1959 Sunbeam Alpine
Anushan Selvarajah bonds with an Anglo-American roadster
The 1959 Sunbeam Alpine featured this month will be no stranger to James Bond fans. It was one of the first vehicles to be involved in a car chase in the famed action series… and the first to be driven by Sean Connery acting as 007. Seeing that Jaguar, Austin and Triumph were producing viable sports vehicles, the Rootes Group initially produced the Sunbeam Alpine Marks I and III in 1953 but were unable to break into the US market. So in order to improve its design, the company reached out to renowned design house Raymond Loewy in America. This resulted in the 1959 Sunbeam Alpine being a car designed by Americans and produced by the British.
Debuting at Cannes in July 1959, the Sunbeam Alpine received mixed reactions because of its seemingly small 1.5-litre engine. But what set it apart was the comfort factor.
It was one of the first British sports cars to have wind up windows, well-padded vinyl seats, a mix of carpeting and rubber mats, and interior heating that actually worked. Its performance was acceptable and with almost 70,000 cars being manufactured at the time, you could say that it performed remarkably well.
This particular machine was purchased in mint condition around three years ago by Pradeep Moraes. The car is the same lake blue colour as the one used in the iconic 007 movie, and is a marvel of American design and British style.
Though manufactured over 65 years ago, the Sunbeam Alpine’s quiet sense of sophistication still endures much like the iconic movie it debuted in.