2001 Invicta S1

The Invicta Car Company has adopted several innovative approaches in both the design and construction phases of manufacturing its first car in modern times. The overall appearance and the engineering layout of the S1 are the collaborative results of a three-way think-tank between Invicta Chairman Michael Bristow, project manager Chris Marsh and consultant designer Leigh Adams.

Invicta has worked in secrecy for 24 months because it wanted to show the public what it had achieved – not what it hoped to achieve. So, the new S1 revealed at the Motor Show is not a concept car, it is a full production model, ready to run and customers can place orders now – confident that the first cars will be delivered early in 2003.

A thoroughly modern car, the new Invicta S1 embodies the standards, quality and spirit behind the 1930's Invicta cars – aiming to provide today's enthusiast motorists with an exceptionally rewarding driving and ownership experience, matching the marque's original promise to deliver 'the most wonderful performance in the world'.

Source - Invicta

The Invicta Car Company proudly handed over its very first customer car on Saturday 20 September, just 11 months after the prototype all-new 170 mph Invicta S1 sportscar made its world debut at the British International Motor Show in Birmingham, last October.

'We are truly delighted to have delivered our very first customer car,' enthuses Invicta Chairman Michael Bristow. 'This is the first full production specification S1 model we have completed, after building and testing two prototypes, and our entire team has worked tremendously hard to reach this landmark moment.

'We have firm orders for more than a dozen cars and road-test requests from several hundred potential customers who are serious prospects. We look forward to delivering a new S1 every month in the years ahead.'

A keen supporter of the modern Invicta project, James Gray, Member of Parliament for North Wiltshire and Shadow Minister for Countryside & Rural Affairs, attended the first hand-over to personally congratulate the Invicta team on their achievement. 'Everybody in Wiltshire should be proud that this superb, high quality Grand Tourer has been designed and built in Chippenham,' commented the MP. 'The hand-over of the first customer car is a major milestone in the production of this British sportscar and I wish everyone at the Invicta workshops every possible success for the future.'

Designed to echo and surpass the effortless performance of pre-WWII Invicta cars, the thoroughly modern Invicta S1 is a front engined, rear-wheel drive coupe, with race-bred suspension, steering and brakes. It is a genuine ‘Grand Tourer' with a powerful V8 engine, luxurious cabin, cavernous boot and large capacity fuel tank.

The Invicta S1 is powered by an ultra-reliable, 4.6-litre, 32-valve Ford Mustang V8 engine which produces more than 320 bhp and drives the rear wheels via a 5-speed manual gearbox and limited-slip differential. The all-leather trimmed interior provides spacious accommodation for two large adults, the boot will hold two complete sets of golf clubs and the 100-litre petrol tank gives the S1 a range of 500 miles, between fill-ups.

Response to the £74,000 Invicta S1 has been overwhelmingly positive. The S1 is hand-built by a team of highly-skilled technicians, and is produced in strictly limited numbers at The Invicta Car Company's facility in Chippenham, Wiltshire. For production S1's, the luxurious interior is now created for Invicta by Automotive Trim Developments Limited. The Coventry-based company specialises in the design and development of seats and interior trim for prestigious international and British brands such as Aston Martin, Bentley and Jaguar.

Source - Invicta