It was the last car ever designed by George Lanchester, penned while Alvis's own chief engineer was busy building aero engines.
Lead trim: 12/70 1,842 cc OHV four (63.5 bhp)
Alvis 12/701937–1940
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Alvis 12/70 yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactIt was the last car ever designed by George Lanchester, penned while Alvis's own chief engineer was busy building aero engines.
The Alvis 12/70 was announced on 22 September 1937 (741 made until 1940): a four-cylinder sports saloon or 4-seater drophead coupé related to the pricier six-cylinder Silver Crest. Technical director Smith-Clarke being fully occupied with a new factory making Alvis's Gnome-Rhone radial engines, it was designed by George Lanchester and proved his last automobile design. The 1,842 cc four-cylinder pushrod overhead-valve engine (73 mm bore, 110 mm stroke, triplex-chain camshaft drive, single downdraught carburettor) was similar to the Firebird's but a new design, producing 63.5 bhp at 4,250 rpm (63 hp / 47 kW in the text) for a top speed of about 80 mph, with an Alvis-made four-speed gearbox with synchromesh on the top three speeds, Marles cam steering, Bendix-Cowdrey brakes and half-elliptic springs. The standard four-door four-seater saloon and two-door four-seater drophead coupé bodies were by Mulliners of Birmingham. Wheelbase 106 in (2,692 mm), length 170 in (4,318 mm), width 62 in (1,575 mm).
Collectors Spotted in the Alvis 12/70 Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Alvis 12/70 yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
One published trim in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/70 1,842 cc OHV four (63.5 bhp) | 1937–1940 | 1.8 L Inline-4 | 63.5 hp | — | — | — | — | — |
Owning one
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Owners’ builds
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Photographs
Rivals
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