Dawn Breaks on the Invicta
Sleek, Low and Mean for it's day, this is a 1931 Invicta S Type Low Chassis Tourer with the 4 1/2 liter Meadows OHV 6 engine (strong and reliable) and very fast for it's day. The image is actually at dawn......
“Invicta Cars” was founded and run by the wealthy businessman, Noel Macklin. He was born in 1886, educated at Eton and then served as a Captain in the Royal Horse Artillery in the Great War. He was wounded and invalided out in 1915. He set up the Invicta company at his country estate in Cobham, Surrey in 1925 with financial backing from his friend Oliver Lyle of Tate and Lyle sugar refining dynasty. He produced a range of cars that were modestly successful and ultimately launched the 4½ Litre S Type at the London Motor Show in 1930.
His goal was to make a car with the quality and reliability of a Rolls-Royce and performance that would better a Bentley. Accordingly the car was made of the finest materials, an immensely strong nickel steel chassis lugged together with huge bronze castings and fitted with a cast aluminium bulkhead. The car cut a low profile and at the back the chassis legs passed below the rear axle. The car was powered by the reliable 4½ Litre Meadows engine. In Macklin’s own words “the essential characteristic of the Invicta was luxurious speed” and he was so confident of his product that he offered a Rolls-Royce style three year guarantee.
The Invicta reputation as a sporting marque was greatly enhanced by the exploits of Miss Violette Cordery, Macklin’s sister in law and a celebrated woman racing driver and adventurer in her own right. She successfully undertook and number of record breaking feats including a number of world record breaking endurance drives on race tracks; 1926 at Montlhery 5,000 miles at an average speed of 70.70 mph and 1928 at Brooklands 30,000 miles at 61.57mph which took 21 days to complete. Then in 1928 a round the world drive that saw her and her companions, a nurse, a mechanic and an RAC observer cover 10,266 miles in five months.
The S Type Invicta gained the soubriquet “100 mph”, a big deal in those days, and the model was as famous for its performance as it was for its build quality. The S Type was launched in June 1931, a date best remembered in motoring history for the bankruptcy of Bentley Motors. In the wake of the Great Depression other marques were to suffer the same fate, including Lagonda in 1935. Very expensive luxury sports cars were hard to sell but Invictas remained in production until 1934 when the company was wound up. Macklin’s refusal to cut costs, build quality and workmanship contributed to the company’s demise.
Only 77 Invicta S Type chassis were produced and 56 are thought to survive. The standard coachwork offered was a Sports Tourer with coachwork by Carbodies. Strong and lightweight this very low, angular and rakishly attractive style has naturally become the most desirable for collectors today. The generous mudguards with their deep valances give the car an impregnable look whilst the long bonnet with the chrome exhaust protruding leave no doubt that this is a car with serious racing potential!, and with great style.
Dawn Breaks on the Invicta
Sleek, Low and Mean for it's day, this is a 1931 Invicta S Type Low Chassis Tourer with the 4 1/2 liter Meadows OHV 6 engine (strong and reliable) and very fast for it's day. The image is actually at dawn......
“Invicta Cars” was founded and run by the wealthy businessman, Noel Macklin. He was born in 1886, educated at Eton and then served as a Captain in the Royal Horse Artillery in the Great War. He was wounded and invalided out in 1915. He set up the Invicta company at his country estate in Cobham, Surrey in 1925 with financial backing from his friend Oliver Lyle of Tate and Lyle sugar refining dynasty. He produced a range of cars that were modestly successful and ultimately launched the 4½ Litre S Type at the London Motor Show in 1930.
His goal was to make a car with the quality and reliability of a Rolls-Royce and performance that would better a Bentley. Accordingly the car was made of the finest materials, an immensely strong nickel steel chassis lugged together with huge bronze castings and fitted with a cast aluminium bulkhead. The car cut a low profile and at the back the chassis legs passed below the rear axle. The car was powered by the reliable 4½ Litre Meadows engine. In Macklin’s own words “the essential characteristic of the Invicta was luxurious speed” and he was so confident of his product that he offered a Rolls-Royce style three year guarantee.
The Invicta reputation as a sporting marque was greatly enhanced by the exploits of Miss Violette Cordery, Macklin’s sister in law and a celebrated woman racing driver and adventurer in her own right. She successfully undertook and number of record breaking feats including a number of world record breaking endurance drives on race tracks; 1926 at Montlhery 5,000 miles at an average speed of 70.70 mph and 1928 at Brooklands 30,000 miles at 61.57mph which took 21 days to complete. Then in 1928 a round the world drive that saw her and her companions, a nurse, a mechanic and an RAC observer cover 10,266 miles in five months.
The S Type Invicta gained the soubriquet “100 mph”, a big deal in those days, and the model was as famous for its performance as it was for its build quality. The S Type was launched in June 1931, a date best remembered in motoring history for the bankruptcy of Bentley Motors. In the wake of the Great Depression other marques were to suffer the same fate, including Lagonda in 1935. Very expensive luxury sports cars were hard to sell but Invictas remained in production until 1934 when the company was wound up. Macklin’s refusal to cut costs, build quality and workmanship contributed to the company’s demise.
Only 77 Invicta S Type chassis were produced and 56 are thought to survive. The standard coachwork offered was a Sports Tourer with coachwork by Carbodies. Strong and lightweight this very low, angular and rakishly attractive style has naturally become the most desirable for collectors today. The generous mudguards with their deep valances give the car an impregnable look whilst the long bonnet with the chrome exhaust protruding leave no doubt that this is a car with serious racing potential!, and with great style.