1927 Sunbeam 30 HP Four-Passenger Tourer
Fewer than 70 examples of Sunbeam’s only eight-cylinder models were constructed, making these pushrod-equipped machines among Britain’s rarest luxury automobiles.
The 30 HP designation reflected the British tax rating rather than actual output, as the 4,825cc inline-eight produced approximately 90 brake horsepower at 3,800 rpm.
Traditional British engineering characterized the chassis, featuring a solid front axle on semi-elliptical leaf springs and a live rear axle with cantilever leaf springs, all mounted on a substantial 137-inch wheelbase.
The overhead-valve straight-eight represented Sunbeam’s ambitious entry into the luxury performance market of the late 1920s. Power was delivered through a four-speed manual gearbox to the rear wheels, while four-wheel mechanical drum brakes provided stopping capability.
In 1929, the engine was enlarged to 5,447cc and rated at 35 HP, though combined production of both the 30 HP and 35 HP variants totaled only 65 automobiles.
Only four eight-cylinder Sunbeams are known to survive from the entire production run, with just two examples of the original 30 HP specification believed to exist today.
Their extreme rarity places them among the most uncommon British luxury cars of the interwar period, recognized by the Classic Car Club of America as Full Classics.
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