Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire 346 1953–1958
| Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire | |
|---|---|
Sphinx symbol of silence
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| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Armstrong Siddeley Motors Limited |
| Production | 1952–1960 3½ litre 7,697 4 litre 981 2¼ litre 1,406 Total 10,084 built |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | executive |
| Chronology | |
| Successor | none |
The Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire is a large automobile which was produced by the British company, Armstrong Siddeley Motors Limited, from 1952 to 1960.
A distinctive element of the Sapphires was the traditional Armstrong Siddeley V-shaped radiator grille with the Sphinx motif mounted on it.
On some models the sphinx sported aircraft wings carrying tiny Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire jet engines.
Sapphire 346
| Sapphire 346 | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Overview | |
| Production | 1953–1958 7,697 made |
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | 4-door saloon limousine |
| Layout | Front-engine, rear-wheel drive |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 3,435 cc Straight-6 |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 114 in (2,896 mm) 133 inches (3,378 mm) (limousine) |
| Length | 193 in (4,902 mm) 212 in (5,385 mm) (limousine) |
| Width | 72 in (1,829 mm) |
| Height | 63 in (1,600 mm) |
The 346 was the first of the Sapphires introduced late in 1952 for sale in 1953 and continuing until 1958. The six-cylinder 3,435 cc engine had hemi-spherical combustion chambers and could have optional twin Stromberg carburettors(£25 extra) which increased the output from 125 to 150 bhp (93 to 112 kW) giving a top speed in excess of 100 mph (161 km/h). The front suspension was independent coil springs with a rigid axle and leaf springs at the rear. The Girling hydraulic brakes used 11 in (279 mm) drums all round.
The body was available as a four- or six-light (two or three windows on each side) at the same cost and with either a bench or individual front seats. The seats were finished in leather, with the dashboard and door-cappings in walnut veneer. A heater was standard.
It was introduced with the choice of a Wilson electrically-controlled finger-tip four-speed pre-selector gearbox as a £30 option, or four-speed synchromesh gearbox. It became available with automatic transmission (Rolls Royce four-speed) with the introduction of the Mark II in 1954.
A long-wheelbase model was launched in 1955 as a limousine version which had the pre-selector gearbox as standard, however, there was an optional four-speed manual column-change gearbox available. It featured a longer wheelbase (extended by 21 inches or 535 mm) chassis with a body incorporating a limousine division.
Models for export to the U.S. were always delivered with twin carburettors.
A saloon with the optional twin-carburettors and synchromesh transmission tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1953 had a top speed of 100.1 mph (161.1 km/h) and could accelerate from 0–60 mph (97 km/h) in 13.0 seconds. A fuel consumption of 18.7 miles per imperial gallon (15.1 L/100 km; 15.6 mpg‑US) was recorded. The test car cost £1,757 including taxes.