01
Origins
T.G. John's new Coventry company announced itself in 1920 with the 10/30, a light car whose 1.5-litre side-valve four was built to standards the class rarely saw — aluminium pistons, careful balancing, and a willingness to rev that made the car feel more expensive than it was. The name Alvis, chosen for sounding well in any language, went onto a red triangle badge that would last half a century. The 10/30 sold on quality rather than price and established the pattern: Alvis would never chase volume, only the buyer who noticed the difference. Within three years its engine had grown into the overhead-valve 12/50, one of the definitive vintage sports cars, and the company's reputation was made. Every Speed 20, every post-war grey lady, descends from this modest, meticulous beginning.
1923 Alvis Kop Hill Climb 2011 · dawarwickphotography · CC BY 2.0
