As heroic motoring failures go, the Leyland P76 is legendary. As such, Australia's locally built commercial catastrophe – even though it was Wheels magazine's Car of the Year and had a boot designed to hold a 44-gallon drum – has acquired a cult status all of its own, especially the super-rare Force Seven coupé.
There is another special edition with particular cachet, however, and Shannons has an example coming up for sale at its Spring – that's Aussie Spring, so 10 October – sale in Sydney.
Only 100 of the Targa Florio examples were built to this spec at the Zetland works and this one, being sold with no reserve, has had just one owner from new.
The Targa Florio saloon was one of 900 limited-edition P76s built in 1974 to commemorate the stage win of a nearly standard P76 in the 1974 World Cup Rally, driven by Australian ace Evan Green.
They came came with a 4.4-litre all-alloy V8 engine, automatic transmission, power steering and a limited-slip differential, but only 100 were finished in this example's Aspen Green hue.
The car's sole owner worked with BMC-Leyland for more than 30 years and has covered just 71,450km since buying it in October 1974.
It carries an estimate of AUS$8-12,000, see the Shannons website for more.
