Alpine The Classic Sunbeam

The full history of the Sunbeam Alpine, including its design and racing history.

The Sunbeam Alpine and Tiger were in many ways revolutionary cars, coming as they did from a British manufacturer with no history or reputation for sports-car design. The Alpine remained in production for nine years: the remarkable V8-engined Tiger for scarcely one third as long, yet this is a fascinating story in British motoring history.Topics covered include: Complete history of all Alpine models; Full details of the Tiger, based on the Alpine with the Ford V8 engine; Detailed coverage of Alpine and Tiger racing and rallying fortunes; Full specification tables for all models; Super specially commissioned color photography; and Special feature panels.

A comprehensive guide to Rootes’ Sunbeam Alpine sportscar of the 1960s. It explains and illustrates all the various models, and what it’s like to own, drive and live with an Alpine. Help to decide which model you really want, score each aspect to help you make the right decision when comparing cars… and agree the right price!

The author gives a thoroughgoing account of the evolution of the Sunbeam-Talbot and Alpine models through to the end of production in 1957.He provides detailed descriptions of all models, covering every aspect of chassis, running gear, engine and transmission, with information on differences from previous models, revisions and production changes. In the 1950s Sunbeam-Talbots and Alpines earned a very good name in rallying, consistently gaining awards in international events and even achieving an outright win in the Monte Carlo Rally in 1956. A full account of the cars’ illustrious competition history is also given, and appendices cover technical specifications, chassis numbers, production figures and rally entries. The illustrations include specially commissioned color photography of outstanding surviving examples of the cars and more than 100 black-and-white archive shots. In its thorough examination of these desirable cars this book provides a rich store of knowledge for the many owners and enthusiasts who care passionately about them..

Seldom has the history of any motorcar been so short and exciting as are the collective episodes and happy memories of the Sunbeam Tiger. Here is the first and complete story of this delightful British vehicle.

The Rootes Group once dominated the British motor industry, and its legacy lives on in thousands of carefully maintained cars – most notably Hillmans, Humbers, Singers and Sunbeams. In this book, using beautiful images from the Rootes Archive Centre, Richard Loveys details the Group's history and leading car models, from its creation as a car dealership by William and Reginald Rootes, through its transition into motor manufacture, and expansion by taking companies over and developing their car and commercial vehicle ranges. It was a significant contributor to the war effort in 1939–45, producing large numbers of military aircraft and vehicles, and in its post-war heyday produced such icons as the Sunbeam Alpine and Hillman Imp.