Buying Guide
Sunbeam-Talbot 80 & 90
‘The 90 was campaigned by Stirling Moss and Mike Hawthorn’
The post-war period saw plenty of car makers rushing to introduce new models, and 1948 saw the debut of various legends, including the Morris Minor and Jaguar XK120. But for those after a spacious and comfortable family car it also marked the arrival of the Sunbeam-Talbot 80 and 90 models. Rootes’ Ted White got the job of designing the new car, which rolled out of the Ryton factory and soon gained a reputation for providing satisfyingly sensible and well-built transport.
The entry-level 80 lasted for just two years and was a somewhat leisurely performer thanks to its 47bhp, 1.2-litre engine. Far better was the 90, which in MkI form managed 64bhp from its 2.0-litre engine. MkII and IIA models gained a larger 2.3 unit with 70 and 77bhp respectively, the MkIII a livelier 80bhp, and while not really intended to be sporting in performance or handling, they proved enjoyably capable in both departments. The MkIII also boasted styling revisions, including repositioned headlamps, larger intakes either side of the front grille and ‘porthole’ vents at the back of the front wings, and the Talbot name was dropped. You could choose from four-door saloon or pretty drophead coupé body styles, the latter constructed by coachbuilder Thrupp & Maberley, but it was the saloon that lasted longer in production by a couple of years. Oh yes, and the 90 proved successful in motorsport – campaigned by the likes of Stirling Moss and Mike Hawthorn, a MkIII would win the 1955 Monte Carlo rally outright. All of which is surely enough to tempt you today, especially as just a few thousand pounds will get you into a usable example of either model. If a comfortable, easy-to-maintain British classic tops your wish list then the delightful Sunbeam shouldn’t be overlooked.