Rare Triumph TR8 'English Corvette' found parked in garage for 40 years

A forgotten rare sports car has been unearthed in a North London, U.K., garage where it was parked for over 40 years and is coming up for sale.

The Triumph TR8 was purchased by a collector from an auction held by the British Leyland company as it ended production of the model in 1981.

The current owner and cosigner, classic car dealer Anthony Godin, tells Fox News Autos that it was brought to his attention upon the recent death of its original owner.

Godin said the car was driven from the auction to the garage and has been parked ever since with just 73 miles on the odometer, as the owner had another classic he used to drive.

The V8-powered model has the chassis number of a four-cylinder TR7, but has been authenticated as a "method build" pre-production TR8 by the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust. The model has been nicknamed the "English Corvette" due to the combination of the eight-cylinder motor and two-seat layout.

The car has a clean interior, but a fair amount of rust and corrosion on its body and 3.5-liter Rover V8. The description '"an when parked" very much applies.

The TR8 will be offered for auction at the Historics Auctioneers event at Ascot Racecourse on Sept. 25 alongside a 1982 Lamborghini Countach that has lain unassembled for the past 13 years.

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There's no pre-sale estimate for the Triumph, but the Hagerty Price Guide says one in perfect condition is worth around $33,000, but that doesn't take into account the unique nature of such a low-mileage, untouched example.