Allard P1 History

The P1 was the most commercially successful Allard, produced from 1949 to 1952 and accounting for 559 of the company's total output. Known informally as the Allard 3.6-litre Saloon, it was a five-seat two-door sports saloon powered by the Ford side-valve V8 — an attempt to broaden Allard's appeal beyond the pure sports-car market.

The P1's greatest moment came in January 1952 when Sydney Allard, co-driving with Guy Warburton and navigator Tom Lush, won the Monte Carlo Rally outright — the first British car to win the event in 21 years. Starting from Glasgow in severe winter conditions, Allard navigated a critical 80-mile mountain section with 60 seconds to spare, beating Stirling Moss (in a Sunbeam-Talbot 90) into second place.

The Monte Carlo victory made the P1 briefly famous and was the high watermark of Allard's commercial fortunes. After 1952 sales declined as the P1 was superseded by the Palm Beach and more modern competition from established manufacturers.