The car's dashboard still has a Stag Mark I speedometer, and one bulb has just failed.
That 1974 Triumph Stag MkII, first registered in October 1974, is the car James May chose to auction through Collecting Cars. He drove it across Zimbabwe and Botswana in ‘One for the Road’, the final episode of ‘The Grand Tour’. May had owned the car for almost three years before putting it up for sale.
The Stag had been restored by its previous owner before the trip. It returned dusty and scratched, then received another restoration at The Smallest Cog, Richard Hammond's workshop. Reports on the car say it had undergone two restorations, with work on the engine and transmission. The suspension was also worked on. The restoration story has some common ground with an unfinished Ferrari 456 restoration covered by RUSSPAIN.
In a video, May points out pitting on the door-handle chrome and sun-faded switches, along with cabin patina and Zimbabwean dust embedded in the car. The visible wear shows that the restoration has not erased every trace of the journey. The auction condition reports also noted worn interior trim and minor panel-alignment issues. The special featured three classic cars. Jeremy Clarkson drove a Lancia Montecarlo, while Richard Hammond took a Ford Capri 3.0 GXL. The model was produced from 1970 to 1977, with fewer than 26,000 examples manufactured.
Under the bonnet, the original-specification, naturally aspirated Triumph 3.0-litre V8 produces about 145 CV and 230 Nm of torque. Power goes to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual gearbox, with overdrive on third and fourth. May calls it one of the world's least reliable engines, though he says this example ran impeccably on the trip.
The odometer reads 83,100 miles, or about 134,000 kilometres. The Collecting Cars listing gave a more precise reading of 83,368 miles, approximately 134,168 kilometres, while stating that the seller did not warrant the mileage. The car was offered in magenta over black vinyl.
The sale was advertised without reserve, with bidding due to close on 29 October 2026. During the live auction, it had reached £25,250 after about 45 bids. The auction ultimately closed at a reported £37,100, information from the Oxford Mail.
