Invicta 4½ Litre S-Type Low Chassis

The Invicta 4½ Litre S-Type Low Chassis

Noel Macklin and Oliver Lyle already had experience in the car industry when they founded "Invicta" in 1924. Invicta, which means "undefeated", was a programme: model flexibility like that of US manufacturers (today one would say "platform strategy"), but Rolls-Royce quality combined with Bentley sportiness. At least in 1925, the first production cars left Macklin's production plant in Cobham, Surrey.

Detail I

Henry Meadows had designed the 2.5-litre in-line six-cylinder engine with overhead camshaft, the power of which was transmitted by a four-speed gearbox.In 1926, the displacement was increased to 3.0 litres, which raised the output to 95 bhp. A short chassis ("SC" wheelbase 2,997 mm) and a long chassis ("LC" 3,200 mm) were available. In 1926 the 4.5 l engine followed, which produced 110 bhp as standard and in 1930 also came in the S-Type sports car with a newly designed short "Low Chassis". The 4 ½ l engine is so elastic that the S-Type - despite a relatively long final gear ratio - can be accelerated smoothly from about 10 km/h in fourth gear. Long journeys over winding country roads can be completed with corresponding ease.

Detail II

Invicta's reputation was based not only on quality, but above all on steadfastness at effortlessly maintained high speeds over long distances. Macklin's sister-in-law Violette Cordery, for example, set the track record as early as 1926 with an average speed of 114 km/h (70.7 mph) over 8,047 kilometres (5,000 mls) at Montlhery. In 1927, under RAC supervision, she covered a total of 16,500 kilometres (10,266 mls) in her 3-litre Invicta across Europe, Africa, India, Australia, USA and Canada in five months - with a total average of just under 40 km/h (24.6 mph) and, apart from a broken drive shaft in Australia, without a breakdown. As if further proof of the Invicta cars' unstoppability was needed, in 1928 at Monza they drove 16,093 kilometres (10,000 mls) at an average of just under 91 km/h (56.5 mph), and 24,140 kilometres (15,000 mls) at an average of just under 90 km/h (55.8 mph) - over 90 years ago!

Detail III

This Invicta 4 ½ Litre S-Type with chassis no. S75 wears the original roadster body of the Carbodies company from Coventry. This is how it was delivered to Lord Ebury in 1931, who registered it under "OV 1296". In the illustrious circle of British gentleman drivers who could afford an Invicta, it was customary to give cars names. Thus this car was christened "Scout". The second owner was Norman Ruck in 1938, who kept the car wonderfully original and only sold it to Henry Peter in the 1960s. This third owner also remained loyal to the car for around three decades before passing it on to the Aachen engineer and Invicta specialist Martin Kölnberger in 1995. Kölnberger acquired the car together with a replacement engine in racing specification, which a specialist had built in 1990. 

Details IV

What makes this Invicta S-Type so special?

• That this specimen is almost unique in its unrestored original condition and is therefore appropriately recognised in specialist circles.   
• That its history is fully documented and that it has had only five previous owners.
• That an Invicta "S-Type" is not only exclusive, but also an icon as probably the most beautiful British pre-war sports car.
• That it is therefore welcome at every international classic car event...
• ...and can be driven there very confidently.