Alvis Speed 25

About the Alvis Speed 25

The Alvis Speed 25 was a British touring car made between 1936 and 1940 by Alvis Ltd in Coventry. Widely considered one of the finest cars produced in the 1930s it replaced the Alvis Speed 20. The earlier car’s six-cylinder, four main bearing engine was replaced in the Speed 25 with a similarly designed larger six-cylinder in-line unit with seven main bearings for which an output of 110 PS at 3,800 rpm was claimed (and proven) along with a top speed of almost 160 km/h (100 mph). It propelled the occupants at high speed in exceptional luxury accompanied by the attractive sound of a powerful deep and throaty exhaust. The clutch, flywheel and crankshaft were balanced together, which minimised vibration. The cylinder head was of cast iron but the pistons were of aluminium. Two electric petrol pumps fed the three SU carburettors, which were protected by a substantial air filter.Alvis never supplied any of the bodies for the Speed 25; the cars were supplied in chassis form and firms such as Cross & Ellis (standard tourer) Charlesworth (standard saloon and Drop Head Coupé) as well as Vanden Plas, Lancefield Offord and others would fit suitably elegant open touring or saloon car bodies.