The Car / Models
Triumph Stag Mk1 vs Mk2: Commission Numbers and Visual Tells
“Mk1” and “Mk2” are enthusiast terms, not official Triumph designations. They were coined after production ended. The car changed relatively little across its run; the differences are trim and cosmetic rather than mechanical.
The most reliable way to place a car is by its commission number. The ranges below are drawn from the Stag Owners Club's records and are approximate at the boundaries.
The factory's term for each build batch was “sanction”; the five sanctions are set out in the originality guide.
Commission-number ranges by year
| Commission range | Model year | Enthusiast designation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 – ~3,900 | 1970 pre-production & 1971 | Sanction 1 · Early / "Mk1" |
| 10,001 – 14,158 | 1972 model year | Sanction 2 · "Mk1" |
| 20,001 – 25,432 | 1973 model year | Sanction 3 · Early "Mk2" matt-black tail panel & sills |
| 30,001 – 36,714 | 1974 / 75 model year | Sanction 4 · "Mk2" |
| 40,001 – 45,722 | 1976 / 77 model year | Sanction 5 · Late "Mk2" body-colour tail panel, alloy sill covers |
Source: Stag Owners Club commission-number records. Boundary commission numbers are approximate.
Visual differences
The features most often used by owners to tell a later “Mk2” car from an earlier “Mk1” at a glance.
- Coach lines
- Twin coach lines on later cars.
- Rear tail panel
- Matt black from the 1973 model year, then body-colour on late cars.
- Wheels
- Steel wheels with all-chrome trims as standard; alloy wheels optional from 1973 and standard from October 1975 (LD40001).
- Badge inserts
- Black badge inserts (grey on earlier cars).
- Gauges
- Clearer instrument gauges on later cars.
- Steering wheel
- Slightly smaller-diameter wheel.
- Sills
- Matt-black sills from 1973; alloy sill covers on the late cars.
Owners are best advised to verify their car's specification from the commission plate on the left-hand door shut pillar, and against the Stag Owners Club register, rather than by eye alone.