The Donald Healey Motor Company produced a series of high-performance, coachbuilt vehicles in Warwick, collectively known as the “Warwick Healeys”.
Rather than standard mass production, the firm built a sophisticated, lightweight steel box-section chassis of its own design. These cars ran on a highly tuned 2,443 cc four-cylinder Riley engine producing 104 bhp, paired with advanced independent front suspension.
Notable variants included the aerodynamic Elliott saloon – clocked at over 104 mph as the world’s fastest production closed car – and the open Westland roadster. Later, the company introduced the spartan, cycle-winged Silverstone sports racer for club competition, alongside luxury touring variants coachbuilt by Tickford and Abbott before entering high-profile international partnerships.
Healey 2.4-Litre Westland Roadster
Featuring coachbuilt aluminium bodywork over a sophisticated steel chassis, it ran on the punchy 2.4-litre Riley engine. Just 70 examples of this highly agile open-top grand tourer were hand-assembled in Warwick.
Years
1946-49
Engine
2443cc S4 OHV Riley
Body Style
Roadster
Production
64
Power: Weight
Dimensions
Healey 2.4-Litre Elliott Saloon
The aerodynamic counterpart to the Westland. Featuring a lightweight aluminium body on an ash wood frame, its slippery shape made it the world’s fastest series-production closed car, timed at 104.7 mph.
Years
1946-50
Engine
2443cc S4 OHV Riley
Body Style
Production
101
Power: Weight
Dimensions
Healey Silverstone
Spartan, cycle-winged sports racer built for club motorsport. It shared the 2.4-litre Riley engine but positioned it further back in a lightened chassis. Featuring a distinctive air-intake slot and a vertically retracted spare tyre acting as a rear bumper.
Years
1949-50
Engine
2443cc S4 OHV Riley
Body Style
Production
105
Power: Weight
Dimensions
Healey 2.4-Litre Tickford Saloon
Succeeded the Elliott as the brand’s luxury grand tourer. Built on the updated ‘F’ chassis with improved Girling brakes, it featured coachbuilt two-door aluminium bodywork crafted by Tickford. Heavy, but still topped 100 mph.
Years
1951-54
Engine
2443cc S4 OHV Riley
Body Style
Production
c. 222
Power: Weight
Dimensions
Healey 2.4-Litre Abbott DHC
The open-top twin to the Tickford saloon. Built on the same chassis, it wore elegant 4-seater convertible coachwork crafted by Abbott of Farnham.
Years
1951-54
Engine
2443cc S4 OHV Riley
Body Style
Production
77
Power: Weight
Dimensions
Photo: Flickr
Nash-Healey
A transatlantic luxury sports car born from a chance meeting between George Mason and Donald Healey. It mated a modified Healey Silverstone chassis with a Nash Ambassador straight-six engine.
Years
1951-54
Engine
3848/4138cc S6 OHV Nash
Body Style
Roadster, coupé
Production
>1000
Power: Weight
Dimensions
Photo: Flickr
Healey G-Type 3-Litre
The Alvis-Healey – essentially a Nash-Healey roadster tailored for the UK market. Built on the G-series chassis, it swapped the Nash running gear for an Alvis TB21 six.
Years
2993cc S6 OHV Alvis
Engine
2993cc S6 OHV Alvis
Body Style
Production
25
Power: Weight
106 bhp
Dimensions
Photo: Flickr