Sunbeam 1000 hp
| Industry | Automotive |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Wolverhampton , United Kingdom |
The Sunbeam 1000 HP "Mystery", commonly known as "The Slug", is a land speed record car created by the Sunbeam Motor Car Company based in Wolverhampton. It was equipped with two powerful aircraft engines and earned the distinction of being the first automobile to surpass 200 mph. Its final appearance was a modest demonstration run at Brooklands utilizing only one engine. Today, this historic vehicle is exhibited at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu.
Design
Due to budget limitations, Louis Coatalen’s team from Automobiles Talbot-Darracq had to rely on existing technology rather than developing new components. The car was powered by a pair of Sunbeam Matabele aircraft engines, each with a displacement of 22.4 litres, which had previously been installed in a powerboat. Although branded as "1000 HP," the combined power output was nearer to 900 hp (670 kW). One engine was positioned in front of the cockpit, while the other was located behind the driver. The rear engine was initiated first using compressed air; subsequently, the front engine was engaged through a mechanical friction clutch, and finally both were connected via a dog clutch for the record-setting run.
Captain Jack Irving designed the streamlined bodywork to be fully enclosed, improving aerodynamic efficiency. The vehicle employed specially manufactured tyres capable of withstanding speeds of 200 mph for approximately three and a half minutes. A distinctive feature was its rear axle final drive, which utilized twin chains — a somewhat rudimentary approach. Concerns about this design emerged shortly before the record attempt following the fatal accident of J. G. Parry-Thomas, whose car Babs suffered a chain failure at high speed; later investigations indicated that a wheel failure was actually responsible for that tragedy. Unlike Parry-Thomas’s car, the Sunbeam’s chains were encased within armored steel housings, which were incorporated into the design from the beginning rather than retrofitted after an incident.
Record
The Sunbeam 1000 HP marked the first time a non-American vehicle pursued a land speed record at Daytona Beach. On 29 March 1927, driver Henry Segrave established a new record by reaching 203.79 mph (327.97 km/h), thereby becoming the pioneer in exceeding 200 mph (320 km/h) in an automobile.
