The British built Riley was enjoying phenomenal competition success in 1936, capturing 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th places in class in The 1936 French Grand Prix, while chain-smoking Freddie Dixon had driven to victory in both 1935 and 1936 TT Races over the Ards Circuit in Ireland.

Against this background the Coventry factory were producing a range of high quality touring and sports cars which showed all the hallmarks of race breeding.

Riley's own advertising proclaimed their sports cars as having appeal to 'men who drive through the night seeking gold medals and revel in the almost unclimbable mountain tracks.

Men and women whose cars must not only look fast, but be fast.

Men to whom racing, hill climbs and trials are the most fascinating things in life.' For the 1937 season the well tried 1,496cc engine was redesigned with fan assisted thermo-syphon cooling and the range included the Lynx, the Falcon, the Kestrel, Adelphi and Sprite.

The pre-selector gearbox was standard.

It is belie...