Landmark Collector's Library Series

The Sunbeam 12-16hp

by Bruce Dowell and Peter Ransom

Published 15 September 2008

Bruce Dowell has spent a lifetime collecting photographs and other material related to the 12-16 H.P. Sunbeam. Through more than 400 photos (most previously unpublished), the associated text and a detailed appendix, he traces the evolution of Louis Coatalen's creation. We see it carrying touring, sports and formal coachwork and operating in racing, ambulance and military guises. During this period we also see electric lighting displacing acetylene and bodies transforming from the upright styles of 1910 to the super-elegant Sporting Model of 1914. Technically unremarkable but extremely successful, the 12-16 H.P. Sunbeam of the 1910-1914 period was beautifully engineered and gained a well-deserved reputation for performance, ease of use, adaptability and above all, reliability. A number of major and minor competition victories enhanced that reputation and by the end of its production life the 12-16 had become - and would remain - Sunbeam's most successful model, with a total of 4,941 chassis manufactured.
This is an evocative snapshot of the pre-World War I period, incorporating the mundane, the exotic and everything in between to present a unique and comprehensive view of the 'nicest Edwardian car' in the 2 to 3-litre market.

Sunbeam the Supreme Car, 1899-1935

by Bruce Dowell

Published 3 December 2004

Written by the leading authority on Sunbeam cars, this book combines over 500 illustrations of virtually every model of car produced by the Sunbeam Motor Company at their works in Wolverhampton. There are over 50,000 words describing the models, a considerable achievement given that practically no company records survive. This book is the ultimate photographic record of Sunbeam cars ever produced by the original company. It will be of interest to enthusiasts of vintage motoring and its history, let alone Sunbeam owners and enthusiasts.