Page 17 - Nov 2022

The 2022 Best of Show Winner, Bob all came before WWII broke out. In the Leyland Corporation,
Chipkevich's 1950 Alvis TB14, has winning in its 1938 The Autocar wrote, " In the which became British
pedigree. While car enthusiasts from other scheme of things there are cars, good Leyland. Then, In 1968,
marques may never have heard of an Alvis, cars, and super cars, the Alvis falling management bought ouf
and many people who favor British cars have definitively into the latter category." the car operations portion
never seen one, cars produced by the Alvis of what had been Alvis.
World War II
Motor Company have been both remarkable
All design plans, customer
and highly sought after since the company Like many British manufacturers,
records, the stock of
began. Today, around the world, there are Alvis was enlisted to help the war
remaining parts. and Alvis
4,800 Alvis automobiles still on the road. effort, building armoured cars,
auto employees were
fighting vehicles, and aeroplane
Once considered a top-of-the line car company, transferred to a new
engines. Then, in November, 1940
innovative Alvis faded after World War II. Now entity, Red Triangle. Red
the Luftwaffe bombed Coventry
it's back making cars again, with prices for its Triangle returned to Alvis's
and Alvis' car factory was almost
continuation cars, new, hand built cars based headquarters and began
destroyed. This ended the
on classic Alvis models, ranging from $265,000 servicing and restoring
production of Alvis cars for the
to $306,000 a copy. existing Alvis cars.
duration, although Alvis' armament
It takes 4,500 hours to build an Alvis in the 21st factories were largely untouched That company is still in
century. This means that once again, an Alvis is and production continued in Alvis' existence today and was
a niche car with a specific sort of owner who 21 shadow factories. instrumental in helping
takes delivery. with the restoration of our
Post WWII
The short story of our Best of Show winner's Best in Show winner, the
After the war the Alvis car division 1950 TB14.
family tree follows. [You can also find out more
struggled, while its armoured
about the local restoration effort that returned In 2009 the legal transfer
vehicle and aircraft division
this Alvis to glory beginning on page 36.] of all Alvis cars
prospered. Rover, another British
The Beginning company, in 1965 bought the trademarks were made to
Red Triangle.
Founded in 1919 in Coventry by engineer and controlling interest in Alvis Ltd.
businessman Thomas George John, Alvis Under Rover, there was to be one In 2010 the company
became the first caremaker, only six years after more moment of glory for Alvis announced that the 4.3
its founding, to design and race a front wheel cars. liter Alvis engine would be
available once again.
drive car. Three years later, Alvis' front wheel Alvis introduced the TF21, a
drive cars went on to capture first and second beautiful car with a top speed of Alvis Today
places at Le Mans. 127 mph but the company, with the
To see what Alvis is up to
Alvis became known as one of the most British economy still in a post war today, turn to page 59 of
innovative car manufacturers. The company semi- doldrum, was only able to sell this issue for a first hand
pioneered the first all synchromesh gearbox, 109 of them. Alvis ceased car look at a company
used servo-assisted brakes, independent production in 1967. But the plucky building new classics the
suspension, and aluminum pistons. Alvis car company refused to die. way they always built
automobiles were owned by royalty, celebrities in 1968 Rover and its Alvis them, by hand, one car at
and the British Army. These accomplishments subsidiary were incorporated into a time.
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