‘Elva cars’ may be unfamiliar to a casual reader, but to motoring enthusiasts, it’s a name synonymous with speed, innovation and classic style. Join us as we explore the history of this little-known British brand and celebrate its 70th anniversary.
Here on the south coast of England, we’re proud of our motoring heritage. As a Hastings-based business teeming with car enthusiasts, no car company quite lights us up like Elva, which designed and built sports cars in East Sussex in the 1950s and ʼ60s.
Founded by Frank G. Nichols in 1955 in Bexhill-on-Sea, the name ‘Elva’ is a contraction of ‘elle va’ or ‘she goes’ in French.
Nichols started with a vision to create low-cost sports and racing cars that he could race. He began with a Competition Specials Modified (CSM) racing car, which was built by Mike Chapman in Hastings. These early models were built using Ford Ten 1172cc side-valve engines with lightweight bodies mounted on spaceframe chassis. Nichols retained the Ford 1172cc base but introduced an overhead valve conversion designed by Malcolm Witts and Harry Weslake, boosting power output.
One of the first Elvas was tested at Brands Hatch, where a spectator, impressed by its performance, asked if he could buy one. Demand grew, leading Nicholls to begin selling the vehicles and Elva Engineering Co Ltd was born.
Elva models
Mark I, II and III
Elva’s first official models, Marks I to III, were produced between 1955 and 1958.
Approximately 20 to 25 Mk Is were built, most featuring Standard Ten front suspension, a Ford Anglia rear axle, a lightweight fibreglass body and a 1100cc Coventry-Climax FWA engine.
The Elva Mk I quickly made its mark in motorsport, setting a class record at Prescott Hill Climb in 1955 with a time of 51.14 seconds. The same driver, Robbie Mackenzie-Low, also won the Bodiam Hill Climb later that year.
By 1957, the Mark II introduced a De Dion rear axle, offering improved handling, ‘inboard rear brakes, lengthened wheelbase, and lighter chassis frame’. Lessons learned from racing prototypes led to the Mark III in 1958.
Mark IV/Mark V
The Mark IV was a radical departure from the Mark III. It had independent rear suspension with low-pivot swing axles, along with a more aerodynamic design and reduced frontal area. The engine was also moved to the back. It had a tubular spaceframe chassis and an aluminium undertray for rigidity and strength.
The Mark V was not significantly different from the Mk IV.
Elva Courier
The first road car developed by the company was the Elva Courier, which was released in 1958. These became very popular in the United States and all early production units were exported. None were sold in the UK until 1960. The Courier, based on the Mk I and Mk II race cars, proved highly competitive on the track.
The rights were sold to Trojan in 1962 and production moved to Surrey.
Porsche
Internationally, Elva cars gained widespread acclaim, particularly in the United States, where both professional and amateur racers adopted them. As such, there was demand for a racing car with a Porsche engine.
Elva’s innovative spirit led to a partnership with Porsche, resulting in a racing car with a fibreglass chassis and a modified cam engine made by Porsche. Just 15 of these models were built using the Mk VII chassis, capable of reaching 100 km/h in just five seconds with a top speed of 260 km/h.
Formula Junior vehicles
Elva also ventured into single-seater racing with the launch of the HJ100 for Formula Junior events. Two different models were developed in the late 1950s, but these were superseded by the introduction of Formula Two and Three.
Relationship with McLaren
Although Elva liquidated in 1961, Bruce McLaren partnered with Frank Nichols to outsource production of the McLaren M1A sports racers because his team couldn’t work on orders while developing new designs. Elva produced 20 McLaren-Elva M1As and Bruce McLaren raced them.
In honour of the company’s collaboration, McLaren launched a limited-production range of Elva McLaren supercars in 2019.
Elva’s legacy
Despite its successes, Elva faced financial difficulties and liquidated in 1961. However, production of the Courier continued in Surrey under Trojan’s ownership, while Frank Nichols retained the rights to the Mk VI and VII.
An Elva also made a cinematic appearance in the 1964 film Viva Las Vegas, with an Elva Mk VI Maserati serving as Elvis Presley’s racing car.
Elva’s influence remains visible today, with an estimated 1,000 vehicles produced, many of which are prized collector’s items. The name lives on in the southeast of England, with a local garage, a road, and a petrol station all bearing the Elva name. Bexhill Museum also houses a restored Elva Mark III, preserving the legacy of this remarkable marque for future generations of enthusiasts.
Image credit: Sue Thatcher/iStock
