The Tiger’s genesis began back in 1962 when Jack Brabham suggested a V8-powered Alpine to Rootes competition manager Norman Garrad, who in turn mentioned it to his son Ian - the firm’s West Coast sales manager in the USA.

Before long, Garrad Jnr had enlisted chicken farmer, Le Mans winner and father of the AC Cobra, Carroll Shelby to engineer a prototype with a budget of $10,000.

Meanwhile, a second example was completed before the first by former Shelby race engineer Ken Miles at his workshop on Cahuenga Boulevard, Hollywood, his budget was $800! “Ken and I took it for a test drive,” recounted Ian Garrad in 1980.

“I must admit to furtively looking for a change of underwear when we hit the fast lane, but within five minutes I knew that we had a winner.” And a winner it was, with twice the power and three times the torque of the original Alpine, it was perfect for the USA market and enjoyed great success, even featuring in the TV show ‘Get Smart’.

But after only three years and a pr...