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Jim Cowen’s Automodello strikes again with yet another pretty sports car that shares English and American heritage. This time it’s the 1964 Sunbeam Tiger Mark I Roadster with a removable hardtop roof (item #AM-SUN-TIG-RD). Unlike some of the prior models of newer companies from Automodello, this company dates back to 1888 as a producer of bicycles, motorcycles, and eventually automobiles. Their first production car debuted in 1901. In 1920 Sunbeam merged with the French company, Darracq that had previously acquired Talbot in 1919. The new company was known as STD Motors, hardly a name you would want to use in today’s polite society.
With the economic downturns of the depression it became necessary to sell the company and it was purchased in 1935 by the Rootes Group in England. From 1938 on the cars were known as Sunbeam-Talbot’s, and in 1954, this was further shortened to Sunbeam. In 1964, Sunbeam’s US West Coast manager made the wise decision to modify the popular Sunbeam Alpine grand tourer to a sports car image by installing the 260ci (4.3L) 164hp Ford V8 engine and naming it the Tiger. The car remained in production until 1967 when Chrysler completed their purchase of the Rootes Group. Quite naturally Chrysler felt they could not continue selling a car with a Ford engine and, as no Chrysler engine would fit the car, the Tiger was discontinued. During its short life 7,085 were sold.
The Automodello Sunbeam Tiger is painted with a flawless red finish and includes the removable hardtop. The Sunbeam name appears above the grille with the company’s logo on a bar across the grille. Every nuance is included with V8 logos on the fenders under the script Tiger name and on the rear deck. Tiger logos also appear on the rear fenders where the beltline chrome trim ends. The black interior includes a full instrumentation wood grain dash and a wood grain steering wheel with a full horn ring. Door handles and window cranks complete the interior. Dual exhaust extensions and eight spoke chrome wheels with knock-off hubs further enhance the exterior. The removable hardtop is complete with rear side windows.
The initial shipment of the Tigers will be small so that any possible manufacturing problems will be corrected. You know that this company will not sell a questionable model. The planned build up will be just 999 units. With an MSRP of only $95, this is a model that will be in demand so do not hesitate to order yours now.
(08/06/2012)
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