Alvis er et britisk bilmerke produsert av Alvis Car and Engineering Company Ltd mellom 1919 og 1967. Selskapet bygget også flymotorer og militærkjøretøyer.
- Tunga hang som øra på en beagle, da jeg så naboen ankomme i en Alvis Crested Eagle
Alvis Limited,
Holyhead Road,
Coventry, England.
History: The Alvis company was founded by the late Mr. T. G. John, a naval architect and experienced engineer, in Coventry in 1919 ; the first car—a four-cylinder known as the » 10/30 «—was produced the following year, being successively increased in power, first to » 12/40 » and then to » 12/50.»
From the beginning the Alvis car followed the ideal of its creator, Captain G. T. Smith-Clarke. Two years after the first Alvis had been made, the company decided to enter for racing and reliability trials. In 1921, Alvis won twelve trophy cups and thirty-five gold medals. The real fame of Alvis as a successful sports car may be said to have begun with the famous » Twelve-fifty » model, which had an overhead valve four-cylinder engine, giving the car a maximum speed of over 70 m.p.h. This car was introduced in 1923.
A reputation for technical enterprise was rapidly gained, and the first British front-wheel-drive car, the first British production model with independent front suspension, and the first British all-synchro-mesh fourspeed gearbox were later produced by the firm. In 1928, three four-cylinder 12/50 models and one six-cylinder 14/75 model were produced. In 1929, five four-cylinder models and one six-cylinder rated at 14-75 h.p. were offered. In 1930 one 12/50 four-cylinder, two six-cylinders each of 16-95 h.p. and one eightcylinder of 15-0 h.p. were available.
For 1931 seven types were produced including one eight-cylinder model. The following year, the famous » Speed Twenty» series was commenced, the eightcylinder car being dropped. In 1937 the very fast 3- litre » Speed Twenty-five » was introduced and by 1953 production was concentrated on a 3-litre six-cylinder model.
Alvis TC. 108/G. 3-litre Drop-head Coupe