Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire 346 in Paris (France)
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 (a Rolls-Royce-made Hydramatic 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, and there was an optional four-speed manual column-change gearbox available. It featured a longer-wheelbase chassis (extended by 21 inches or 535 mm) and a body incorporating a limousine division. The test car cost £1,757 including taxes.
Manufacturer: Armstrong Siddeley (United Kingdom)
Years of production: 1953—1958
Production: 7,697 cars
Engine: 6 cylinders; 3,435 cc
Power: 150 HP
Max speed: 160 km/h
Acceleration (0-100 km/h): 13.2 s
Fuel consumption: 15 l/100 km
