Autovia
Motor vehicle
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Production | 44 |
| Layout | |
| Configuration | 90° V8 |
| Displacement | 2,849 cubic centimetres (174 cu in) |
| Cylinder bore | 69.5 mm (2.74 in) |
| Piston stroke | 95.25 mm (3.750 in) |
| Valvetrain | inclined at 90° overhead valves worked by pushrods from three camshafts |
| Combustion | |
| Fuel system | twin Zenith downdraught carburettors with a balance pipe and hot-spot fed from a 16 gallon tank at the back, ignition by magneto with automatic advance mounted vertically towards the rear of the V |
| Cooling system | a water pump is mounted either side of the timing case. The radiator has a fan and thermostatically controlled shutters. The sump is ribbed at the sides |
| Output | |
| Power output | 99 bhp @ 4,700 rpm Tax rating 23.8hp |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Riley 8/90 2¼-litre 90°V8 |
| Successor | none |
Autovia was a short lived brand of British cars from Coventry existing from 1935 to 1938 with production starting in January 1937. Created by Riley to target the luxury market, the venture was ambitious and even included setting up a school for chauffeurs. The cars were expensive, however, and it was a market sector already well served by other companies. 44 cars were made.
01Large luxury cars
The company was created by Riley as a subsidiary to produce large luxury cars and a new factory was built. A 2849 cc 90-degree V-8, triple camshaft engine was developed from the Riley 8/90 engine but using the same bore as the 1½-litre Riley engine. This was coupled to a preselector unit bought from Armstrong Siddeley. One car was fitted with a ZF 4-speed manual box. Drive was to the rear wheels through a live axle with worm gear final drive.
Three body types were advertised, a Sports saloon, a Special Saloon with extra leg room at the expense of boot space and a limousine mostly built by Arthur Mulliner of Northampton who were London distributors. The car was also available as a bare chassis.
The venture failed when Riley went bankrupt. When they were taken over by the Nuffield Organization Autovia was not resurrected and the assets were purchased by Jimmy James Ltd., a Riley distributor in London.
There were thought to be eight of these cars remaining in 2008.
The limousine was considered remarkable for its width being more than its overall height yet the floors were flat and a tunnel and wells avoided at the back. "The general low set helps stability" said The Times, "the models are well equipped, as they should be for the price".
02Specification
The underslung chassis frame permitted a low overall height and low floor line, for the saloon and limousine as well as the sporting model.
In addition to the details in the adjacent box:
- wheels: Dunlop centre-lock wire 3.50" x 19" with nave plates
- tyres: 5.5" section on 19 inch wheels
- suspension by semi-elliptic springs from the two rigid axles is controlled by hydraulic shock absorbers, their resistance is controlled by the driver
- braking on all four wheels is mechanically actuated by rods with wedge operated shoes in 16 inch drums
- steering by worm and nut
- lubrication (of chassis items) is centralised and automatic
03Pricing
In a prior announcement 10 October 1936 Victor Riley revealed there would be two models available in addition to the bare chassis all with an automatic clutch, a preselective gearbox and a worm driven back axle. Prices would be:
- chassis £685
- five-seat saloon £975
- limousine £995
The London distributors were Arthur Mulliner Limited of 54 Baker Street.
Sources and credits
This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Autovia”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.
Images, from Wikimedia Commons:
- Autovia 1938 (16776373710).jpg by Jon's pics, CC BY 2.0
- Autovia (07) limousine EYX 464.jpg by Chewdadda, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Autovia 1938 Front.JPG by Buch-t, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
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