Talbot Sunbeam Lotus RWD Gr. 2 Rally Car: Sound, Accelerations, Jumps & Show at RallyLegend!

This video is fully focused about a couple of Talbot Sunbeam Lotus rally cars I recorded from 2016 and 2020 during the famous San Marino's RallyLegend. It competed in the World Rally Championship for five seasons (from 1979 to 1983) and it was able to win the constructors' championship in 1981.

Talbot or Clément-Talbot Limited was an Anglo-French automobile manufacturer founded in 1903. Clément-Talbot's products were named just Talbot from shortly after introduction, but the business remained Clément-Talbot Limited until 1938 when it was renamed Sunbeam-Talbot Limited. After a series of takeovers, further business name changes and Chrysler's ownership, the marque came to Peugeot.

The Sunbeam, codename 'Project R424, was a small supermini designed and built by Chrysler Europe in Scotland, from 1977. Its development was funded by a UK Government grant with the aim of keeping Scotland's Linwood plant running and the small car was based on the larger Hillman Avenger, also manufactured there. After the takeover of Chrysler's European operations by Peugeot, which revived use of the Talbot name and continued in production until 1981.
A very tight schedule, low budget and the need to use as many British components as possible, led to the decision to use the rear-wheel drive Hillman Avenger as the base for the Sunbeam, rather than the more trendy front-wheel drive constructions of Chrysler's French subsidiary, Simca.
Basing the car on the Avenger's platform allowed for the car not only to use as many existing components as possible, but also to put it in production in Linwood quickly and at minimal investment. The Avenger's wheelbase was shortened by 3 inches (76 mm), and some modifications were made to accommodate the 928 cc Coventry Climax-derived engine. There was only one body style for the Sunbeam, that of a three-door hatchback.

The launch of the Chrysler Sunbeam was very well received by the British automotive press. There were initially three engine sizes: 0.9, 1.3 and 1.6 litres. The Sunbeam sold well, but was not a runaway success. At the same time, in spite of the ability to keep the UK business afloat, Chrysler was still making losses both in Europe and at home, and, facing the possibility of complete bankruptcy, decided to sell Chrysler Europe to Peugeot. The French company took control of the former Chrysler Europe effective as soon as 1979 began, and in the course of the year announced all former Chrysler Europe products would be rebranded to Talbots starting from August 1979. The Sunbeam was simply rebadged in the strictest sense of the word, with the Chrysler badge on the bonnet replaced by one that read "Talbot", but retaining its grille with a prominent Chrysler pentastar until 1981.

In order to boost the Sunbeam's image, a 'hot hatch' version was launched in 1979 and called Sunbeam Ti. It was based on the former Avenger Tiger and fitted with a 1.6-litre engine with twin Weber carburetors which was able to produce around 100 bhp. It proved quite popular with reviewers and enthusiasts, and helped to emphasize the advantages of the Sunbeam's rear-wheel drive against more trendy (and spacious) front-wheel drive rivals.

Chrysler had also commissioned Lotus to develop a rally version of the Sunbeam. The resulting "Sunbeam Lotus" was based on the Sunbeam 1.6 GLS, but fitted with stiffer suspensions, a larger anti-roll bar, a larger transmission tunnel and a 2.2-litre version of the Lotus 2.0L Type 907 engine, a 16V 4-cylinder engine (which was called Type 911 for the Sunbeam). In road trim, the type 911 engine produced 150 bhp at 5,750 rpm and 203 Nm of torque at 4,500 rpm and a weight of 960kg. In rallying trim this was increased to 250 bhp. The Group 2 rally Sunbeam Lotus was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in April 1979, but the road-going version wasn't ready for deliveries to the public until after the rebranding, and thus became the Talbot Sunbeam Lotus.

#TalbotSunbeamLotus #SunbeamLotus #TalbotSunbeam
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I have to thank my friends and youtubers @Italiansupercarvideo and @MattyB727 for the great collaboration done during some of these events. Don't forget to subscribe to their channels!!

You can also find and follow me on:

- Camcorder: Canon Legria HF G30 & GX10 + Canon DM-100 Microphone, Sony AX-53 + Audio Technica Microphone
- Events: RallyLegend 2016-'17-'18-'19-2020
- Where: San Marino

THANKS FOR WATCHING AND SUBSCRIBE!!!

[SharonD]

Forget your Golf Gti’s the Sunbeam Lotus was a real proper Hot Hatch, rear wheels for driving and front wheels for steering. I can personally tell you it doesn’t take much to make them go like stink either, wish i still had one now that’s for sure 👌👌👌

[jwwqp]

these old rally cars always sound awesome

[itsnotmeitshim]

Really fantastic footage for an ex rallying Sunbeam owner!! Thank you.

[bjorno]

Had the pleasure of driving one in a Carlisle dirt track in the 90s. Not fully rally prepared like these but still unbelievable fun. Rear wheel drive always helps.

[marcodonati]

Ne ho avuta una dal 1980 al 2002 e ci ho fatto 250000 km . Non la dimenticherò mai...e quanto mi sono divertito !!!!

[RallyMaster-groupB]

R.I.P Toivonen. this thing in his hands was a monster!!

[Floris_VI]

The yellow red blue painted one looks absolutely incredible, amazing car

[davekennedy]

Those Lotus Sunbeams were proper rapid even by 80s/90s hot hatch standards (I think they did 0-60 in around 7 seconds) so they must have been incredible back in the early 80s. 150bhp in a little lightweight RWD car musta been fun!

[TheBritInHungary]

Loved watching that. Had one in my mid twenties and still the most fun car I ever had!

[enricocelani]

Spettacolare la vettura nera al Rally Legend, sembra anche più pepata, a livello motoristico, rispetto alle altre.

[paulcaswell]

Good to see the late Russell's car in the thick of it!

[ckryses]

I see uploaded never respond or reacts to comments...still i am gonna applaud for all the efforts he has done for the videos... especially this one.... uploader gathered all history aka knowledge and pasted in description for free...
Good work mate!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Guys like you are rare!!

[paolocanobbio]

Chi ha avuto la fortuna, come me, di correre con questa macchina, ne rimarrà per sempre innamorato!

[daviderally]

Rosati con la Talbot nera viaggia da paura! che manico!

[yidiermorera]

That sound is amazing. You make me very happy 😁🤠😁🤠😁🤠 ajua

[francky]

Magnifique et extraordinaire Talbot LOTUS voiture fantastique qui m'a fait rêver durant mon adolescence. Mon père travaillait dans une concession Talbot dans les années 80 et j'ai eu la chance de rouler dans cette fabuleuse voiture❤. Toute mon admiration au pilote de la TALBOT LOTUS noire il est FANTASTIQUE

[navarrosanleon]

El sonido del motor del auto me recuerda al del ford escort rs 1600 pero más agudo sinceramente increíble 😎😎

[MrAckers]

Our garage sponsored a lotus sunbeam for classic rallies …….I drove it once and it was fucking scary as hell

[CriticoolHit]

Ignoring flash photography at night while you're doing 80mph into a hairpin. That's your real skill.

[damiantobiaszapater]

Se desempeña muy bien en su andar Talbot Lotus sumbeam. Hermoso como lo tengo en escala 1/43.