Corgi VA11302 Talbot Sunbeam Lotus – Embassy Black

Chrysler UK’s rallying programme didn’t live up to expectations during the seventies, mainly because their BRM twin-cam engine failed to give the neat handling Avenger enough power to beat the all conquering Cosworth BDA engined Escorts. So when competition manager Des O’Dell saw the prototype of the company’s new Avenger-based small hatchback the Sunbeam, he hatched a plan to shoehorn in the Lotus 907 engine and create, at last, an Escort beater. It worked, from March 1979 over 2300 road cars were produced and the under financed team from Coventry had their year of years in 1981, winning the Manufacturers’ World Rally Championship.