Sunbeam Rapier Fastback, never successful

The principle that the strongest always wins sometimes fails. And then time and chance come into play. This also applies to transport topics. There are often times when models that have all the prerequisites for success suddenly give way to the “gray mouse” in the competition.


For example, the Sunbeam Rapier, which appeared in the mid-50s, was originally a classic sedan with rather archaic shapes. This statement only became stronger 10-15 years after its appearance. It was for this reason that the modern and very beautiful Rapier Fastback appeared in 1967, with a smooth rear end and frameless windows.


The injection of “fresh blood” implied some strengthening of the company’s position in the fight against its direct competitors. And it seemed that there were all the prerequisites for the successful development of events. But the fact that many of those reading this material have no idea what kind of car we are talking about is the answer to the question of how everything actually went.

Created during the homologation process of the model

The new product was built on the basis of the Hillman Hunter station wagon. This is clearly visible from the rear lights borrowed from the model. However, in other respects, the fastback body retained sufficient uniqueness. This includes the beautiful shape of the rear side windows behind the B-pillar and the color scheme. Many cars received a nice blue color that complements the vinyl roof.



True, this cannot be understood at first glance. After all, the new product in the style of the early 70s was awarded a huge steering wheel. Therefore, the owners, who did not complain about their small stature, had difficulty squeezing into the cabin. Although, after sitting in the driver's seat, the opposite effect occurred. All inconveniences were fully compensated by the very comfortable seats in the cabin. Here are the main differences between the H120 and the basic version:

✅ trunk lid of a different shape
✅ special Rostyle wheels
✅ chrome door sills

But here we are talking about an external difference that immediately catches the eye of anyone. The main “zest” was inside. To be even more precise, under the hood. All previous models could not boast of good power characteristics, being outright small cars. And here we tried to correct the situation, at least a little:

✅ inline four-cylinder engine
✅ top arrangement of valves
✅ pair of twin Weber 40DCOE carburetors
✅ working volume - 1,7 l
✅ power – 108 l. s at 5200 rpm

Such good results were achieved thanks to the efforts of Holbay Engineering. The result was a top speed of 171 km/h and acceleration from zero to “hundreds” in just over 11 seconds. The beautiful coupe made a very pleasant impression, so over time it received several minor modifications, including new ones:

✅ cylinder head
✅ camshaft
✅ exhaust pipes

This version also features a shortened four-speed gearbox to ensure performance is at its peak and performance is as noticeable as possible. The transmission worked well and proved to be quite durable. The brakes also had excellent tuning and performed reliably at any speed. In addition, there are no drums at the front, but improved discs. Sunbeam applied their latest developments here for the first time.


The creators also worked on fine-tuning the chassis. It behaves very comfortably for the driver, so even a bad road does not cause obvious problems or inconveniences. Another plus is the rather sharp (for more than half a century old) steering, without any visible delays.

The overall picture of serious stuffing was complemented by a synchronized gearbox. It made the task much easier for the driver, and even in our time, the surviving examples do not at all give the impression of unambiguous “oldies”. They are really very comfortable to use and it is surprising that the model is almost not in demand among fans of retro cars. But this, of course, has its own explanation, which we will give below.

Fierce competition, lost outright

When the fastback came out with all of the above advantages, the company became confident that it was quite capable of slightly pushing its competitors in the market. The main one, naturally, was the Ford Capri. At first glance, it seemed that the task was feasible. True, the Rapier was a little more expensive.


Thanks to a four-cylinder engine modified for the Sunbeam by Hollbay Engineering and redesigned exhaust manifolds, the coupe has good performance. In the early 70s, a fierce struggle ensued with the successful Capri for a place in the sun. It so happened that the latter celebrated the victory. And Rapier almost ingloriously retired from the race and ended its story.

Now it is difficult to judge whether this was due to an accident, poor marketing or the tricks of a competitor. Or, perhaps, there were a number of factors that led to an unambiguous fiasco. Most likely, an elementary habit was at work here. The Ford Capri was at the peak of its popularity, had many advantages, and the management decided, as in the proverb: “they don’t look for good from good.” And they went along the beaten path, leaving the Rapier Fastback without due interest on their part.

“Loser” was only enough to somehow move beyond the equator of the 70s. By 1976, its story was completely over. A good car never saw its finest hour. The producers were so disappointed by the disappointing results that they decided to completely abandon any continuation of the struggle.


The car did not have a successor, and Chrysler completely discontinued the entire Sunbeam brand. But in its history there were many interesting examples that even appeared on screens. For example, in the movie Dr. Jones, the character drove an Alpine roadster.

Modern history of the Sunbeam Rapier

It is clear that we do not mean renewing the brand or at least trying to do so. No, we are talking about the remaining old samples. Today the car is generally a little-known model, rarely seen in continental Europe.

For this reason, almost everyone who is tormented by nostalgia and has a desire to buy some kind of European coupe from the 70s gives preference to other models. Most often this is either the Opel Manta or the previously mentioned popular Ford Capri.

That's how, even half a century later, the latter clearly takes precedence over Rapier. By the way, due to their high popularity, such used cars are much more expensive. In any case, both machines are united by a relatively low level of complexity in operation and maintenance.


Today's offerings of the sporty Rapier model are very limited. For example, on a popular German trading platform there was only one of these. The price of the issue was announced in the equivalent of 6,7 thousand dollars.

Although difficulties will certainly arise with the search for spare parts for rare cars, as well as with the problem of corrosion, this is only one and rather insignificant aspect of the issue. On the other hand, the owner will have an original copy of one of the most interesting and authentic British coupes from the early 70s.