An independent reference archive
Triumph Stag
The Triumph Stag is a four-seat 2+2 convertible with a 3.0 litre V8, made by Triumph from 1970 to 1977. It was styled by Giovanni Michelotti and has a removable hardtop and a T-bar roll-over structure. Approximately 25,939 were built.
Last updated
In brief
Giovanni Michelotti styled the Triumph Stag. Its removable hardtop and T-bar roll-over structure distinguish this four-seat convertible. The archive covers the car's history, its Triumph V8 and the practical checks involved in buying and maintaining one.
Where to find a Triumph Stag for sale · Just bought one? Your first month, in order
At a glance
| Engine | Triumph V8, 90 degree, single overhead camshaft per bank |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 2,997 cc (3.0 litre) |
| Power | 145 bhp net at 5,500 rpm, period UK specification |
| Gearboxes | Four-speed manual with optional Laycock overdrive, or Borg-Warner three-speed automatic |
| Body style | Four-seat 2+2 convertible with soft top, removable hardtop and T-bar |
| Years built | 1970 to 1977 |
| Where built | Bodies at Speke, Liverpool; final assembly at Canley, Coventry |
| Designer | Giovanni Michelotti |
| Numbers made | Approximately 25,939 |
| Length | 4,420 mm |
| Width | 1,612 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,540 mm |
| Weight | Approximately 1,350 kg including optional equipment (automatic or overdrive, air conditioning and hardtop) |
Figures from the dimensions table, V8 engine and production data pages.
Who designed the Triumph Stag
In 1965 Giovanni Michelotti asked Triumph's Director of Engineering, Harry Webster, for a Triumph 2000 saloon to turn into a show car. What came back was a convertible on a shortened 2000 floorpan, and Triumph took it home to Coventry in 1966 to develop it for production. The full story is on the Design and Michelotti page.
Where was the Triumph Stag built
Every production Stag body was built, painted and trimmed at Triumph's No. 2 plant at Speke, Liverpool, which also built the TR6, TR7 and Toledo. The finished bodies were taken by road to Canley in Coventry for final assembly. The five prototypes were built in the Engineering Department at Canley, and the first three cars after them were probably built on painted bodies supplied by Speke but trimmed and finished at Canley, as seen in the Triumph film Two Years In The Life: The Dream Car. An engineer's account is in Building the Stag at Speke.
Mk1 and Mk2
Both terms were coined by enthusiasts after production ended, and Triumph never used them. The differences are trim and cosmetic rather than mechanical. The Mk1 vs Mk2 guide sets out the commission-number ranges and the visual tells.
Manual or automatic
The Stag was offered with a four-speed manual gearbox, with optional Laycock overdrive, or a Borg-Warner three-speed automatic. Automatic Stags do not have overdrive. The manual or automatic comparison covers driving feel, servicing and buying checks. For the factory gearboxes and owner checks, see the Triumph Stag automatic guide.
Triumph Stag questions
- Who designed the Triumph Stag?
- The Stag was styled by the Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti. It began in 1965 as a show special on a Triumph 2000 floorpan and was adopted by Triumph for production.
- Where was the Triumph Stag built?
- Every production Stag body was built, painted and trimmed at Triumph's No. 2 plant at Speke, Liverpool. The finished bodies were taken by road to Canley in Coventry for final assembly. The five prototypes were built in Triumph's Engineering Department at Canley.
- How long is a Triumph Stag?
- The Stag is 4,420 mm long, 1,612 mm wide and has a wheelbase of 2,540 mm.
- How many Triumph Stags were made?
- Approximately 25,939 were built from 1970 to 1977. Of those, 17,819 were UK-market cars and 8,120 were exported.
- Is the Triumph Stag a classic car?
- Yes. Every Triumph Stag is now over 40 years old, so on age it qualifies for both MOT and road-tax exemption in the UK. For the wider question, see when is a car a classic.
The archive itself
What this site is, and who writes it
The Stag Archive is a free, independent reference for the Triumph Stag, written and maintained by Jon Cosson, a classic-car enthusiast in North Yorkshire who owns and runs a Stag of his own. That car, KKH 295N, appears throughout the site, and the work done on it informs what is written here. The archive grows out of ownership, not out of a showroom or a parts counter.
It covers the whole car. The history and variants section traces the Stag from a 1965 Michelotti show special to the end of production in 1977, through the Mk1 and Mk2, the transmissions and the production figures. The V8 engine section explains how Triumph's 3.0-litre V8 was designed, why it earned its reputation, and why a sorted one is dependable today. Because cooling sits behind most of that reputation, overheating gets a pillar of its own, and fault finding works symptom by symptom. For anyone choosing a car, the buying guide sets out what to inspect and what to walk away from. For anyone already running one, ownership covers servicing, storage and seasonal use, the how-to guides walk through the jobs themselves, and the journal records the archive's own Stag in use. The FAQ gathers the questions people actually ask.
What makes the archive different is stated plainly. It is free, and it carries no advertising, no affiliate links and no paid placements, and never will. It is written by an owner rather than a seller, so nothing here is shaped by something being for sale. It is built from factory workshop manuals, parts lists, road-test data and club archives rather than repeated folklore, and where a figure cannot be verified it says so instead of guessing. Where sources disagree, the disagreement is noted. It covers the whole car rather than only the parts that sell products.
Errors get corrected. If you spot a wrong date, a mislabelled part or a disputed figure, the contact page is the way in, and corrections are welcomed.
Recently updated
- Originality corrected
Originality: Mk1, Mk2 and Mk 1.5 changes corrected, USA originality added
- Automatic gearbox guide expanded
Automatic gearbox guide: opening answer, BW/A suffix correction, fluid and buying sections
- Factory-records corrections
Corrections: Type 65 change point, outrigger terminology, 1974 steel claim withdrawn, coolant renewal interval, Autocar direct-top figure
- Factory colours expanded
Factory colours: paint and trim list expanded with first and last recorded build dates
Where to next
Start here
Five destinations most owners and prospective owners reach for first.
- 01
The V8 Engine
Triumph's own 3.0-litre V8, how it was designed, why it earned its reputation, and why a sorted one is now dependable.
Read section →
- 02
Fault Finding
Symptom-first diagnosis, from cooling and ignition to fuelling, electrics and driveline.
Read section →
- 03
Buying Guide
What to inspect, what to walk away from, and how to assess a Stag by its condition and records.
Read section →
- 04
Ownership
Servicing, seasonal use, storage and the running rhythm of a usable classic grand tourer.
Read section →
- 05
FAQ
Common Triumph Stag questions on history, engine, buying checks and ownership, answered in one searchable place.
Read section →
By the numbers
The Stag, briefly
- Assembled at Canley, 1970 to 1977
- 25,939
- Survival rate
- ~46%
- Triumph V8
- 2,997 cc
- At 5,500 rpm
- 145 bhp
- Production run
- 1970 to 1977
Sources for the model description: Motor Sport, October 1970 and Classic & Sports Car's Stag guide. Checked 18 October 2026. Production and survival figures retain their existing sources.