Background
Alvis was one of the great names of the British motor industry. The Coventry firm always maintained a reputation for quality and a unique market niche: more dashing than any Armstrong-Siddeley or Rover; less expensive and opulent than a Bentley or a Bristol; less aggressively sporting than a Jaguar. And always a thoroughbred - no borrowed engines or badge engineering with other marques.
Alvis were innovators, too. They introduced a front-wheel drive production car in 1928, six years before the Citroën Traction Avant. They offered the first all-syncromesh gearbox in 1933 and, later the same year, the first British car with independent front suspension.
In the post-war era Alvis only developed two chassis; the four-cylinder TA14 and the six-cylinder, three-litre TA21. The three-litre began as a Mulliner saloon and Tickford-built drophead variant, and was later rebodied entirely as a more modern looking two-door saloon and drophead, put into production by Park Ward. The TD21 of 1958 had a single headlamp in each wing, then the TE21 of 1963 introduced the twin stacked headlamps that carried on with the TF21 (seen here) for the final years of production in 1966 and ’67, before Alvis concentrated solely on military vehicles.
The TF21 was therefore the ultimate development of the 3-litre. It used three SU carburettors to release more power and achieve a top speed of over 190kph. Owners also benefitted from disc brakes on all four wheels plus optional power steering. Like previous 3-litre Alvises, the TF21 was a gentleman’s express rather than a sports car, and a machine for the individual, not the show-off.
