Land and water speed record driver · United Kingdom · Former owner and record driver

Sir Malcolm Campbell

1920 Sunbeam 350hp “Blue Bird”

The actual surviving dark-blue Sunbeam 350hp Blue Bird viewed from above in the National Motor Museum, between two other record cars.
The actual surviving 1920 Sunbeam 350hp Blue Bird in the National Motor Museum in 2011, photographed by sv1ambo. Adjacent record cars remain visible in the uncropped museum view.Photo: sv1ambo · CC BY 2.0.
Photo details

Joyride serves the 2,432 × 3,648 Commons original JPEG byte-for-byte. No crop, resize, retouching, metadata removal, generation or vehicle reconstruction; responsive presentation may crop displayed edges.

Black-and-white studio portrait of Sir Malcolm Campbell wearing a leather racing cap and goggles, photographed by Richard LeSesne.
Sir Malcolm Campbellcirc · Identification portraitRichard LeSesne / State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory · Public domain in the United States.
Photo details

Joyride serves the 600 × 761 Commons JPEG byte-for-byte. No crop, resize, retouching or generation; a responsive frame may crop displayed edges. This identification portrait remains separate from sv1ambo’s 2011 actual-car photograph.

One aero-engined Sunbeam carried three land-speed records

Connection
Former owner and record driver
When
Purchased in 1923 · records in September 1924 and July 21, 1925 · later ownership documented
Identity
1920 Sunbeam 350hp · 18,322 cc V12 record car · renamed Blue Bird by Campbell · surviving Montagu Collection car

The National Motor Museum identifies this as the 1920 Sunbeam 350hp built around a modified 18-litre Manitou V12 aero engine. Kenelm Lee Guinness had already taken the individual car to a 133.75 mph land-speed record at Brooklands in 1922. Malcolm Campbell borrowed it that year, purchased it from Sunbeam in 1923, began a series of rebuilds and repainted it in the blue livery that accompanied the name Blue Bird.

Campbell’s first official record in the car came at Pendine Sands in September 1924 at 146.16 mph. He returned on July 21, 1925 and raised the record to 150.76 mph, becoming the first person to break the 150 mph barrier. Those figures describe this evolving competition machine at dated record attempts, not a production model or an unchanged 1920 specification.

The museum says the car passed through several owners after 1925 and that Edward Lord Montagu acquired it in 1957. Its collection record now names the Montagu Collection as owner and describes the car as restored. Joyride therefore records Campbell as a former owner and record driver. The licensed museum photograph shows that actual surviving Sunbeam, not one of Campbell’s later Blue Bird cars or a same-model substitute.

Documented custody

Where the car went next

  1. 1919–1920Built around an aero V12

    Sunbeam constructed the record car in Wolverhampton with a modified 18-litre Manitou V12, four-speed gearbox and shaft drive.

  2. May 17, 1922Its first land-speed record

    Kenelm Lee Guinness drove this same car to 133.75 mph at Brooklands before Campbell owned it.

  3. 1923Campbell buys and renames it

    After borrowing the Sunbeam in 1922, Campbell purchased it, rebuilt it, repainted it blue and named it Blue Bird.

  4. September 1924A record at Pendine

    Campbell claimed the official land-speed record at 146.16 mph on Pendine Sands.

  5. July 21, 1925The 150 mph barrier

    The Sunbeam reached 150.76 mph through the measured course, making Campbell the first person past 150 mph.

  6. 1957–presentMontagu Collection custody

    Edward Lord Montagu acquired the car in 1957; the restored survivor is now part of the National Motor Museum vehicle collection.

Follow the evidence

Sources for this story

The National Motor Museum documents the individual car’s 1920 identity, 18,322 cc V12 specification, Guinness record, Campbell’s 1923 purchase and Blue Bird renaming, both Pendine records, later owners, 1957 Montagu acquisition and present Montagu Collection ownership. No unchanged 1920 condition, exact date when Campbell ceased ownership, identity with any later Blue Bird, complete Sunbeam family coverage, exact Joyride catalog match or compatible game representation is claimed.

  • Sunbeam 350hpNational Motor Museum · collection record · reviewed 2026-10-07 · external source

    1920 identity, country, 18,322 cc V12, 355 bhp as-built output, 150.76 mph performance, Montagu Collection ownership, manufacturer, Campbell’s 1923 purchase and Blue Bird renaming, and the 1924–1925 record runs.

  • History of the Sunbeam 350hpNational Motor Museum · museum history · reviewed 2026-10-07 · external source

    Construction, Guinness’s 1922 record, Campbell’s purchase, both Pendine records, post-1925 changes of owner, Lord Montagu’s 1957 acquisition, 2014 mechanical rebuild and 2015 commemorative run.

Reviewed

Why this is the actual car
  • Photo identity evidence

    Photographer sv1ambo identifies the June 7, 2011 National Motor Museum image as the Sunbeam 350hp land-speed-record car sold to Malcolm Campbell and renamed Blue Bird; Commons confirms CC BY 2.0.

  • Photo identity evidence

    The museum’s collection record identifies the surviving 1920 Sunbeam, Campbell’s purchase and records, restoration and present Montagu Collection ownership.

The matching photographer, venue, date and vehicle history establish the identification; the chassis stamp is not visible in these photographs.