Pictures from the Heritage Archives

The Sapphire 346 which became a Star.

Usually, when a heading like this is shown it leads to a story of how ‘the car saved the day, or perhaps some very important person alighted from it in a fanfare of trumpets, but in this case it quite literally morphed from Sapphire 346 model into the new Star Sapphire model.

The board at Armstrong Siddeley Motors felt that though the 346 Sapphire introduced in 1952, and later in Mk11 form, had sold very well the market indicated that it was time a new car was introduced into the Armstrong Siddeley range. Sadly the aircraft industry at this time had also slowed down which meant that funds were limited. The all new model which was to be preferred already delayed to 1960 was further delayed till 1962. Consequently   Chief Engineer, of the Experimental Department, Alex Rice, was directed to upgrade the present 346 Sapphire in time for the International Motor Show at Earls Court in November 1958.

The Car at the 1958 Earls Court Motor Show

Briefly, to achieve this, a 346 Sapphire, TDU 707 was taken from the production line and used as a mobile testbed. It was recipient of change after change in all areas, many very radical, until it became the New Star Sapphire, lifting the car into the more exclusive, high-powered, luxury class of motoring.

The interior was now more spacious and more luxuriously equipped. Under the bonnet there was an upgrade to 4 litre power, twin carbs, Borg Warner three speed automatic transmission and front wheel disc brakes. This was now a car capable of a genuine performance in excess of 100 miles per hour.                                         

By the time the Experimental department had readied the car for the show, as pictured above, it had clocked up 330,001miles in testing and would go on to exceed 400,000 miles before coming into the care of the Armstrong Siddeley Heritage Trust.

Further details and pictures can be found in the 2025 December issue of the member’s magazine.

The car awaiting a thorough refurbishment.