Who doesn’t like a small-displacement V8? Manufacturers with lofty reputations like Ferrari, Lamborghini, and BMW have sold small V8s. And, who doesn’t like Italian bodies? Manufacturers across the board have sold cars with Italian-styled bodies, from the pedestrian VW Golf/Rabbit to the exotic Iso, Maserati, and more. So a V8-powered sporting cabriolet with Italian styling couldn’t go wrong, could it? Well, ordinarily yes, but mix in labor unrest and British Leyland cost cutting and everything starts to go pear-shaped. Timing chains break, engines overheat, safety regulations result in a big, hideous rollbar from the factory, and the expected power doesn’t materialize. Nonetheless, the Triumph Stag is still alluring to a certain twisted percentage of the populace. You can find this 1972 Triumph Stag for sale in Bremerton, WA for a mere $3500.
Posts Tagged ‘british’
The Anti-SL – 1972 Triumph Stag
November 9, 2013The Other TC – 1968 Rover 2000TC
November 7, 2013Like the Italians, the British seem to have had limited success with their sedans here, outside of the luxury class. Sedans from Rover, MG and Triumph never sold particularly well, even though they all had their merits. With some hindsight, it’s not all that surprising, perceived quality issues aside – American buyers were generally looking for power, style and space, and were not concerned about fuel economy, while British buyers’ needs were dictated by the relatively depressed post-war economy and high cost of fuel. Either way, that did not keep British manufacturers out of the honeypot that is the North American market. You can find this 1968 Rover P6 2000TC for sale in the Nob Hill neighborhood of San Francisco, CA for $2950.
British-American Muscle – Pair of 1970 Rover 3500s
November 6, 2013When people talk about hot-rodded foreign sedans with a V8 engine shoe-horned by the manufacturer into the space normally occupied by a four- or six-cylinder engine, they’re thinking about a car like the Mercedes 300SEL 6.3. And there’s no doubt this was an amazing car that foreshadowed today’s crop of V8 mid-size luxury sedans from Europe, Japan, and even America (fancy that!), but another often forgotten (and significantly cheaper) variant of the same theme is the Rover P6 3500. With a V8 engine weighing the same as the standard four-cylinder, and putting out nearly 50% more power, it’s a potentially great stealth weapon on the road. You can find this 1970 Rover P6 3500S for sale in Bonney, Lake, WA, for $3000.


