Malcolm Thorne falls for the charms of the Sunbeam Tiger, as he marks 50 years since its demise by sampling the last one built and meeting some of the Ford V8-powered model’s biggest fans.
1967 was a poignant year for fans of British roadsters. Yes, it’s true that a number of exciting new models were launched – the Triumph TR5 endowed Canley’s sports car with six-cylinder motivation in place of its endearing but agricultural four-pot, while Abingdon’s MGC also promised a lusty ‘six’, albeit with mitigated results – but at the same time one of the decade’s finest sporting models was quietly withdrawn. A victim of corporate politics following the Chrysler takeover of Rootes Group, the demise of the brilliant but Ford-engined Sunbeam Tiger was a matter of considerable regret.
The Tiger’s genesis began back in 1962 when Jack Brabham suggested a V8-powered Alpine to Rootes competition manager Norman Garrad, who in turn mentioned it to his son Ian – the firm’s West Coast sales manager in the USA. Before long, Garrad Jnr had enlisted chicken farmer, Le Mans winner and father of the AC Cobra, Carroll Shelby to engineer a prototype. It reputedly cost $10,000, with the funds ‘borrowed’ from the American marketing budget. Meanwhile, a second car was completed before the first by former Shelby race engineer Ken Miles at his workshop on Cahuenga Boulevard, Hollywood. “Ken and I took it for a test drive,” recounted Ian Garrad in 1980. “I must admit to furtively looking for a change of underwear when we hit the fast lane, but within five minutes I knew that we had a winner.”
Esta historia es de la edición April 2017 de Classic & Sports Car.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición April 2017 de Classic & Sports Car.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
RAY HILLIER
Double-chevron oddity proves a break from the norm for this Crewe specialist
SHORT BACK & GLIDES
Eccentric enthusiast Captain RG McLeod's series of Manx-tailed Bentley Specials reached its zenith with this unique S2 Continental.
People's choice
The diminutive but multi-million-selling Fiat 850 packed a remarkable diversity of form and function into its compact footprint
PLASTIC BREAKS FROM THE NORM
Glassfibre revolutionised niche car-body production, but just occasionally strayed into the mainstream.
A SENSIBLE SUPERCAR
The cleverly conceived four-seater Elite secured Lotus a place at the big players' table, but has it been unfairly maligned since then?
"I had a habit of grabbing second place from the jaws of victory"
From dreams of yachting glory to the Le Mans podium, via a stint at the top of the motorsport tree, Howden Ganley had quite the career
Still going strong
Herbert Engineering staked its reputation on the five-year warranty that came with its cars. A century on, this Two Litre hasn't made a claim
One for the kids
General Motors was aiming squarely at the youth market with the launch of the Pontiac GTO 60 years ago, and its runaway success popularised the muscle-car movement
A NEW BREED OF HERO
Launched at the turn of the millennium, the GT3 badge has already earned a place alongside RS, CS and turbo in Porsche lore.
Brits with SIX appeal
The straight-six engine is synonymous with a decades-long legacy of great British sports cars. Six variations on the sextet theme convene for comparison
