The first car to exceed 200mph, the 1926 Sunbeam 1000hp, will be displayed at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles this autumn. Its Petersen appearance follows its post-restoration debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on 16 August 2026.
Powered by two 22.4-litre Matabele V12 aero engines, the Sunbeam was driven into the Land Speed Record books in 1927 by Sir Henry Segrave at Daytona Beach, Florida, becoming the first car to break the 200mph barrier with a two-way average of 203.79mph.
Also known as ‘The Slug’, the Sunbeam is currently being restored by specialist engineers at the National Motor Museum, which will then loan the car to the Petersen Automotive Museum for display this autumn. Its appearance on the US West Coast precedes an ambitious return to Daytona Beach in spring 2027 to mark the 100th anniversary of Segrave’s Land Speed Record.
The restoration is said to be progressing on schedule. Last September, the National Motor Museum revealed that one of the huge Matabele V12 engines had been successfully recommissioned and fired into life. It’s hoped the second engine will be fully operational before the car departs to the US this summer.
‘Having the Sunbeam 1000hp exhibited in 2026 at the Petersen as part of its USA tour will be a great celebration of the car’s restoration project,’ said National Motor Museum chief executive John Murden. ‘Being displayed in Los Angeles gives motoring enthusiasts on the west coast of America a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the car before it then attempts a centennial run at Daytona in the spring of 2027.’
Terry L. Karges, executive director of the Petersen Automotive Museum, added: ‘Our mission is to provide visitors access to some of the rarest vehicles ever assembled. Having the World Land Speed Record-breaking Sunbeam 1000hp on display perfectly reflects our commitment to showcasing only the extraordinary.’
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For more on the Petersen Automotive Museum, click here.
