Riley 12/4 Kestrel '36

• Walkaround video: Click here






• Beautiful flowing aerodynamic lines from the Thirties combined with DOHC and preselector gearbox


• well-known Kestrel coachwork with the 1 1/2 litre mechanicals on which the 1935 R.A.C. Tourist Trophy Race. was won: a touring saloon with better than ‘sports’ car performance.


• one of the World’s best performance saloons from the pre-war period. This genuine Kestrel Sprite has additional power, which is confirmed by the letters “SS” in the chassis number which refers back to the Tourist Trophy races.


• The body style is known as a "6 light Saloon”.Meaning that it has 3 windows per side. Very rare and very attractive!


• A cherished car which received a complete restoration between 2018 and 2019.Resulting in an outstanding quality car.


• The sunroof in combination with the front window that can open up this car is a breeze to drive in the summer.


• Incredible opportunity for warm luxurious prewar motoring

Description of the model

The Kestrel is a lovely illustration of early English streamline design, with beautiful flowing wings and a gracefully sweeping line from the windscreen to tail. It sits low, with a distinctly sporting appearance thanks to the canted-back radiator and the “fastback” roof design.

Mechanically, the Kestrel 1½ was essentially a slightly reworked 12/4, which was renamed to suggest it was a completely new model. However, the body was completely new, sporting the six-light profile that soon found its way across all of the larger Kestrel Models. Seventy years after the new design was launched, opinion is still split as to whether it was an improvement or not! However, it proved popular at the time, selling around 1300-1500 including the Sprite engined models.
The new body remained almost unchanged over its 3 year production run, at least not that are readily identifiable without having 2 different cars parked side by side. There were many subtle changes to the styling, windscreen wipers alternated between top and bottom mounting, and so on. The biggest changes came for the 1938 cras, where the bonnet louvres were omitted, in line with the larger 16/4 model, althouhg without any replacement emblem, and the new chrome slat grille was introduced.

Chassis Types [Approx. Production figures]: (S)26K [500-550] / 27K [375-400] / 28K [180-200]