[32][40] By the time the Mark II car went into production Chrysler was firmly in charge of Rootes, and the "Powered by Ford" shields were replaced by "Sunbeam V-8" badges. Download your Owner's manual and Warranty manual today, and be covered for whatever comes We hire nice, friendly and smart people who genuinely care about providing an amazing experience for our customers. According to Smartian Sue, the car was created by George Barris, who's resume includes creating the Munster cars and the Described as a poor man's Cobra the Sunbeam Tiger was the cheapest way to have a Shelby engineered, small block, Ford-powered, two-seat British convertible in the 60s. [80] Some of the scenes featured unusual modifications such as a retractable James Bond-style machine gun that could not have fitted under the Tiger's bonnet, so rebadged Alpine models were used instead. Bunny Beebe's Bye-Bye Baby Buggy Bargain Bazaar, https://getsmart.fandom.com/wiki/Max%27s_Cars?oldid=12395, High-velocity .50-caliber machine gun under hood. Movies. [Episode #10: "Our Man in Leotards".] [18] Not only did Lord Rootes agree that the car would go into production, but he decided that it should be launched at the 1964 New York Motor Show, only eight months away, despite the company's normal development cycle from "good idea" to delivery of the final product being three to four years. [48] It was also sold in South Africa for R3350, badged as the Sunbeam Alpine 260. ". [63] Chrysler added its pentastar logo to the car's badging, and in its marketing literature de-emphasised the Ford connection, simply describing the Tiger as having "an American V-8 power train". Wear your smart pride on your sleeve with one-of-a-kind smart accessories. Each loss is seemingly replaced by an identical car. The Tiger was used for the first two seasons in the opening credits, in which Smart screeched to a halt outside his headquarters, and was used through the remainder of the series in several episodes. Rootes also entered the Tiger in European rallies with some success, and for two years it was the American Hot Rod Association's national record holder over a quarter-mile drag strip. For the sake of trivia, Don Adams owned this car -it was part of his Your smart car is an incredible machine, which means there's a lot to learn. Transmission: Automatic Color: White Interior Color: Black Average Vehicle Review: (4.571 reviews) I love my little smart car, I literally fill it up like twice a month and it costs 18-20$ to fill it using premium. Apart from the addition of a Panhard rod to better locate the rear axle, and stiffer front springs to cope with the weight of the V8 engine, the Tiger's suspension and braking systems are identical to that of the standard Alpine. [59] Later that year Chrysler was allowed to acquire a controlling interest in Rootes for a further investment of £20 million. [56], Rootes had always been insufficiently capitalised, and losses resulting from a damaging thirteen-week strike at one of its subsidiaries, British & Light Steel Pressings, coupled with the expense of launching the Hillman Imp, meant that by 1964 the company was in serious financial difficulties. [20], Although twice as powerful as the Alpine, the Tiger is only about 20% heavier,[21] but the extra weight of the larger engine required some minor suspension modifications. Twitches" (shown at right). A Sunbeam Alpine was actually used in lieu of the Tiger in various episodes. [26] The first of 14 Jensen-built prototypes were based on the Series IV body shell, which became available at the end of 1963. but was still the lowest powered version in Ford's stable. Watch our how-to videos to get step-by-step instructions on everything from That being said and the following [unreliable source? Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. By using this service, you accept the terms of our, Here Are the 5 Cheapest Electric Cars For Sale on Autotrader, Good Deal Alert: Cars Being Discontinued for 2020, Here’s Why I Think Smart Failed in the US, These Are the Cheapest Electric Vehicles for Sale on Autotrader. [79], For the 1920s racing and speed record car, see. The battery was moved from beneath the rear seat to the boot at the same time. [64], Rootes' design director Roy Axe commented later that "The Alpine and Tiger were always oddballs in the [Rootes] range. "[65], The Tiger name was resurrected in 1972 when Chrysler introduced the Avenger Tiger, a limited-edition modified Hillman Avenger intended primarily for rallying. [37], All Tigers were fitted with a single Ford two barrel carburetor. 1961 Ferrari 250 PF Cabriolet - only used in the pilot episode, 1969 Open GT appeared in the final season. "There is nothing as inconspicuous as a conspicuous car." There is no doubt that the Tiger is somewhat misnamed, for it has nothing of the wild and dangerous man-eater about it and is really only as fierce as a pussy cat. [9], Shelby began work on his prototype, the white car as it came to be known, in April 1963,[10] and by the end of the month it was ready for trial runs around Los Angeles. four as a promo for Volkswagen. Maxwell Smart rolls in a Sunbeam. Well all right, at that price when can we start? Smart was defined by its diminutive size and distinct styling which made them appealing to anyone looking for an affordable urban commuter that stood out from the crowd. [22], In 1964, its first year of production, all but 56 of the 1649 Mark I Tigers assembled were shipped to North America,[35] where it was priced at $3499. For The original 260 CID engine was considered only mildly tuned at 164 hp (122 kW), and some dealers offered modified versions with up to 245 hp (183 kW) for an additional $250. If you just need something with four wheels to get you around and don’t need a lot of space, a smart is a smart choice. several fourth season episodes. Max's Tiger had all the gadgets — rotating licence plate, ramming bumperettes, machine gun trapdoor, smoke screen and, would you believe...passenger ejector seat. [69] The standard Ford four-speed manual transmission was replaced with a BorgWarner T10 close-ratio racing transmission, which allowed for a top speed of 160 miles per hour (260 km/h). He later gave it to one of his daughters and she wrecked it. Raph Tripp is the owner of a 1966 Thunderbird, is a passionate classic car enthusiast and writer, and founder of TunnelRam.net. [73] The Tiger was also raced on quarter-mile drag strips, and for two years was the American Hot Rod Association's national record holder in its class, reaching a speed of 108 mph (174 km/h) in 12.95 seconds. it is this appearance. [25] The Rootes factory at Ryton did not have the capacity to build the Tiger, so the company contracted the job to Jensen in West Bromwich. He then approached Brian Rootes, head of sales for the Rootes Group, for funding and authorisation to build a prototype, to which Brian Rootes agreed. He insisted on driving the car himself, and was so impressed that shortly after returning from his test drive he contacted Henry Ford II directly to negotiate a deal for the supply of Ford V8 engines. In the first Get Smart novel Max has "a long, black, shiny, custom-built automobile" equipped with a machine gun in the rear turret, a 20 mm. Negotiations initially went well, but ultimately failed. [30] Installing the engine required some unusual manufacturing methods, including using a sledgehammer to bash in part of the already primed and painted bulkhead to allow the engine to be slid into place. But for God's sake keep it quiet from Dad [Lord Rootes] until you hear from me. The Karmman Ghia convertible as driven by Max was a Type 34 (based on the Type 3 platform) equipped with a 1500cc flat four and 4 speed floorshift. I'll work the $10,000 (£3,571) out some way, possibly from the advertising account. He then Hardly quick even in its day - just as well it was reliable and had low slung good looks like every Karmann Ghia dating back to the first produced in 1955. because was easier to mount Max's spy do-dads under its hood. The car was used in several episodes throughout the first four seasons, though sometimes substituted by a very similar-looking Sunbeam Alpine with Tiger badging. [19], Installing such a large engine in a relatively small vehicle required some modifications, although the exterior sheet metal remained essentially the same as the Alpine's. [46] The kerb weight of the car increased from the 2,220 lb (1,010 kg) of the standard Alpine to 2,653 lb (1,203 kg). Karmann Ghia -which comes out of the Zebra Car has seen a lot of mileage, appearing in" Marriage on the Rocks" with Dean Martin and Frank Used in the opening shots of seasons one and A Tiger driven by Peter Boulton and Jim Latta finished twelfth overall and first in the small GT class at the 1965 Dayton Continental. 1961 Ferrari PF 250 Cabriolet. [26], Jensen was able to assume production of the Tiger because its assembly contract for the Volvo P1800 had recently been cancelled.