Lot 8371: 1955 Swallow Doretti Roadster

The Swallow Doretti is an incredibly rare car! Only about 276 were made in total between 1954 and 1955, over a very brief production run of just 10 months.

Some sources cite a slightly lower figure of 263, which may represent the official factory production, while the higher number of 276 could include a few additional cars that were assembled from leftover parts after production officially ended in February 1955.

To put this rarity in perspective, that makes the Doretti significantly scarcer than many other famous British sports cars of the era. The car was discontinued under pressure from Jaguar (whose founder William Lyons had previously owned Swallow), as the Doretti competed directly with Jaguar’s own sports car offerings.

The 1955 Doretti you’re looking at — with only 3,561 miles and a 50-year family ownership history — is an especially special find! Since all Swallow Dorettis were roadsters, that figure of ~276 represents the total production for the model.

Want me to help you find more rare British roadsters, or do you have other questions about this particular Doretti?