I used to have one of these in 1986

@nonsensiclesnail I was watching a guy who said that the Ti version which is the one i had is rarer than the Lotus talbot. I csn only guess that around this time VW came out with the MK1 Golf GTI. which was a much much better car. I had one of them too in black. Then ford came out with with Xr3. Xr2 Vauxhall with Astra GTE. So i guess the TI verson of this Talbot wasnt cherished like the lotus version probably seeing alot of them scrapped making the ones left rarer. That a guess but seems plausible as i havnt seen one on the road in decades.

@Perry1968 The Mk1 Golf GTI was launched in 1976 ..... the hot Escorts went back further to 1968

@gandalf1957 Yes but the Talbots were same era. Im talking about the hot hatch times. Not mk1s and 2 escorts.

@Perry1968 I believe that the Talbot Sunbeam had a short production run, a quick check on the internet suggests 1979 - 1981, possibly because Chrysler had backed out of supporting the Rootes group and what was left; Talbot became owned by Peugeot, who were themselves in financial problems eventually saved I believe by the then yet to be launched Peugeot 205 that allegedly saved the whole group from going under. So I think it is safe to assume that far fewer of the Talbot Sunbeam TI and the Lotus Sunbeam were produced than the Mk1 Golf GTI and the Fiesta XR2 and Escort XR3 all of which had longer production runs.

@gandalf1957 I should have googled it like you tbf. I just owned one years ago.

@Perry1968 and i think it was seen as less desirable than the Escort 2s 1.6 Sport, RS Mexico and RS2000 that were still being produced at that time. Nobody I remember at the time buying a Talbot TI rather than a Ford. The Lotus Sunbeam was bought by rich as being different to an Escort RS1800 (the Ford works team car). Only the more wealthy went for the new kid Golf GTI on the block, the original Front wheel drive hot hatch.

@gandalf1957 I had a golf mk1 Gti in the late 80s. Love mk 2 escorts and the Talbot was second hand. No rich kid here.

@Perry1968 when i said more wealthy, I was talking about purchasing new ones when they came out in mid to late 1970s not pre owned 10 years later :-)

@gandalf1957 The one i had was 6 yesrs old. But even new i doubt they were expensive. Still at 18 you are buzzing jumping in that. Unless your a spoiled ungreatful turd. I was over the moon with it back then.