Racing through the mountain passes of France, Austria, Germany, Italy and Switzerland would be challenging at the best of times; doing it in the midst of winter in a coachbuilt convertible would appear to be an act of masochism. But, that’s what Sunbeam did in the Alpine Rally, garnering laurels and publicity for its new roadster, driven by Stirling Moss among others, who in 1953 took one of several Coupes Des Alpes for the British firm. That’s how the Sunbeam Alpine got its name, and of course, further fame came in 1955 with its starring role alongside Cary Grant and Grace Kelly in the Hitchcock thriller “To Catch A Thief.” Indeed, touring in the hills on the French Riviera—in summer—seems much more apt for a car that Sunbeam hoped would find its market in the wealthy sunshine playgrounds of America. To that end, Sunbeam solicited styling input from none other than Raymond Loewy, the famed French designer and guru of streamlined styling who made a huge impact on the iconography of American industrial design. Though based on the Sunbeam-Talbot 90 saloon, the sleek, coachbuilt two-seat Mk1 Alpine roadster crafted by Thrupp & Maberly was altogether more glamorous. In addition, the 2267cc inline-4 was uprated to 77-80 HP to deliver a top speed in the region of 95 MPH; with Americans in mind, there was a 4-speed manual column gear change. Likewise, the cockpit has not a wafer of burl walnut, but it is still immensely stylish and luxurious in the American idiom with Art Deco-style instrumentation in a painted metal fascia, replete with fine leather and carpet. Evocatively liveried in the “To Catch A Thief” color scheme of Sapphire Blue with a Light Fawn interior, this rare 1954 Alpine MkI has been part of a private collection since 1992 and, in 2002, it received a major and extensive frame-off restoration by Peter’s Marina Motors of Venice, California, that included bodywork, paint, chrome, custom-made leather upholstery, a custom-made canvas convertible top, new electrical wire loom and a new windshield while under the ownership of David Letterman. It’s powered by its original 2267cc inline-4 engine, which is backed by a column-shifted 4-speed manual gearbox. Though around two-thirds of Sunbeam Alpine roadsters were sold to North America, there weren’t many to begin with, as just 1,282 MkIs were hand-built through 1953-54. The survivor estimate is 300, though some sources think it nearer to 200. American adverts heralded the Sunbeam Alpine as both “bred in the Alps” and “the new queen among sports cars.” Meanwhile, MotorTrend regarded it more as a “touring car.” Those who know and appreciate this rare and highly distinctive roadster would say there’s truth in all three assertions.
