Invicta 4.5Litre Low Chassis Type S (A). Superb vintage sports tourer

Most vintage cars have a certain presence to them but very few have got the same presence as the Invicta Type S with its dramatic, low chassis.

It is believed just 1,000 Invictas of all types were build before the company had to bow down in the autumn of 1933 as a result of the early 1930s economic depression. Invicta existed for less than 10 years but made a mark going much further.

In total, approximately 75 S Types were build of which most are known to have survived. A testament to the high build quality of Invicta.

Either way you put it, the S Type is a rare and seldom seen bird: With its lowered chassis, a result of repositioning the rear axle above the chassis frame rails, few sports cars of the pre-war era had the same low stance.

The 1930/1 Invicta catalogue states:

“The 4 ½ Litre Invicta Sports Chassis has been produced to meet the demands of that section of the Motoring Public which desires a car capable of very high average speeds…we have desgined a chassis with a very low centre of gravity, which at the same time has that correct distribution of weight so necessary for the attainment of really high speed motoring with safety and comfort…The well-known amazing acceleration and flexibility, for which all previous Invicta cars have been famous, is retained in the new Sports Model, which has a maximum speed of approximately 100 M.P.H.”

The engine of the Type S was the trusted 4 ½ Litre 6 Cylinder engine also used for the Type A. The powerful and robust engine delivers ample torque being a long stroke engine and will travel at less than 10MPH in top gear and then accelerate to 90MPH in the same gear and stay at that speed all day. Few cars in period could match the Invicta 4 ½ Litre for torque and outright performance.

This particular Invicta went through a comprehensive rebuild in the early 2010s and is based on a 1930 4 ½ Litre Series A High-Chassis Tourer with original chassis number A93 and engine number 7363, ie. “matching numbers”. Exactly as was done in period, the high-chassis was converted to the low-chassis type of the Type S.

Following the rebuild in the UK, the Invicta was then sold by Peter Bradfield Ltd in 2013 and imported to Europe where it has stayed with the same enthusiastic owner since.

Used regularly, albeit sparingly, the Invicta is in impeccable condition and presents beautifully in its deep blue paint with matching leather interior. This is a sporty, grand tourer in the best sense of the word and one that is eligible for prestigious events such as Mille Miglia.

The Invicta is registered with a modern UK V5 and comes with a history file containing some images of the rebuild, other documents relating to Invictas and a book on Invicta founder Noel Macklin.