1930s Riley Six-Window Kestrel

During its days as an independent carmaker, Riley offered a large (for its size) range of motors and body types including the Kestrel, subject of today's post.

Kestrel saloon (sedan) designs came in two flavors -- four-window and six-window.  Except that British usage was "Four-Light" and "Six-Light."  Some information on six-window Kestrel models is here.

Six-Light Kestrels appeared in the 1935 model year, when there were several other British cars with visual streamlining in the form of rounded rear profiles.   I wrote about one example, the Triumph Gloria with its "Airline" body from 1934 here.

Those "Airline" cars were minimally aerodynamic at best, because their front ends were hardly streamlined at all, frontal streamlining being far more important than rear end streamlining in most cases.

Six-Light Kestrels were more attractive than their Four-Light kin.  They were longer, especially in the hood.  Passenger compartments for 1935 were similarly shaped for all Kestrel saloons aside from beltlines and side window designs.

In summary, they were attractive cars in the British context, yet behind the times compared to American styling.

Walkaround images below of a 1938 Riley 16/4 2.5-litre Kestrel Blue Streak Six-Light are via Brightwells Auctions.

Gallery

That's the traditional Riley grille frame shape -- less exaggerated than on some earlier models and even the Kestrel Four-Light.

Those large headlights provided a very British sporting touch.

A very nice, long hood.

The backlight window is on the large size for its time.

Tail lights were tiny in the mid-1930s.

The trunk is small -- typical of the times.

The aft side window is on a downward-sloping beltline.  But the beltline under the other side windows is horizontal.  So in theory, the aft window could have been plated over.  But never was, giving these Kestrels a distinctive appearance.