Talbot Sunbeam Lotus: Sunbeam - Sports Cars
IF HOUSE TODAY announces the arrival of a model with these characteristics, I'm sure the orders will spill, the checkouts will be filled with all these deposits, and the internet forums will boil: rear drive, 960 kg, 150 hp, 0-100 km / h in 6,6 seconds and suspensions developed by Lotus. Appetizing, isn't it? Of course, one great actor is not enough to make a great film, but if we add to these characteristics a few victories in WRC it becomes even more difficult to resist.
La Sunbeam lotus 1.184 units were built right-hand drive, which is about half of the total. However, today most of them ended up in a landfill: according to the Owners' Club, there are only about eighty of them. And one of them is here today, shining under the almost summer sun in classic Embassy Black livery with silver stripes. This is episode 1, you can see right away Headlights smaller front and from weapon pentagon Chrysler in the center of the large grid.
Here some of you will surely explode: “But it was not alone Talbot? “I’d rather tell you his story a bit…
In the late XNUMXs, things weren't doing very well in the UK auto industry (to put it mildly), and Chrysler UK was no exception. House purchased Rutes Group, actually a conglomerate of small well-known brands such as Highlander e Singer, And Sunshine in practice, it was a British government-funded project to prevent the closure of the Chrysler plant in Lynwood, near Glasgow.
La Sunshinelaunched in 1977 was essentially one Hillman the Avenger... In fact, with the Sunbeam project, Des O'Dell, head of the motorsport sector at Chrysler, was determined to emulate the Avenger's rally successes by challenging racers. Ford Escort... Much of the Avenger mechanic was taken and set on Sunbeam, but a good one was needed. engine... He took it from Lotus, which in the meantime found itself without a client when Jensen, to which 2-liter engines were supplied, is out of order. Given the circumstances and the fact that O'Dell's deputy Wynn Mitchell attended university with then-Lotus director Mike Kimberley, an agreement was quickly reached between the two manufacturers. IN engine Lotus was supplied with a naturally aspirated four-cylinder 2.2 (Type 911, very similar to Type 912 Esprit S2 and S3). In the road version, it produced 150 hp, but could easily be increased to 200 hp.
The Sunbeam Lotus street car debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in April 1979. Chrysler UK, meanwhile, was sold to PSA, and when deliveries began in the summer of that year, the brand Talbot now he belonged Peugeot who used it for the Sunbeam, although there was a transition period when the Series 1 was called Talbot, but had the Chrysler coat of arms.
Lotus not only supplied engines, but also participated in the development suspensions and system high school graduation... The chassis was built on the Chrysler production line in Linwood and then shipped to Lotus in Ludham to protect the twin camshaft engines (built in Hethel) and Speed Five-speed ZF.
The Series 2, which debuted in 1981, featured a large T in the center of the front grille. engine was slightly redesigned, the reservoir and headlights became wider, and Mirror the sides were different. In 1982, the only alternative to Moonstone Blue livery was a special version of Avon Coachworks with dark blue stripes. Talbot against the background of the moonstone and the green-yellow emblem of the Lotus with roof in Vinyl... This special edition was supposed to consist of 150 copies with plates from DDU 1Y to DDU 150Y, but only 56 were officially converted (which, among other things, were not even registered after the logical numbering from DDU 1Y to DDU 56Y).
Well, after this little introduction, let's get back to us. Although I have always admired the Sunbeam Lotus and could not wait to finally manage it, at first glance its such simple and anonymous line does not bode well for anything exceptional. And then this hood looks so long and the rear window is huge.
Dave Merlane of the Sunbeam Lotus Owners Club and the current owner of the car reveals that this is not a completely original car. But it works well, and that's the main thing. While Dean is photographing as much as he can, Dave points out some interesting details, such as the speedometer reading 225 (the Sunbeam GLS, on which the Sunbeam Lotus is based, reaches 195; this is one of the easiest ways to distinguish a Sunbeam Lotus from a replica). A quick glance under the hood reveals that the longitudinally mounted four-cylinder sits a bit tightly in the engine compartment. Dave apologizes for circles Miniliths are not original and more than an inch, but they did not have time to replace them with a set of original rims (this is our fault, we called it without much notice). But they look good to her ...
After photos and the usual sudden downpour, it's finally time to go there. Sunshine... The ignition key is a beautiful bright blue with the same Chrysler emblem we find on the front grill. It fits into the slot in the column steering, turn, wait ten seconds, press the pedal a couple of timesacceleratorthe key turns again to engage the starter, and finally the 4-cylinder dual camshaft wakes up. Dave warns that you should never draw air: "even when it's very cold, otherwise you will drown the engine with gasoline."
Sitting here with engine at idle, I can not help but touch the gas pedal a couple of times. A little, just tap a little from time to time to rev up and enjoy the instant pedal-to-piston connection you can only experience with a cable choke like this. Engine support cushions Dell'Orto Carburettors 45mm (same as my RS2000 Escort) and has a nice sound full-bodied, with a wonderful hoarse note. The five-speed ZF has first reverse gear. Lever arm Speed custom design - absurdly long and thin, but the shift knob is exactly where it needs to be, next to steering wheel so you don't have to move your arms too much.
You climb a little circles, you slowly leave it Clutch until you find the point of attack and forward. Parties. On the tricky streets we've chosen to test Sunshine shows a hard ride on uneven asphalt, but with speed it also increases its ability to absorb potholes: obviously suspensions they were created to keep pace.
Another downpour sets in, and I have to in a hurry to discover which of the knitting needles at the wheel controls the wiper. By putting the arrow on and turning on the headlights, I can finally clear the windshield of water and even find the rear wiper.
If you don't rush it, Speed The ZF is excellent: he is determined and positive, he has the right weight, and without even looking, you always know exactly which gear you are in. IN steering it's heavy but positive and reassuring, and after a few minutes in the sun, you're inevitably tempted to pick up your pace. So you downshift and step on the gas pedal (any excuse is good), revving up to maximum and wondering how nimble, fast, and agile this quiet-looking car is. Given that this instance has a completely standard engine, I am amazed at the pace it can handle. Before riding it, I thought that 0-100 in less than 7 seconds is only possible if your name is Sebastien and you are running on the track. WRC, but now I understand that I greatly underestimated her.
This car is addictive. IN engine it is very lively and loves to climb in circles, and with this fantastic sound you will always want to ride it at full throttle, like a real one compact sports. The frame looks very short and boxy compared to that of the Escort. If you watch a video from the era Henri Toivonen and his colleagues at the wheel of the Sunbeam, you will find that sending it was very easy. oversteer... With this capture Impressive, guaranteed by the front end, understeer seems impossible instead. But if you really want to try, you'll find that the sunbeam suddenly reaches its limit and that the only thing keeping you from crashing into a ditch is its lightning-fast steering that allows you to counteract and resume the trajectory. . In particular, with this Sunbeam, oversteer is not as obvious as I thought (and hoped), probably due to bus with a wide tread and modern rubber compound, but it's still a lot of fun, especially in fast corners where the suspension seems to handle bumps better.
Given his undeniable gift, it is strange that Sunbeam lotus did not have the same condition as the Escort Mk2. Perhaps this depends on the Escort being the first to emerge and that Sunbeam's successes were soon overshadowed by the monstrous Group B. Even today, the Escort overshadows the Sunbeam: who seeks rear drive golden years with a pedigree from pull together in fact, he will almost certainly choose Ford because of its ridiculous price tag, ditching the more expensive and rare Sunbeam.
price Beyond that, we should also consider that the Escort, with its transverse engine layout and front-wheel drive, was much more practical than the Sunbeam, so it may not surprise us too much that it took twenty years to consider rear-wheel drive. compact field. sporty, with the BMW 1 series. But as the M135i demonstrates today, this configuration is interesting and definitely relevant for the driving enthusiast who thinks emotion and dynamics are much more important than a little more space in the vehicle. trunk.
