1967 Sunbeam Tiger MKII Sport Roadster

Sunbeam's new car was initially named 'Thunderbolt' but was quickly renamed the Tiger after a famous 1920s Sunbeam racer. The car went into production in time for the 1964 New York Auto Show. Between 1965 and 1966, Rootes built 6,498 Tigers in both left- and right-hand drive, with many featuring the Alpine's hardtop. After Lord Rootes died, Chrysler bought into the Rootes Group, and were against building a car powered by Ford. Chrysler ceased the program in 1967, after just 536 Mark IIs (including two prototypes) were built, of which, none were sold in England.

This example was originally sold new by Larry Reed Sports Cars in Los Angeles, but the buyer opted for European delivery. The original owner picked the car up in London. The only options ordered at the time were a factory hardtop and a cigarette lighter. Although the car was slated for the U.S., the Tiger was delivered with a speedometer reading in kilometers. It also had European three-point safety belts and a Rootes of London key fob.

The current owner (the vehicle's second owner) purchased the car in 2008. Since then, it was given a comprehensive six-year restoration. During that time, the car was completely rebuilt and refinished in its original Carnival Red (Code 39) over a black interior and fitted with its original black factory hardtop.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2015