Editing Sunbeam Alpine (section)

===Series I (1959–1960)===
The "Series" Alpine started production in 1959.

The Series I was built on a modified floorpan from the [[Hillman Husky]] estate car with a {{convert|1494|cc|abbr=on}} engine and made extensive use of components from other Rootes Group vehicles.<ref name=Beaulieu>{{cite book |last=Georgano |first=N. | author-link=G. N. Georgano
|title=Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile |year=2000 |publisher=HMSO |isbn=1-57958-293-1}}</ref> The running gear came mainly from the Sunbeam Rapier, but with front disc brakes replacing the saloon car's drums. An overdrive unit and wire wheels were optional. The suspension was independent at the front using coil springs and at the rear had a live axle and semi-elliptic springing. The [[Girling brakes|Girling]]-manufactured brakes used {{convert|9.5|in|mm|0|abbr=on}} discs at the front and {{convert|9|in|mm|0|abbr=on}} drums at the rear. It had dual downdraft carburetors, a soft top that could be hidden by special integral covers and the first available wind-up side windows offered in a British sports car of that time.

Coupé versions of the post-1959 version were built by [[Thomas Harrington Ltd]]. After the Le Mans Index of Efficiency success of 1961, Harrington sold replicas as the "Harrington Le Mans", using a fastback body and an engine tuned to {{convert|104|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}. Unlike the Le Mans racers, these cars had a more integrated rear roofline and were without the tail fins of the roadsters.<ref name=IMS362>{{cite magazine |title=Sunbeam Alpine - "Harrington Le Mans" |page=20 |language=sv |last=Blunsden |first=John |magazine=Illustrated Motor Sport |number=3 |date=March 1962}}</ref> Until 1962 the car was assembled for Rootes by [[Armstrong Siddeley]].<ref name=A-Z45to80/>

An open car with overdrive was tested by the British magazine ''[[The Motor (magazine)|The Motor]]'' in 1959. It had a top speed of {{convert|99.5|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} and could accelerate from 0–{{convert|60|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} in 13.6&nbsp;seconds. A fuel consumption of {{convert|31.4|mpgimp|L/100 km mpgus}} was recorded. The test car cost £1031 including taxes.<ref name=Motor1959>{{cite magazine |title=The Sunbeam Alpine |magazine=[[The Motor (magazine)|The Motor]] |date=18 November 1959}}</ref>

11,904 examples of the series I were produced.<ref name=A-Z45to80/> One of the original prototypes still survives and was raced by British Touring car champion [[Bernard Unett]].<ref>{{cite web |title=XRW 302: 1958 Prototype Sunbeam Alpine |url=http://www.xrw302.com/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130814063919/http://www.xrw302.com/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=14 August 2013}}</ref>