1932 Invicta Type S

The Invicta Car Company was a British-based automotive manufacturer that produced cars from 1925 through 1950. In the early 2000s, the name was revised and placed on a high-performance sports car. From 1925 to 1933, the company was based in Cobham, Surrey, England; they moved in 1933 to Chelsea, London, England, and remained there until 1938. After World War II, the company resumed production in facilities in Virginia Water, Surrey, England.

The founder of the company was Noel Macklin and Oliver Lyle. Lyle provided the financial support while Macklin was responsible for vehicle assembly; early production transpired in Macklin's garage at his home. Macklin's goal was to create a car that could compete with Rolls-Royce in quality and Bentley in performance. He began by outfitting his chassis with a long-stroke Meadows 2.5-liter six-cylinder engine. The cars he sold, much like many others at the time, were merely rolling chassis. It was left up to the customer's discretion as to which coachbuilder should outfit the car, and what body style should be selected.

By 1926 the engine's displacement size had grown to three-liters, improving performance and allowing for heavier bodies to able adapted to the chassis. From 1926 through 1929, around 200 examples were produced.

From 1928 through 1934, Invicta offered a 4.5-liter car, available on a short or long wheelbase. The short wheelbase, also known as the Type A, was 118 inches while the longer version, the Type B, rested comfortably on a 126-inch wheelbase. In total, around 500 examples were created which was a tremendous accomplishment considering the competition from other, more established, marques, and due to the high price tag for the vehicle.

By the early 1930s, the Invicta Company tried to expand its customer base by offering a 1.5-liter six-cylinder overhead cam Blackburne engine. The model was called the 12/45 and was offered beginning in 1932. A supercharged version, the 12/90, became available the following year. This improved horsepower from 45 to 90 bhp.

In the post-World War II era, the Invicta Company continued to utilize the Meadows engine for their automobiles. Production was low, with less than 20 being produced during this time period. The company was purchased by Frazer Nash in 1950.

by Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2008