Q-cars are nothing new. While they’re more popular than ever in the 21st century, the trend started several decades ago – and the Sunbeam Tiger is proof. Take one Sunbeam Alpine Series IV, a car styled as innocuously as a convertible MGB, then shoehorn a 4.2-litre V8 into the nose of it. Change the steering box for a rack to improve precision, add a tougher Salisbury rear axle along with a Panhard rod to the rear suspension to help keep the thing on the tarmac – and voilà, a cut-price Cobra alternative.
The Tiger came about after Ian Garrad, Rootes’ US West Coast manager, watched a sports car race that saw Shelby Cobras trounce the opposition. He reckoned there was a market for a hot Alpine, so he approached Carroll Shelby to see how feasible such a car would be to build. Within a month Shelby had a prototype ready and, thanks to the relatively small amount of re-engineering involved in the metamorphosis from Alpine to Tiger, the production car was developed in just nine months. …show more content…
From the outset the Tiger was developed for export only (and specifically the American market), as Jensen, which was contracted to build the cars, didn’t have the capacity to meet early demand.
Which one to buy?
As the Tiger was designed with the US market specifically in mind, UK cars are rare. Finding a US car is generally easier, and cheaper. A MkII version was marketed briefly in 1967, again for export only; just ten right-hand-drive cars were officially built. This second derivative featured a 289cu in (4727cc) engine pushing out 200bhp; top speed rose to 125mph. The plug was pulled in June 1967, when just 6551 MkIs and 534 MkIIs had been built.
Performance and specs
Engine 4265cc
The Tiger came about after Ian Garrad, Rootes’ US West Coast manager, watched a sports car race that saw Shelby Cobras trounce the opposition. He reckoned there was a market for a hot Alpine, so he approached Carroll Shelby to see how feasible such a car would be to build. Within a month Shelby had a prototype ready and, thanks to the relatively small amount of re-engineering involved in the metamorphosis from Alpine to Tiger, the production car was developed in just nine months. …show more content…
From the outset the Tiger was developed for export only (and specifically the American market), as Jensen, which was contracted to build the cars, didn’t have the capacity to meet early demand.
Which one to buy?
As the Tiger was designed with the US market specifically in mind, UK cars are rare. Finding a US car is generally easier, and cheaper. A MkII version was marketed briefly in 1967, again for export only; just ten right-hand-drive cars were officially built. This second derivative featured a 289cu in (4727cc) engine pushing out 200bhp; top speed rose to 125mph. The plug was pulled in June 1967, when just 6551 MkIs and 534 MkIIs had been built.
Performance and specs
Engine 4265cc