Sunbeam Tiger (1925)
| Industry | Automotive |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1910s in Wolverhampton, England |
| Headquarters | Wolverhampton , England |
| Products | Automobiles, including the Sunbeam Tiger (1920s) |
The Sunbeam Tiger is a racing automobile from the 1920s manufactured by the Sunbeam based in Wolverhampton. It holds the distinction of being the final car to achieve success both as a land speed record holder and as a competitive circuit racer.
Design and engine
While the Sunbeam Tiger's chassis and bodywork were typical for its time, its true advancement lay in the powertrain. The vehicle merged two proven 2-litre straight-6 twin-overhead-cam Grand Prix engines from 1925 into a single 75° V12 configuration, featuring a bore and stroke of 67×94 mm. With the addition of supercharging, the engine's output was significantly enhanced to .
Land Speed Records
In September 1925, driver Henry Segrave conducted trials at Brooklands, reaching speeds of over a half-mile distance. After some adjustments, including applying its iconic bright red paint, Segrave established a new land speed record on 16 March 1926 at Southport beach, achieving . The Sunbeam Tiger still holds the record as the smallest capacity internal combustion engine vehicle to set a Land Speed Record.
Racing
After its achievement in land speed contests, the Tiger resumed participation in Grand Prix races at venues such as Brooklands, Boulogne, and San Sebastian. For these racing events, it was equipped with a flat open radiator grille instead of the narrow inlet cowling used during its land speed record attempt. Notably, this slender cowling design has been retained in preserved examples.
Tigress
A counterpart to the Tiger named Tigress was constructed and remains extant today. It is powered by a Napier Lion engine and competes in British Vintage racing events under the designation "Sunbeam-Napier".
Today
The Tiger was conserved in Utah, where it underwent restoration featuring the streamlined radiator cowling characteristic of its record-breaking configuration. By 2006, following engine repairs necessitated by damage incurred during vintage racing activities, the car was displayed statically in its land speed record setup.
Since 2023, ownership of the Tiger has passed to Indian entrepreneur Vijay Mallya. The vehicle actively participates in historic motorsport competitions across the U.K., including those hosted by the Vintage Sports Car Club and appearances at Goodwood.
In 1990, at 65 years old, the Tiger made another attempt at its speed record at RAF Elvington, surpassing its previous top velocity with a run of .
The 'Tiger' name
The "Tiger" designation was brought back for Sunbeam models in 1964 and again in 1972: initially on a V8-powered version of the Sunbeam Alpine, known as the Sunbeam Tiger, and subsequently on the orange-and-black striped Hillman Avenger Tiger.