There is probably no better time to be a fan of the former Top Gear and later The Grand Tour trio, as two of its members, Jeremy Clarkson and James May, are getting rid of some of the cars they own.
We’ve already had a look at no less than three vehicles Clarkson owns, namely a Lancia Montecarlo Spider, an Alfa Romeo GTV6, and a Lincoln Continental Mark V. These rides are scheduled to go under the hammer with no reserve in mid-November.
Now, we learned of a vehicle owned by James May doing the same, only this time as part of an online auction. Not just any vehicle, true, but one we don’t cross paths with very often: a 1974 Triumph Stag MKII.
The 2+2 sports tourer has been around for a very short period of time back in the 1970s, as a mix of British mechanical expertise supplied by Triumph and styling handled by Giovanni Michelotti, known for his work with Ferrari, Lancia, and Maserati.
May became the owner of the car almost three years ago, and he seems to have been so impressed with it that he even featured it in the final special of The Grand Tour, One for the Road. He now has it listed as an object of an online bid on Collecting Cars.
The car is far from being in perfect condition, despite having gone through two restorations before May got his hands on it. With over 83,000 miles (134,000 km) on the clock, it shows its share of wear and tear.
There are misaligned panels here and there, patina on some of the interior elements, trim pieces that may need to be replaced, pitting on some chrome components, and dashboard lights that have seen better days.
Other than that, though, the Stag is in pretty good condition, with the original naturally aspirated 3.0-litre V8 still on deck to drive the rear wheels, aided by a four-speed manual transmission. Both the powertrain and the suspension system have been overhauled at some point in the past.
Although this is a car owned by James May, there is one unexpected connection with the third member of the former Top Gear crew, Richard Hammond. Remember how I said earlier the car has been through two restorations? Well, during one of them, the Stag got its magenta exterior color at the hands of The Smallest Cog, the restoration business that climbed to fame as part of Richard Hammond’s Workshop TV show.
Propped on 14-inch, five-spoke wheels shod in Hankook Optimo tires, the Triumph carries an interior in black packed with a three-spoke steering wheel, door card pockets, a Kienzle analogue clock, Smiths gauges, and a retro-style stereo with Bluetooth connectivity as a touch of modernity.
The Triumph Stag owned by James May is selling online, with six or so days left until bidding closes at the time of writing. The most someone is willing to pay for it right now is £13,500 ($18,000).
