Introduction

I've heard it said before that Sunbeam doesn't have any motorsport heritage.

Absolute codswallop.

Sunbeam was one of the most successful marques in motorsport, not only in Britain, but in the world. Consider this:

• Sunbeam set four World Land Speed Records
• Sunbeams have competed in and won countless major car races internationally. Highlights include wins in the French Grand Prix (once) and Spanish Grand Prix (twice).
• Sunbeam have finished as high as second place at Le Mans and also won the Index of Thermal Efficiency award.
• Sunbeam have finished as high as fourth place in the Indianapolis 500
• A Sunbeam won the British Saloon Car Championship (forerunner of the BTCC) in 1970, 1971 and 1972.
• Sunbeam have competed in and won many international rallies, most notably the Monte Carlo.
• From the mid-fifties to early sixties, Sunbeams were one of the most popular rally cars for British entrants.
• A Sunbeam won the World Rally Championship in 1981.

To attempt to list all of the marque's successes would take more time than I have to dedicate to this site. Suffice to say that Sunbeam competition successes place the marque with such greats as Jaguar and Bentley.

Despite all of this, Sunbeams are gradually fading from the memory of the population at large. Sunbeams might just be cars, but the story of the company is also a story of human endeavour and bravery. Many advances in automotive engineering and transportation that we take for granted today came about in the course of the company's racing campaigns. Sunbeam's racing drivers risked and often gave their lives to further development of the automobile, and bring us the cars we drive today.

This site, then, is my way of trying to keep alive not only Sunbeam, but the memory of the people who made the marque great.

Russ Maddock