p. 14.
  48. Jump up ↑ Matthew Vale: Triumph Stag: An Enthusiast's Guide , The Crowood Press UK 2014, ISBN 978-1-84797-735-9 , p. 108.
  49. Jump up ↑ Matthew Vale: Triumph Stag: An Enthusiast's Guide , The Crowood Press UK 2014, ISBN 978-1-84797-735-9 , p. 57.
  50. ↑ Jeffrey Daniels: Triumph Stag. Vee-8-power and a sporting image . Autocar of January 11, 1970, p. 34.
  51. ^ Matthew Vale: Triumph Stag: An Enthusiast's Guide , The Crowood Press UK 2014, ISBN 978-1-84797-735-9 , p. 61.
  52. ↑ a b c d e Jeremy Sinek: Broken Harts . Motor from October 6, 1979, p. 20 f.
  53. ↑ Overview and detailed description in Matthew Vale: Triumph Stag: An Enthusiast's Guide , The Crowood Press UK 2014, ISBN 978-1-84797-735-9 , p. 61.
  54. ↑ a b c James Taylor: High Hopes . Model history in: Thoroughbred & Classic Cars, issue February 1992, p. 77.
  55. ^ Matthew Vale: Triumph Stag: An Enthusiast's Guide , The Crowood Press UK 2014, ISBN 978-1-84797-735-9 , p. 96 f.
  56. ^ Matthew Vale: Triumph Stag: An Enthusiast's Guide , The Crowood Press UK 2014, ISBN 978-1-84797-735-9 , p. 99.
  57. ^ Matthew Vale: Triumph Stag: An Enthusiast's Guide , The Crowood Press UK 2014, ISBN 978-1-84797-735-9 , p. 100.
  58. ↑ a b c Matthew Vale: Triumph Stag: An Enthusiast's Guide , The Crowood Press UK 2014, ISBN 978-1-84797-735-9 , p. 82.
  59. ↑ a b c d Mike Taylor: Stag at Bay . Sporting Cars, June / July 1984 issue, p. 55.
  60. ↑ a b c d Matthew Vale: Triumph Stag: An Enthusiast's Guide , The Crowood Press UK 2014, ISBN 978-1-84797-735-9 , pp. 51-53.
  61. ↑ Figure of the third stage fastback (accessed on September 17, 2015)
  62. ↑ Martin Buckley: "They are immune to Lurch, tire squeal and understeer" Classic & Sports Car, issue 6/2012, p. 146.
  63. ↑ a b Adapted from Matthew Vale: Triumph Stag: An Enthusiast's Guide , The Crowood Press UK 2014, ISBN 978-1-84797-735-9 , p. 122.
  64. ↑ Martin Buckley: "They are immune to Lurch, tire squeal and understeer" Classic & Sports Car, issue 6/2012, p. 151.
  65. ↑ In August 1975 inflation peaked at 26.9%.
  66. ↑ Overview of the Stag's sales prices on the website www.stagbytriumph.co.uk (accessed on September 17, 2015).
  67. ↑ Roger Bell: Stag At Bay . Motor, October 6, 1979, p. 68.
  68. ^ Werner Oswald (editor): Auto Modelle, catalog 1972/73 . United Motor-Verlage, Stuttgart 1972, p. 116.
  69. ^ Werner Oswald (editor): Auto Modelle, 1974 catalog . United Motor-Verlage, Stuttgart 1972, p. 125.
  70. ↑ Dr. Paul Simsa (Editor): Auto Catalog 1975 . Vereinigte Motor-Verlage, Stuttgart 1974, price booklet sheet 4.
  71. ^ Matthew Vale: Triumph Stag: An Enthusiast's Guide , The Crowood Press UK 2014, ISBN 978-1-84797-735-9 , p. 110.
  72. ↑ a b History of the Triumph Stag on the website www.triumph-stag.de ( Memento of the original from March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (accessed on September 17, 2015) @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.triumph-stag.de
  73. ↑ Robert Bensley: Standard and Triumph Registration Statistics - Part 7 - Triumph Stag , in: The Triumphant Standard , January 2018.
  74. ↑ The following list follows the information on the website www.stagbytriumph.co.uk (accessed on September 17, 2015)
  75. ↑ The model years comprised the time from autumn one to autumn the following year. The model year 1970 ran from autumn 1969 to autumn 1970. In autumn 1970 the model year 1971 began.
  76. ↑ Description of the Triumph Lynx with illustrations of the development history on the website www.aronline.co.uk (accessed on September 17, 2015)
  77. ^ John Bolster: Attractive 2 plus 2 with V8 Engine . Road Test of the Triumph Stag in: Auto Sport from October 20, 1970, p. 24 f.
  78. ^ Frank Oleski, Hartmut Lehbrink: Series sports car . Könemann, Cologne 1993, ISBN 3-89508-000-4 , p. 388.
  79. ↑ Time magazine's list of "the 50 worst automobiles of all time" , accessed on September 17, 2015 (English)
  80. ↑ a b Magnificent form - pathetic engine. Model history of the Triumph Stag in: Classic Cars Special: English classic cars . Issue October-December 1994, p. 104 ff.
  81. ^ Title page of Thoroughbred & Classic Cars magazine, issue 2/1996.
  82. ↑ Till Schauen: Unrecognized size . Oldtimer Praxis, issue 11/2005, p. 6 ff.
  83. ↑ Description of the specific vehicle on the website www.jamesbondlifestyle.com (accessed on September 17, 2015)
  84. ↑ Tom Gardner: The world's largest private collection of James Bond cars including six Aston Martins, the 'amphibious' Lotus and even a TANK has been put up for sale for £ 20million . Article dated February 17, 2014 at www.dailymail.co.uk (accessed September 17, 2015)
  85. ↑ Set image from the film "Who sows violence" (accessed on September 17, 2015)
  86. ^ Triumph Stag in "They Only Kill Their Masters" . In: IMCDb.org . ( imcdb.org [accessed June 15, 2018]).
  87. ↑ Film poster for Dracula AD 1972 (British original title) on the website www.vintagemovieposters.co.uk (accessed on September 17, 2015)
  88. ↑ Matthew Vale: Triumph Stag: An Enthusiast's Guide , The Crowood Press UK 2014, ISBN 978-1-84797-735-9 , pp. 114 ff.
  89. ↑ Malcolm McKay: First & Last Stag Triumphant . History of the Triumph Stag in: Thoroughbred & Classic Cars, issue 2/1996, p. 14.
  90. ↑ Registration statistics for the United Kingdom on the website www.gov.uk (accessed on September 21, 2015)
  91. ↑ Oldtimer Markt: Special Issue No. 49 - Classic Cars from 1920 to 1990 , Prices 2012, p. 279.
  92. ^ Günther Zink: Oldtimer Catalog No. 24 (2010). Heel Verlag, Königswinter 2010, ISBN 978-3-86852-185-6 , p. 346.
  93. ↑ Oldtimer Markt: Special Issue No. 55 - Classic Cars from 1920 to 1990 , Prices 2015, p. 184.
  94. ↑ Unless otherwise stated, the technical data was taken from Matthew Vale: Triumph Stag: An Enthusiast's Guide , The Crowood Press UK 2014, ISBN 978-1-84797-735-9 , pp. 83 ff.
  95. ↑ The values ​​vary depending on engine power and power transmission.
This article was added to the list of excellent articles on September 27, 2015 in this version .