Sunbeam Tiger
A polite British roadster with an American V8 squeezed in.
The story
Rootes asked Carroll Shelby, creator of the AC Cobra, to fit a Ford V8 into the gentle Sunbeam Alpine. It only just went in. The result was a relaxed, fast tourer that America loved.
Inside
A walnut dash, comfortable seats and proper weather protection. It was more of a grand tourer than a raw sports car.
In period colours
Tap a colour to respray the drawing.
Chrysler took over Rootes and could not keep selling a car with a Ford engine. Its own V8 would not fit, so the Tiger died.
On screen
Get Smart TV, 1965
Bumbling secret agent Maxwell Smart drives a red Tiger in the opening titles.
Meanwhile, in 1964
BBC2 went on air, Top of the Pops began and the Beatles conquered America.
Best-selling single of 1964: Can't Buy Me Love by The Beatles
Before you buy a 1960s car
- Check the sills, floorpans, wheel arches and the bottom of the doors for rust.
- Ask for any old MOT certificates, service records and bills.
- Parts for popular cars are often available from specialists, but trim and body panels can be hard to find.
General notes, not specific to this model. Check the model's own history before buying.
Rivals of its day
Picked automatically: cars on sale at the same time with similar size, speed and price.
See the real thing
These open in a new tab: the car on Wikimedia Commons, the interior and the badge as Google image searches.
Today's money: the launch price adjusted for inflation to 2026, using the Office for National Statistics price index.