One of the most beautiful pieces of coachwork created on a pre-war Alvis chassis, this Speed Twenty-Five SB was bodied by Lancefield as a “concealed hood” drophead coupe, with a top that vanishes completely under a tonneau when folded. Lancefield’s genius was the design of the tonneau, which once unlocked rises vertically, slides to the rear, and then swings away, similar to a modern Porsche Speedster; the top is then unfurled over the seats, guided through chrome channels. It was a very simple-to-operate design by Classic Era standards, able to be quickly maneuvered by just two people—and it looked absolutely spectacular either up or down.

Dennis Adler, in his cover feature on this car in the June 1983 issue of Car Collector, aptly noted that “the Lancefield design was sculptured, chiseled if you will, with a repeating theme that ran from the front fenders to the rear, into the deck and around the solid boot which completely concealed the hood when lowered.” Former owner Ron Pinto, in the same article, recounted corresponding with Bob Gaisford of Lancefield, who confirmed that it was the only body of this type they produced for Alvis, and that “of all the cars my brothers and I designed, the concealed drophead coupe was my favorite.”

The car was exhibited upon its completion in the Alvis London showroom, then soon thereafter at the Earls Court Motor Show of 1938, as is recorded on its Car Record; it was also described in the 18 March 1938 issue of The Autocar. Subsequent known owners included M.D. Baxter, in 1964, and L.D. Jennings of Kingston, Jamaica, later in the 1960s. Correspondence in the file indicates that Mr. Jennings wrote Alvis frequently, seeking parts as he began a restoration.

Restored entirely in Mr. Pinto’s care in the early 1980s, the Alvis was shown by him at the 1981 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, where it won a class award, as well as numerous other events, including in Germany. In 1993 it was spotted by the current owner, a devout connoisseur of the Alvis marque, at Hershey; negotiations soon began, and the car was acquired the following year. It has remained in the current ownership for over 30 years, and it is believed to have not been on the market openly in the last four decades. In current hands, a meticulous fresh restoration was completed by the foremost specialists in the model, Red Triangle of Kenilworth, England, in the original Earls Court colors.

Presented today in superb overall condition, this is among the most significant Alvis automobiles extant in the world—and a masterpiece of British coachbuilding at its most innovative, complex, and gorgeous.