Though the Speed 20 was in production in four series from 1931 to 1936, it’s generally agreed that the earliest, the SA with its beam front axle, had a more appealing purposeful stance, and was the most responsive to drive.

Dating from 1932, the Speed 20 SA on offer here, GY 7177, is clothed in undoubtedly the most desirable coachwork, the lovely 'low door' Vanden Plas Foursome Tourer, with that company's inimitable style and grace.

Copy documentation on file shows that chassis number 9885 was sold new by London's main Alvis retailer, Charles Follett, to one Charles Percy Groseland but he only retained the car for a year before moving abroad.

The next owner was the Earl of Shrewsbury and Talbot, of the car-building Talbot family, and there is correspondence in the car’s history file from a subsequent owner who wrote to the present Earl and received a charming reply saying that the Speed 20 had been his father's favourite car.

GY 7177 changed hands several times in the post-war era...