Alvis unveils Glover Drophead as the latest in a continuing series.
Historic British brand Alvis was revived last decade with plans to introduce "continuation" models of original Alvis vehicles from the prewar and postwar periods.
The latest in the Alvis continuation series is a postwar Glover drophead convertible, of which just two will be built in 2024. A prewar Lancefield will also be built in 2024, which will be the highest production year ever for a modern Alvis.
Other cars in the series include the Vanden Plas, Bertelli, Park Ward, and Glover Super Coupe.
Glover was a Swiss coachbuilder that supplied bodies for Alvis chassis in the 1950s and 1960s, including the Glover Drophead and Glover Super Coupe. Today, the Alvis team uses the original archive of over 25,000 drawings and 23,000 vehicle records to recreate the bodies. Traditional methods, such as hammering and rolling of metal, are used whenever possible.
For the powertrain (in this case a 3.0-liter inline 6-cylinder), Alvis uses the original engine block manufactured some 60 years ago. The engine is equipped with the latest technology, including fuel injection and electric engine management, a higher compression ratio of 9.5:1, and CNC machining to achieve tighter tolerances. As a result, the engine delivers 172 hp, 32% more powerful than the original, and complies with emission regulations.
The engine is mated to a five-speed manual transmission and can reach a top speed of 120 mph (approximately 160 km/h). According to the company, pre-delivery test drives will take place on the same roads around Warwickshire, England, that the original Alvis used.
Connolly leather is used for the interior trim and wool cloth for the headliner of the three-layer convertible top. Upon customer request, the car can be equipped with state-of-the-art amenities such as an automatic transmission, power steering, climate control, and an audio system.
Pricing for the Alvis Continuation starts at 295,000 British pounds (about $370,000).