To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION at RM Sothebys' Arizona event, 22 January 2021. Estimate:$120,000 - $140,000 One of only 27 known to have been finished in Balmoral GrayOffered with factory hard top, jack and tool kit; rides on period-appropriate Minilite alloy wheelsAccompanied by Sunbeam Tiger Owners Association certificate of authenticity; listed in The Book of Norman Carroll Shelby’s quest to bring American horsepower to British sports cars did not cease with the Cobra: In 1963, at the behest of the Rootes Group, the Shelby team tucked a 260 cubic-inch Ford V-8 into the beautiful Sunbeam Alpine roadster (an idea initially proposed, it should be noted, by Jack Brabham in 1962). The resulting prototype was compelling, and production was quickly greenlit.Dating from the model’s introductory year, this 1964 Tiger Mark I is finished in Balmoral Gray—one of only 27 believed to have been built in this color. Its known history dates to the mid-1970s in California, where receipts and records show the car was well maintained and driven regularly. It passed to another California owner before being discovered in 2006 by Neal Wichard of La Jolla, California.In 2007, Mr. Wichard commissioned Cobra and Tiger restoration expert Doug Pratt, David Zumstein, and Tom Shelby (Carroll’s nephew) to perform a factory-correct restoration, which saw bodywork, chrome and trim, interior, and mechanical components refinished to exceptional standards. It subsequently earned two Best of Show awards at Sunbeam Tiger Owners Association concours in 2011 and Best of Show at the SAAC meet in Santa Monica the same year; it was also exhibited at the prestigious The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering in 2010. The car was inspected and certified by Sunbeam Tiger Owners Association in 2011, and it is listed in The Book of Norman.This Tiger benefits from an upgraded larger oil filter. It comes with its factory hard top; the trunk houses the car’s full-size spare, jack, handle, and tool kit. It rides on a set of period-appropriate Minilite alloy wheels. A meticulously restored and carefully maintained example, this outstanding 1964 Tiger Mark I is suitable for any collection of important high-performance sport cars.To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/az21.