Old becomes new again
Now you really can have that ‘new’ 1966 coupe you always wanted, writes David Linklater.
Classic British brand Alvis, which has not produced a new model since 1968, is celebrating its impending centenary by extending its range of ‘‘continuation’’ cars – new vehicles that are built to original specifications.
Continuation cars are a huge trend in the British car industry, including the likes of Jaguar’s XK SS and Aston Martin’s James Bond Goldfinger DB5.
The Alvis Car Company’s range of road-legal pre- and post-war continuation cars use key components such as chassis structures that have been stored for more than 50 years.
The Continuation Series has been extended to include two chassis and six body options. Post-war derivatives are assembled using original chassis and engine blocks unused since production stopped in
1968.
Powered by either 3.0-litre or
4.3-litre Alvis-designed in-line sixcylinder engines, each has been developed from the original designs.
With fuel injection and modern engine management, they meet legislation in a number of markets including Japan, where five of the new cars have been ordered.
Each model is hand-built at its Kenilworth works, the home of Red Triangle, Alvis’ service and restoration centre that was created when the original Coventry factory closed in 1968.
At the time, the factory’s stock of chassis, engine blocks and thousands of other components were brought to Red Triangle and have been stored in their original crates ever since.
Each car takes up to 5000 hours to build and features period bodywork styles created by coachbuilders of the times: 3-litre Park Ward Drop Head, 3-litre Graber Super Coupe,
3-litre Graber Super Cabriolet (all based on a 1966 chassis), or the
4.3-litre Vanden Plas Tourer, 4.3-litre Bertelli Coupe and 4.3-litre Lancefield Concealed Hood (1935-39 models).
As well as using original parts on the 3-litre cars, the 4.3-engined car chassis numbers follow on from the numbers allocated to the pre-war production run.
‘‘Our models are, literally, what Alvis would have created had it not halted production for over 50 years,’’ explains Alan Stote, owner of The Alvis Car Company.
‘‘The factory had planned to build 150 4.3-litre chassis models in 1938. As the site suffered serious damage build sheets and history files for inspiration.
The Continuation Series offers a range of options, including automatic transmission and power steering on the 3-litre models. Air conditioning, audio systems and servo-assisted brakes are optional across the range. Buyers also have the choice of a three-piece matching Connolly leather Alvis luggage set.
Alvis has signed a partnership with Meiji Sangyo, appointing the Tokyo-based business as its exclusive dealer, covering the whole of Asia.
That’s another continuation: Meiji Sangyo was its main agent in the Far East in the 1950s.
Alvis began manufacturing cars in Coventry in 1920. In 1925 it became the first car manufacturer in the world to design and race a frontwheel-drive model.
A year later, the Alvis straighteight FWD GP racing car lapped Brooklands at 121mph and in 1928 Alvis FWD models finished first and second in class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The company started producing and marketing FWD cars that year.
Another world-first was achieved in 1933, when Alvis designed the world’s first all-synchromesh gearbox and started working on the first British car with independent front suspension.
After World War II, Alec Issigonis – who later designed the Mini – joined Alvis to design a prototype
3500cc V8 engine.
In 1968, the Alvis passenger car division was relocated to Kenilworth after 22,000 vehicles had been built;
50,000 works drawings, technical data sheets and correspondence files are stored there.
It started developing the original Alvis-designed 3-litre and 4.3-litre cars in 2010, focusing on meeting global emission regulations while remaining as faithful as possible to the works drawings still held at the Kenilworth factory.
The company does not publish list prices (if you have to ask, etc) but a
2012 Top Gear magazine test of a 1938
4.3 continuation model suggested a cost of about NZ$500,000. Expensive, but only half what an authentic example is worth.