Leyland Special Tuning – One of the earliest precursors was the Special Tuning department of the British Motor Corporation (BMC), later absorbed into British Leyland. Rather than building its own limited-run performance models, Special Tuning focused on selling racing-inspired upgrades that allowed owners to bring a taste of the track to their road cars.
BMC already enjoyed considerable success on the circuit through its Competitions department, but it was far less accommodating when enthusiastic owners attempted to emulate those victories with home-modified road cars. That attitude shifted in 1963, when the company recognised the commercial appeal of sanctioned performance parts and established the Special Tuning operation at its Abingdon base. Official upgrades soon became available for cars such as the Mini Cooper, Austin-Healey Sprite and MGA.
The concept struck a chord with enthusiasts. As a result, Special Tuning survived BMC’s merger into British Leyland in 1968 and even outlived the closure of the Competitions department in 1970. Its catalogue spanned everything from simple bolt-on kits offering modest gains to the full preparation of works-specification rally and racing cars for private customers.
The RHD Development TR8, registration NWK988W, was fitted with a range of Special Tuning components as part of its development programme. These items are identified by STR part numbers in a BL Motorsport memo dated December 1980, which records the modifications applied to the vehicle. Reference to this memo, together with the Special Tuning catalogue reproduced below, would have enabled an informed enthusiast to uprate a production car to a broadly comparable specification. Note Springs, shocks and some other items are bespoke to that car.
Parts and Price List Jan 1980
