The Lotus company developed many models for client concerns, and this Lotus Type 81 Sunbeam-Lotus celebrated this activity within the Glasius Collection. The notion of a world'class rally car tailored for the open road appealed to the Chrysler (later Talbot) dealer network,and the basic recipe was to provide the basic Talbot Sunbeam hatchback model with extra vigour and so to appeal to a moneyed go faster market.

A 2.2-litre Type 911 version of the Lotus 16-valve 4-cylinder engine was specified, driving through a five-speed ZF gearbox. Borrowing something from Lotus-Cortina experience, the new Sunbeam-Lotus was to be offered only in black and silver, with Marchal spotlights mounted above the front bumper and tailored 'double four-spoke' cast-alloy road wheels.

The Sunbeam-Lotus was launched in 1979 with the Lotus name receiving particular prominence. The finalized 2172cc Twin-Cam engine breathed through two twin-choke Dell'Orto carburettors, and developed around 150bhp at 5,600rpm. While initial production projections visualized a target of 4,500 units to be built, production in fact totaled only 2,298.

Olav Glasius found this Avon-specification luxury model offered for sale in the Channel Island of Jersey and he bought it sight-unseen some five years ago. Since then it has been placed with the Myers father and son duo in Northamptonshire to benefit from a comprehensive restoration, due to be complete in time for the auction. These Sunbeam-Lotus saloons offer considerable performance for the prices normally realized and this Avon model began life at the upper end of the range.