The ideal sport sedan is generally considered a BMW M5 in the modern era. Fast, nimble, powerful, and exclusive. Way before BMW decided to put a big engine in a midsize family sedan, Riley made the English equivalent. Svelte, stylish, lightweight, nimble, advanced (but with a healthy amount of tradition, thank you ash wood frame), and practical, the Kestrel Sprite was the M5 before the M5, in the prehistory of the automobile. This 1936 sport sedan can be found here on craigslist, thank you Chuck Foster for letting us know about it!
Credit where it’s due, the seller is honest about the condition of the car. The first sentence of the ad is “pictures lie.” That’s a noble stance to take on an advertisement for an 85-year-old English sport sedan. I use that term intentionally, too. It is a sport sedan. Motor Trend has an entertaining write-up about it, but the highlights are this: a sequential pre-selector four-speed gearbox, an advanced double overhead cam (in 1936!) four-cylinder engine, and knock-off wire wheels. Apparently, it’s said to run and drive well enough under its own power, but it “needs and deserves a full restoration.” They aren’t really specific about what it needs beyond paint, though, so it would be worth it to ask.
Its chassis can’t be seen clearly in any of the images, so rust might be one of the problems that need to be addressed. You can see glimpses of it in the boot here, but no pictures of the frame itself. Let’s talk about the boot for a minute. The sheer amount of leather straps make it look like this was designed with romantic weekend getaways and touring through the English countryside in mind. There are so many places to not only store but secure luggage that it puts modern SUVs to shame.
The inside is properly English. Acres of leather and wood paneling, accented by a full complement of tidy chrome rimmed gauges and bits of the wood frame poking through around the windows. The back seat looks like it could use a new cushion, or maybe it just is missing one from the factory. The Riley’s claim to fame is that it doesn’t have fame. I had never heard of a Riley before writing this article, but I have to say, I kind of love it, in no small part due to its rarity and quirkiness. Its sleek fastback design, advanced powertrain, conservative ash wood construction, and rarity combine to make this something that will turn heads at first glance and will continue to stoke thoughtful conversation with even the most casually interested people.
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