The Allard Motor Company Limited was a London based low volume car manufacturer founded in 1945 by Sydney Allard. Allards featured large American V8 engines in a light British chassis and body. Cobra designer Carroll Shelby and Chevrolet Corvette chief engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov both drove Allards in the early 1950s, obviously getting their inspiration from the Allard. The first pre war Allard cars were built specifically to compete in Trials events, powered mainly by Fords flathead V8 After the war 3 models were introduced; the J, a competition sports car; the K, a slightly larger car intended for road use, and the four seater L, later the drophead coupe M and P