Alvis 12/75 (front-wheel drive) History

The front-wheel-drive Alvis was among the most technically advanced British cars of the late 1920s. Sold as the 12/75, it combined front-wheel drive with an overhead-camshaft engine, inboard front brakes, and an optional Roots supercharger — a remarkable specification for the period.

The design was developed through Alvis's competition programme, with FWD Alvis cars campaigned at the Le Mans 24 Hours and in Grand Prix events. Front-wheel drive proved costly and complex, and only around 142 of the production 12/75 were built before Alvis returned to conventional layouts.