Two-Door Alvis Saloons by Vanden Plas

Alvis was a British carmaker whose luxurious, sporty automobiles attained the firm's style apex during the 1930s. Its Wikipedia entry is here.

The models featured here are the Speed 20, produced 1932-1936, and the Speed 25, made 1936-1940.   These cars had six-cylinder motors, hence their proportionally long hoods.

Alvis did not build its own bodies -- that task was handed over to coachbuilding firms.  The rare 2-door saloons presented here were crafted by the well-known Vanden Plas firm.

English cars of the '30s were behind the times compared to the design evolution going on in America.  Alvis vehicles as late as 1940 looked like slightly smoother and more rounded 1933 American cars.  But I don't see much wrong with that, provided the designs were attractive.  And the cars shown below are interesting, attractive examples from their homeland setting.

Gallery

1934 Alvis Speed 20 2-Door Saloon by Vanden Plas - RM Auctions photos
Note the extremely long hood.  It seems there is (cramped?) room for rear-seat passengers, but over-the-axle seating implies a rough ride for folks forced to sit there.

No rear bumper on this example, and the license plate is hung from the spare tire.  Compare the slope of the rear end to the later, Speed 25 version below.  Luggage space is questionable.

The perspective of this photo helps reveal the design's attraction.  I love the long hood and huge headlights.  Classic British. 

1937c. Alvis Speed 25 2-Door Pillarless Saloon, Vanden Plas drawing - via Alvis Archive
The Speed 25 was a slightly modernized Speed 20.  Most Alvis 2-door saloons had full-height B-pillars, but a few were pillarless, as shown in this Vanden Plan drawing.

1938 Alvis Speed 25 2-Door Pillarless Saloon by Vanden Plas
The spare tire was moved from the rear end to the left front fender, and away from the right hand drive piloting position.

1938 Alvis Speed 25 2-Door Pillarless Saloon by Vanden Plas
The "fastback" slope is slightly greater than on Speed 20 Vanden Plas two-doors.  Note the reversed-Packard style pen-nib side trim.  This was also seen on four-door Speed 25 saloons by other coachbuilders.

1938 Alvis Speed 25 2-Door Pillarless Saloon by Vanden Plas - unknown photo source
Photo of a survivor.  The spare tire can be seen peeking over the hood.