The Alvis Car Company Delivers Its Latest Lancefield Continuation Car
Handcrafted in the U.K. using traditional and modern techniques, the Lancefield replica is making its debut 88 years after the original…
The Alvis Car Company will unveil its latest Lancefield continuation car at Automobile Council 2025 in Chiba City, Japan, on April 11. Eighty-eight years after the first special order left Alvis’ Coventry factory for the 1938 London Motor Show, this model, fully certified for road use, features an Art Deco design, with modern engineering and British manufacturing.
Crafted entirely in the Alvis Works, in Kenilworth, U.K., the over 16-foot long 2025 Lancefield draws on Alvis’ archive of more than 25,000 drawings, 23,000 car records and 300,000 original parts. As a true continuation, the company says that it uses parts curated from the new old stock retained since the end of car production in 1968.
Power steering, electronic engine management and servo-operated brakes have been integrated without compromising the car’s original character. Fully compliant to meet legislation on the road, it has a catalytic converter, indicator repeater lights and a collapsible steering column.
The Original Lancefield
Rooted in Art Deco design, the Lancefield was specifically created for the 1938 London Motor Show. Dispatched from Alvis on August 19, 1937, the original would’ve cost £1,350, more than double the price of the average house at the time, noted the press release. Designed by Lancefield Coachworks Limited, the car reportedly caused a stir at the show with its graceful proportions, concave flutings and disappearing hood.
Disappearing and reappearing from record frequently over the ensuing decades, the Lancefield was selected “as one of the world’s most beautiful cars” in 1982, flown to Germany and displayed in the Autoshow der Superlative-Veedol Starparade in Berlin. The car visited North America, Germany and Jamaica before returning to the U.K. in June 1994.
A Faithful Re-creation With More Power & Comfort
Using a blend of contemporary tools and traditional techniques, Warwickshire-based craftspeople have faithfully re-created the bodywork using traditional coachbuilding techniques carefully forming aluminum over a bespoke ash frame in a painstaking, 3,800-hour process. Completing the appearance, the car is painted in-house in two-tone cream.
At its heart, the straight-six, 4,387cc engine is assembled to the same specification as Alvis’ original but now benefits from fuel injection and electronic engine management for easy hot starting, smoother throttle response and improved torque. The engine and body are mated to a fully galvanized steel chassis which carries a consecutive chassis number. Weighing just over 3,300 pounds it offers surprisingly punchy performance with more than 150 bhp capable of a 0-60 mph acceleration of under 10 seconds.
Built to be used, this first Lancefield is destined for a Japanese enthusiast and follows three other continuation series to find homes via the local agent Meiji Sangyo, distributor for the marque in the country over 50 years ago.
“The Lancefield continuation car is a clear demonstration of Alvis’ rich legacy and our dedication to quality,” said Alan Stote, owner of The Alvis Car Company. “The 1938 original is a car very close to my heart, and it’s wonderful to continue the legacy of this special machine with a brand-new build.”
From April 11-13 the Lancefield will be publicly displayed at Automobile Council 2025 in Chiba City, Japan. The car marks Alvis’ first delivery of the year, a year that will see further continuation cars leave the works, including a drop-head Graber. Prices start at £325,000 (around $420,000) for pre-war Continuation Series cars, and every model comes with a three-year warranty.
