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The Sunbeam 1000 HP Makes its Post-Restoration Debut at the 75th Pebble Beach Concours

October 26, 2026

Pictured above: The Sunbeam 1000 HP sets its position on the show field along Stillwater Cove.

After being asleep for over 90 years, the Sunbeam 1000 HP finally roared again.

The 1927 Sunbeam 1000 HP World Land Speed Record Car first made history on March 29,1927, when it recorded a speed of 203.79 mph with Harry Segrave behind the wheel driving on the smooth sands of Daytona Beach. Shaped like a long upside-down canoe, it was crafted with two massive 22.4-liter Matabele aero engines placed to the fore and aft of the chassis made by Vickers. It also included custom made Hartford shock absorbers, and a Dewandre vacuum servo braking system. The engines were both old, used, and later employed in hydroplane competitions. Soon after setting the record, the Sunbeam returned to England and enjoyed a long slumber until a team of restorers at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu decided that it was time to reawaken the beast.

The restoration spanned over the last four years, but fortunately, the Sunbeam 1000 HP made it to Pebble Beach!

Bright and early on Saturday morning, an enthusiastic team helped to get the Sunbeam placed onto the 18th Fairway.

At approximately 1:30pm on Concours Sunday, as spectators began making their way to the awards ramp for the start of the show, many of them stopped to gather around the mighty Sunbeam for a historic moment – the roaring sound of the engines.

Hosting the debut of the reawakened Sunbeam 1000 HP was a true honor and a moment the Pebble Beach Concours will remember for years to come!

Thank you again to the National Motor Museum and its efforts to restore the Sunbeam 1000 HP and showcase it at Pebble Beach.