THERE’S something particularly James Bond-esque about the 1965 Alvis TE21 Drophead Coupe.
This mystery car is a nostalgic collision of 1960s luxury with a sporting nature. There’s something so simple about the clean lines and stylishness of this tourer. It’s very understated. Very British.
Plus, it’s very rare. With only 52 ever produced at Alvis’ England factory, this model is one of only two in Australia.
Amazingly, this car was restored for its third owner from wrecking point in Scotland in 2004 at a cost of £84,000 before being imported to Australia in 2006.
Kialla’s Fred Williams is now the proud owner of this striking model.
Fred, who has a special affinity to British cars of the era, said, “It was a special once-off vehicle at the time. It’s just a glorious thing to drive.”
Expensive to build in its day, this stylish classic was one of the last of the traditional hand-built cars. For this reason, it was also expensive to buy (priced at £2,775), costing around twice as much as a mass-produced Jaguar.
The car features distinct stacked headlights, a walnut interior with Smiths gauges, a wood-rimmed steering wheel and surprisingly comfortable leather seats. Chrome wire wheels give the TE21 a sporty persona.
On the road, the Drophead Coupe cuts a dashing figure, despite its 1,400kg heft.
The three-litre OHV six-cylinder engine had been the mainstay of Alvis models for some 10 years by 1965 and this series 111 model was further tweaked with a modified cylinder head and manifold to provide 97kW of power at around 4,000rpm.
On the road, the engine thrums effortlessly through the gears and has an impressive top speed capability of 170km/hr.
Amazingly, only two years after this car was built, Alvis cars closed down in September 1967. Fred’s TE21 looks and feels not a day older than when it would have rolled of the production line in England in 1965. It’s an old car that feels new. A pleasure to own, and a thrill to drive.
