Alvis TD21 Series I

"Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see."

I could count about 134 different car marques that are dead. Extrapolate that to maybe two, three models per marque, maybe up to 20. That's a lot of cars. A lot of cars, that day to day, you'll never know existed, except for that one occasion, when the prized possession is taken out of the garage on a sunny day for a little exercise....

The Alvis isn't just a special car now because of it's age and styling: it was a special car then. Alvis weren't a large volume manufacturer in the first instance, and all their output was of premium quality. In the late 50's, like all of their rivals, they could see that a visual overhaul of their range to move with the times, was a necessity. For the GT line, their next model, the TD, was styled by the Hermann Graber of Switzerland, and built by the busmakers Willowbrook who were based in Loughborough.

Improvements over the earlier TC range were a roomier cabin, and generally more space for passengers and their luggage. Lockheed Discs were used on the front brakes (an option at £15) and the majority of the 1070 cars made had the marginally more powerful 120bhp engine.

At launch, costing £2766, the car came equipped with a 3 litre straight-6, mated either with a 4-speed manual from an Austin-Healey or a 3-speed Borg Warner automatic. Within three years a ZF five-speed was available.

The TD21 is one of the most beautiful and very English of cars. And whilst the various iterations had minor cosmetic amendments - such as changes to the foglights, rear lamp cluster and the glasshouse - the general design conceit was never exhausted. As I re-iterate, Alvis was not a volume player, and by 1967, they ceased to exist, swallowed up into the British Leyland concern. Gone, but not forgotten.