About Bernard Unett
By 1964 Bernard Unett made XRW 302 (opposite) the most successful Alpine in club events. Unett decided to enter the Freddie Dixon Challenge Trophy, which was then considered the biggest prize in club racing. Awarded on a points system, Bernard's four wins (one being at Brands hatch ), five seconds two thirds and one forth place were sufficient to win him the trophy. Rootes colleagues Peter Coleman and Frederick Evans helped develop the car with Unett, using special squared topped cam follower lobes to increase power, making it incredibly fast. so fast that it always caused a few comments from motoring journalists as to what was under the bonnet.
In 1965 Unett was racing a Sunbeam Tiger (opposite) given to him by the new Rootes competition manager and ex Le Mans driver Marcus Chambers. Registration number ADU 180B, It was one of the two ill prepared Tigers that had embarrassingly short outings at the previous years Le Mans 24 hour race, being hurriedly built and overweight with poor brakes and unsatisfactory engines. After being modified by unett, he was easily beating the competition and getting glowing press reports.
