This video is fully focused about a couple of Talbot Sunbeam Lotus rally cars I recorded from 2016 and 2020 during the famous San Marino's RallyLegend. It competed in the World Rally Championship for five seasons (from 1979 to 1983) and it was able to win the constructors' championship in 1981.
Talbot or Clément-Talbot Limited was an Anglo-French automobile manufacturer founded in 1903. Clément-Talbot's products were named just Talbot from shortly after introduction, but the business remained Clément-Talbot Limited until 1938 when it was renamed Sunbeam-Talbot Limited. After a series of takeovers, further business name changes and Chrysler's ownership, the marque came to Peugeot.
The Sunbeam, codename 'Project R424, was a small supermini designed and built by Chrysler Europe in Scotland, from 1977. Its development was funded by a UK Government grant with the aim of keeping Scotland's Linwood plant running and the small car was based on the larger Hillman Avenger, also manufactured there. After the takeover of Chrysler's European operations by Peugeot, which revived use of the Talbot name and continued in production until 1981.
A very tight schedule, low budget and the need to use as many British components as possible, led to the decision to use the rear-wheel drive Hillman Avenger as the base for the Sunbeam, rather than the more trendy front-wheel drive constructions of Chrysler's French subsidiary, Simca.
Basing the car on the Avenger's platform allowed for the car not only to use as many existing components as possible, but also to put it in production in Linwood quickly and at minimal investment. The Avenger's wheelbase was shortened by 3 inches (76 mm), and some modifications were made to accommodate the 928 cc Coventry Climax-derived engine. There was only one body style for the Sunbeam, that of a three-door hatchback.
The launch of the Chrysler Sunbeam was very well received by the British automotive press. There were initially three engine sizes: 0.9, 1.3 and 1.6 litres. The Sunbeam sold well, but was not a runaway success. At the same time, in spite of the ability to keep the UK business afloat, Chrysler was still making losses both in Europe and at home, and, facing the possibility of complete bankruptcy, decided to sell Chrysler Europe to Peugeot. The French company took control of the former Chrysler Europe effective as soon as 1979 began, and in the course of the year announced all former Chrysler Europe products would be rebranded to Talbots starting from August 1979. The Sunbeam was simply rebadged in the strictest sense of the word, with the Chrysler badge on the bonnet replaced by one that read "Talbot", but retaining its grille with a prominent Chrysler pentastar until 1981.
In order to boost the Sunbeam's image, a 'hot hatch' version was launched in 1979 and called Sunbeam Ti. It was based on the former Avenger Tiger and fitted with a 1.6-litre engine with twin Weber carburetors which was able to produce around 100 bhp. It proved quite popular with reviewers and enthusiasts, and helped to emphasize the advantages of the Sunbeam's rear-wheel drive against more trendy (and spacious) front-wheel drive rivals.
Chrysler had also commissioned Lotus to develop a rally version of the Sunbeam. The resulting "Sunbeam Lotus" was based on the Sunbeam 1.6 GLS, but fitted with stiffer suspensions, a larger anti-roll bar, a larger transmission tunnel and a 2.2-litre version of the Lotus 2.0L Type 907 engine, a 16V 4-cylinder engine (which was called Type 911 for the Sunbeam). In road trim, the type 911 engine produced 150 bhp at 5,750 rpm and 203 Nm of torque at 4,500 rpm and a weight of 960kg. In rallying trim this was increased to 250 bhp. The Group 2 rally Sunbeam Lotus was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in April 1979, but the road-going version wasn't ready for deliveries to the public until after the rebranding, and thus became the Talbot Sunbeam Lotus.
#TalbotSunbeamLotus #SunbeamLotus #TalbotSunbeam
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- Events: RallyLegend 2016-'17-'18-'19-2020
- Where: San Marino
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