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The sportiest Sunbeam was the Rapier H120 model, though this shared its specially tuned Holbay engine with the Hillman Hunter GLS. Sunbeam Arrow, Sunbeam Break de Chasse, Sunbeam Hunter, Sunbeam Minx, Sunbeam Sceptre and Sunbeam Vogue were used for export markets where the Sunbeam name was more familiar or deemed more likely to succeed.
Holbay Engineering was a small family run British engineering company specializing in engine modifications and race tuning. Although they enjoyed much success during the 1960s and 1970s with their competition race engines, they are best remembered today for their work on the Rootes 1725cc OHV engines as used in the Hillman Hunter GLS and Sunbeam Rapier H120.
The Sunbeam Alpine Fastback, introduced in October 1969, was essentially a Rapier with a simplified specification, developed to fill a gap in the Arrow range above the Singer Vogue. It used the same 1,725 cc (105.3 cu in) engine as the Hillman Hunter which, fitted with a single Stromberg 150CD carburettor, developed 74 hp (55 kW) at 5500 rpm.
In 1969, a cheaper, slightly slower and more economical version of the Rapier (still sold as a sporty model) was badged as the new Sunbeam Alpine. All models featured the group's strong five-bearing 1,725 cc (105.3 cu in) engine, with the Alpine featuring a single Zenith-Stromberg CD150 carburettor to the Rapier's twins, and the Rapier H120's ...
This resulted in the Sceptre's more sporty character compared to traditional Humbers. The Sceptre was positioned at the top of the mid-range Rootes Group cars, above the Hillman Super Minx and Singer Vogue. It featured similar twin headlight styling to the Vogue and a more powerful 80 bhp (60 kW; 81 PS) version of the 1,592 cc (97.1 cu in) Minx ...
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Also launched in 1970 was the Hillman Avenger (1970-81), a medium-sized family car which fitted between the Imp and the Hunter in Chrysler's British range. The model sold well in Britain but was less successful in export markets, where it was sold under a variety of names including Sunbeam/Sunbeam Avenger/Chrysler Sunbeam (Europe) and Plymouth ...
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