In 1909 the British Sunbeam firm engaged  Louis Coatalen, (1879–1962) as a Chief Engineer. Racing enthusiast Coatalen was to transform the Wolverhampton firm to become the foremost British exponents of motor racing internationally at the highest echelons. It was Coatalen who in 1912 engaged his countryman Jean Chassagne as part of his winning racing team. In 1912 Coatalen entered a team of four race modified 12/16 Sunbeam cars to compete in the Coupe de l’Auto which was run concurrently with the French Grand Prix de l’ACF at Dieppe. Victor Rigal with Jean Chassagne as riding mechanic not only won the Coupe de l’Auto outright but was placed third in the Grand Prix against the large Grand Prix cars with engines three and five times the capacity of the Sunbeam.