Lot 313: 1967 Sunbeam Alpine Mk. V

In 1956 Kenneth Howes and Jeff Crompton were tasked by Rootes to completely redesign the Sunbeam Alpine, the goal being to produce a dedicated sports car aimed principally at the American market. Howes contributed some 80% of the overall design work which bears more than incidental resemblance to the early Ford Thunderbird; he had, after all, worked at Ford before joining Rootes. It was three years later that the 'Series' Alpine went into production, and one of the original prototypes, which was raced by British Saloon Car Champion Bernard Unett, still survives. The Alpine went on to be produced in four subsequent revisions through to 1968, after which some 70,000 had been built, and the car was relatively successful in competition both in Europe and in North America, although the overall sentiment was that the Alpine lacked power. Successive increases in displacement and engine tuning improved the car tremendously but Rootes executives were looking for something to transform the car, rather than an evolutionary development. They eventually found it in the (then) newly-introduced small-block V8 from Ford, and a subsequent collaboration with Carroll Shelby, Ken Miles, and other sports car racers in America would result in the creation of the Sunbeam Tiger. Finished in striking red with complementary red interior trim, this fine Mk V example - the most powerful and largest capacity model produced - has clearly undergone an extensive restoration in recent years and the car is described by the vendor as being in good to excellent condition in every respect. The MoT test certificate is for a full 12 months and, indeed, the MoT test inspector involved congratulated the vendor on the underside and general condition of the car. It benefits from a hard top and comes with British registration documents.