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Ian Garrad was theUnited States West Coast sales manager forRootes Group, parent company ofSunbeam. He was instrumental in the design and eventual production of theSunbeam Tiger.[1][2]
Ian started his career as a factory representative inToronto, Canada in 1951. Ten years later, he became the manager of the west coast sales unit for the Rootes Group, in Los Angeles. It was during this time that he discovered that while theSunbeam Alpine fared well inSCCA events, drivers were begging for more power. He produced two prototypes for what would become theSunbeam Tiger, with a degree of risk to his career. The best of the two prototypes were shipped back toEngland with the goal of persuading management to enter production; a new car with the Tiger name consisting of the diminutive Alpine body with a largeFord V8 engine. The model was short lived due to labor problems in England, such that Chrysler was brought in as a minority partner in 1965. Chrysler showed no interest in producing a sports car using a competitor's engine, nor the man that bought it to market. Ian moved on to other ventures but was active with Tiger Clubs, until his death in 1986.[2]
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