1937 Alvis Speed 25 Drophead Coupe

The Alvis Speed 25 is a six-cylinder British touring car built between 1936 and 19540 by Alvis Ltd., in Coventry, England. It is widely considered one of the finest cars produced in the 1930s. It was capable of high-speed touring (nearly 100 mph) and had a driveline that was balanced as a unit to reduce vibration. The appearance was a matter of owner selection, as Alvis supplied the chassis only, leaving the buyer to select the coachwork. That chassis is an impressive piece. It features independent front suspension, vacuum-assisted brakes, a fully synchronized four-speed gearbox, built-in jacks, adjustable shocks, and 137 horsepower. Just 391 of the Speed 25 chassis were built between 1936 and 1939.

This car features a one-off body by Offord & Sons. The design includes a disappearing top and a spare carried in the boot. The body has been refinished in its original colors. It was commissioned in May of 1938 by Frederick Arthur Thomas, the president of the Institute of Consulting Engineers, and it spent the war on the island of Jersey under German occupation. It was returned to England in 1956 and was then imported to the United States in 1962. Its current owner acquired the car in 1994. After successfully completing a 1,000-mile New England tour in 1996, the car was shown at Pebble Beach in 2002 and was awarded Most Elegant Open Car. In 2015, it completed the Pebble Beach Motoring Classic Tour from Seattle to Pebble Beach.