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UK V5
See UK Registration/Import Status Guide in catalogue.

Established following the close of WWI, England’s Alvis participated heavily in British and international motor sports throughout the 1920s, and its road models benefited from the company’s extensive racing program in period. The one-off 10/30 Super Sports of 1923 was the first overhead-valve (OHV) Alvis, quickly succeeded by the overhead-valve 12/50 for 1924, and extensively updated by August 1924. A trio of 12/50-based racing cars – one single-seater and a pair of two-seat models – were built, including this two-seater, chassis 2931, which set the third fastest time at its first outing, the Caerphilly Hill Climb with works driver Major C.M. Harvey.

Next, 2931 contested in the highly competitive British JCC (Junior Car Club) 200 Mile race on the Brooklands Outer Circuit. There, 2931 was driven by Frank Halford as part of a three-car Alvis entry. While the supercharged Darracqs led from the start and won, the three-car Alvis team performed flawlessly with Halford finishing 6th, followed by the other two Alvis entries in 7th and 8th. Following retirement, 2931 was bought by Dunlop and used by the company’s racing research and experimental department from 1925 to 1927. Subsequent owner Eric Benfield restored 2931 in the 1960s, maintaining the car and campaigning it extensively in Vintage Sports-Car Club (VSCC) races through the early 1980s. It also participated in hill climbs and sprints under Julian Taylor’s ownership, before being acquired by the consignor. As offered, 2931 exemplifies the pace and scope of its maker’s engineering, development, and commitment.