To most enthusiasts, the period between the introduction of the Riley Nine in 1926 and the marque’s eventual takeover by the Nuffield Organization in 1938 was the golden age of “The Blue Diamond.” The Nine owed its success to Percy Riley’s forward-thinking 1,087cc OHV, twin-cam engine combined with a four-speed gearbox, which allowed a level of performance comparable to a 12hp car while keeping the model economically within the nine-horsepower tax bracket.

Gradually evolving, it survived until the demise of the independent Riley business in 1938 and spawned a plethora of models and body styles, of which the Lynx four-seat tourer, introduced in 1933, was one of the loveliest.

In other respects, the Nine was well-engineered but conventional, with a ladder chassis, all-round semi-elliptic leaf springs and drum brakes, which combined to give it a distinctly sporty feel.

This wonderful Special Series (twin carburettor) Lynx has been in single ownership for the last 23 years, and is reluc...