The Sunbeam Imp and its relatives, the Sunbeam Chamois and the Sunbeam Stiletto coupé, were Sunbeam-badged members of the family built around the Hillman Imp, the small rear-engined car that Rootes launched in 1963. The Imp was the first British mass-produced car with its engine block and cylinder head cast in aluminium, and it stayed in production at Linwood until March 1976.
Sunbeam Imp at a glance
| Maker | Rootes Group, later Chrysler Europe |
|---|---|
| Built at | Linwood, Scotland |
| Production | 1963–1976 |
| Engine | 875 cc aluminium overhead-camshaft four, mounted behind the rear axle |
| Layout | rear engine, rear-wheel drive |
| Body styles | saloon, plus the Husky estate, a van and a coupé |
| Launch price | £508 1s 3d for the standard model |
| Rally version | Rally Imp of 1964 with a 998 cc engine |
| 1965 Tulip Rally | first and second for Rosemary Smith and “Tiny” Lewis |
| Built | just under half a million in 13 years |
The Sunbeam Imp, Chamois and Stiletto were Sunbeam-badged members of the Imp family; this page is based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Hillman Imp.
History of the Sunbeam Imp
Origins: the Suez crisis and the APEX project
The Imp grew out of the fuel shortage caused by the Suez Crisis in 1956. Petrol was rationed in Britain, sales of the heavy cars for which Rootes was known had slumped, and the BMC Mini had shown how large the market for small economical cars was. The project, known inside Rootes as APEX, officially began in 1955, and Michael Parkes and Tim Fry offered to design the car. Early development produced “The Slug”, which had clear similarities to a bubble car, but the Rootes design board was not satisfied and ordered the team to press on. The next stage of the Slug was more utilitarian and properly styled. Extensive testing took place in Norwegian winter conditions, in East African summer weather and in Arctic conditions in Canada.
Launch at Linwood
It was originally envisaged that the 742 cc Coventry Climax FWMA-inspired engine would be available in 800, 875 and 998 cc sizes. In the end only the 875 cc version was standardised, partly because of engineering and production costs, the increased weight and size of the car, and the unreliability of experimental 998 cc dry-liner engines; that left the Imp as a one-capacity car in a way the Mini was not. The Hillman Imp was announced on 2 May 1963, when the Duke of Edinburgh opened the factory at Linwood, and he then drove a silver Imp to Glasgow Airport. The standard model cost £508 1s 3d and the deluxe version £532 4s 7d. The car was considered ahead of its time, but reliability problems harmed its reputation and contributed to the Rootes Group being taken over by Chrysler Europe in 1967. It continued in production until March 1976, selling just under half a million units in 13 years.
The Sunbeam-badged Imps
As well as the Hillman marque, the Imp was sold as a series of variations, including an estate car, the Husky, a van and a coupé. The Sunbeam Imp and the Sunbeam Chamois were the Sunbeam-badged versions of the small saloon, and the Sunbeam Stiletto was the coupé member of the family. The Imp also had a competition career. Rootes introduced a homologation special called the Rally Imp in 1964, with an engine enlarged to 998 cc, and in the 1965 Tulip Rally the works Imps of Rosemary Smith and “Tiny” Lewis finished first and second overall.
Design and features
- Aluminium engine: the first British mass-produced car with an aluminium block and cylinder head.
- Rear-engine layout: an 875 cc overhead-camshaft four behind the rear axle.
- Body range: saloon, Husky estate, van and coupé.
- Rallying: a 998 cc Rally Imp and a one-two finish on the 1965 Tulip Rally.
Sunbeam Imp versions
- Sunbeam Imp: the Sunbeam-badged small saloon.
- Sunbeam Chamois: the Sunbeam-badged version of the same range.
- Sunbeam Stiletto: the coupé of the Imp family.
- Rally Imp (1964): the 998 cc homologation special.
- Hillman Husky: the estate version, and a van was also offered.
The Imp was the smallest car in the Rootes range below the Sunbeam Arrow, and the coupé side of the range is echoed in the Sunbeam Rapier. More cars are in the Sunbeam collection.
Video: Smitten by a Sunbeam Imp
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Hillman Imp, English Wikipedia: development, launch, variations, rallying
