Rare Aussie V8 coupe offered for sale

One of only 10 Leyland Force 7V Coupes to ever leave its Sydney factory in 1975 is up for sale through Australian Muscle Car Sales. 

One of only three painted in ’Home on Th’Orange’ – and the only Force 7V to match that with Arctic White interior trim – the historical vehicle is one of 10 that were auctioned by Leyland in 1975 when it cancelled the project. 

On only its third owner in almost 50 years and with 101,773km recorded on its odometer, Australian Muscle Car Sales has advertised the nostalgic performance car with a list price of $250,000.

Leyland Cars Australia’s answer to the Holden Monaro GTS, Valiant Charger R/T and Ford Falcon GT Hardtop, the Force 7V was the two-door sports coupe version of the Leyland P76 sedan. 

It was powered by an all-alloy 4.4-litre V8 engine – where the others used heavier cast-iron engine blocks – taken from the P76, but with its lighter body was expected to easily eclipse the P76’s commendable 8.9 second 0-100km/h time. 

There was an entry-level six-cylinder, too, badged simply ‘Force 7’, with the mid-spec Force 7V and flagship 'Tour de Force' both using the bigger V8 engine. 

A four-speed manual or a three-speed automatic could be chosen, the latter fitted to the vehicle currently up for sale. 

Announced in 1974, it’s believed 56 prototypes were made, but a struggling Leyland cancelled the Force 7 the following year before it had a chance to hit showrooms. 

Just 10 of the 56 vehicles survived the company crusher, and were auctioned by the stricken car maker – eight of them the mid-spec Force 7Vs – with this vehicle believed to be the last 7V to go under the hammer. 

The Zetland plant where the Force 7 – among other cars including the P76 and Mini Clubman – would shut in 1978, with Leyland Australia formally closed in 1983. 

In 2021 a yellow Force 7V automatic with 28,571km on its odometer sold for $100,209.

View the listing on the Australian Muscle Car Sales website here.