The Alvis 12/70 was announced by Alvis on 22 September 1937. It was a four-cylinder sports saloon or four-seater drophead coupé related to the pricier six-cylinder Alvis Silver Crest. It was designed by George Lanchester and proved to be his last automobile design.
Alvis 12/70 at a glance
| Announced | 22 September 1937; built until 1940 |
|---|---|
| Engine | 1,842 cc four-cylinder, pushrod overhead valves, 63 hp (47 kW) |
| Gearbox | four-speed, synchromesh on the top three |
| Top speed | about 80 mph (130 km/h) |
| Steering and brakes | Marles cam steering, Bendix-Cowdrey brakes |
| Suspension | half-elliptic springs, underslung at the rear, hydraulic dampers |
| Bodies | four-door saloon and two-door drophead coupé by Mulliners of Birmingham |
| Price in 1938 | £435 (drophead £445 after the Type II; chassis £315) |
| Built | 741, with 121 surviving |
This page is based on English Wikipedia and on one dealer listing. The dealer page is a sales description, so its claims are marked as such.
History of the Alvis 12/70
Alvis’s technical director and chief designer Smith-Clarke was fully occupied with a new factory for Alvis’s Gnome-Rhône radial engines, so the 12/70 was designed by George Lanchester. The engine was similar to that of the Firebird but was in fact a new design, and the four-speed gearbox was made by Alvis itself.
A Times correspondent who tested a 12/70 in June 1938 thought the price high for a Twelve but found the value there: quiet, smooth running and firm yet gentle controls. In September 1938 the Type II brought more room and comfort: a lowered floor, a longer and wider body, redesigned seats and an outside spare wheel in a metal cover.
A total of 741 cars were made until 1940. In 1945 the 12/70 was replaced by the modernised TA 14, which kept much of the earlier car.
A Belgian dealer has listed a 1939 “12/70 SC” cabriolet that, according to its description, was specially fitted with a 3-litre Speed 25 engine of 81 bhp. That is the dealer’s own claim and we could not confirm it elsewhere; a standard 12/70 has the 1,842 cc four.
Design and features
- Engine: pushrod overhead-valve four, new for this model.
- Rear panel: the whole back panel hinged at the bottom and carried the spare wheel until the Type II.
Alvis 12/70 versions
- Saloon and drophead coupé by Mulliners.
- Type II (September 1938): roomier body.
More Alvis cars are in our Alvis collection, for example the Firebird, the Speed 25 and the TA 14 that replaced it.
Alvis 12/70 questions and answers
What is the Alvis 12/70?
A four-cylinder 1.8-litre sports saloon and drophead from 1937 to 1940.
How many were built?
741, of which 121 survive.
What replaced it?
The TA 14.
Sources
- Alvis 12/70, English Wikipedia: history and specifications
- Oldtimerfarm listing: Alvis Sports 12/70 SC: the specially equipped 1939 car (dealer claim)
