The first Alvis (AL for aluminum, vis for strength) was built in England in 1920. The company was intially a manufacturer of aluminum pistons. A front wheel drive Alvis first raced in 1925, two months before the first front wheel drive Miller contested the Indianapolis 500. Alvis built a total of 142 front wheel drive race and road cars up until 1930. This car is a 1928 model with a supercharged 1.5 liter engine with an aluminum body and frame.