Invicta S1

[Buzz]

Hey guys, from TG website, new sports car from UK.

 

"Right. This time I am not going to get emotionally involved. This time I am going to take a level-headed, detached view. It is, I have decided, the only approach to take with a New British Sports Car.

 

It's the same every time. You go along, meet the people and drive the car, which is never quite ready. There's usually a degree of guilt attached. Journalists chasing cars rarely call to say, "No rush. Just tell us when it's 100 per cent sorted". So, if the car is good, or at least feels that it could be, you get excited. But then before your cautiously optimistic story is even published - Bang! - the only person answering the telephone is the official receiver and Coys catalogue is offering 'a unique opportunity to purchase a piece of British motoring history, one of only three ever built.' Strathcarron and Jensen are two names that spring unhappily to mind. Now here's another new name, Invicta.

 

The base of Invicta is a modern Wiltshire industrial unit. Michael Bristow, the chairman, believes in a strict policy of letting actions speak louder than words, a policy that has so far served Invicta well. The S1 coupe was built in complete secrecy and caught both press and public by surprise at the 2002 Motorshow.

 

Behind the wheel the Invicta S1 suddenly feels surprisingly cramped. Part of the problem is the lower dashboard, which will be altered on the production cars. Front three-quarter visibility is not good either, adding to the hemmed-in feel. The engine is fired up by turning the key - no fancy starter buttons here - and the unit itself is an off-the-shelf Ford SVT Mustang Cobra Quad Cam V8 from the States. With 320bhp and 300lb ft, it's a good solid performer. With a quoted dry weight of just 1,110kg, the Invicta has performance to spare. Even on the airfield where we are, with all that space, it really does feel seriously swift. And it feels truly tractable, whatever gear you are in.

 

There are some downsides, though. You'd be hard pushed to argue that the front-mounted Ford V8 sounds like the most romantic engine in the world, and it certainly isn't the highest revving - although any Ford dealer will be able to fettle it. The Borg Warner T45 five-speed manual doesn't like to be rushed either, yet it works well enough in combination with the laid back character of the big V8. The whole experience is more gentlemanly than manic. It's civilised too; even at 130mph wind noise is subdued.

 

Curbing speed is no problem with AP ventilated and cross-drilled racing discs front and rear. I didn't like the pedal position but as it's adjustable, that's no big deal. Neither anti-lock nor traction control are available. And yet even in the rain, provided you are half sensible, the well-sorted steel-frame, double wishbone chassis isn't crying out for electronic aids. There's a very high level of grip with a tendency for the front - in the wet at least - to lose purchase first. A long travel throttle, a hydratrak limited-slip differential and precise, accurate steering, give you every chance of correcting any provoked slides. Even the ride is good and should improve further with a softer set-up.

 

Not everyone is going to be a huge fan of the styling, though. Neither the front nor the rear particularly do it for me, but the side view is smart - sort of classic English GT, yet resting on those Kahn Designs five-blade alloys, quite contemporary too. The trouble is that building the first car is almost the easy bit, it's keeping the company going that's tricky.

 

"If we build a good car we deserve to be around and if we aren't, we aren't. This project was set up to be self-sustained through building a very small number of high quality motor cars."

 

"How many?" I ask.

 

"Have I shown you the oven yet?" comes the reply, "let me show you the oven."

 

After a thorough inspection of the oven, we return to the subject. He's still elusive, but 30 to 40 cars a year at

[Super7]

thanks for the writeup and pics... .... UK seems to be the place to see / owe this kind of sports monsters.....

[Buzz]

Nah, US still the best. Can mod the hell out of the car and still can get car plate. UK, tax very high depending on the car emissions and their traffic cops even more on than SGP!

 

But they have plenty of side roads that you can chiong! Just watch out for that cow.

[Seansene]

Yeah, but they don't get the Focus RS, Peugeot 206 GTI 180, Renault Clio V6 (or any Peugeot or Renault for that matter), Honda Civic Type R, WRX Sti SpecC, Nissan R34 and before... just big brutes that go fast in a straight line

[King]

when can we.... [bounce2]u know what i meant....

Edited September 23, 2003 by King

[Seansene]

Hahaha, when I go for lunch you siam!

[King]

i target next week,no siam one la.

if that is a lunch appointment

[Seansene]

ok lah!

[En0203]

"Yeah, but they don't get the Focus RS, Peugeot 206 GTI 180, Renault Clio V6 (or any Peugeot or Renault for that matter), Honda Civic Type R, WRX Sti SpecC, Nissan R34 and before... just big brutes that go fast in a straight line"

 

yalor.. still poor them

 

but they don't have COE too!!! poor us

Edited September 23, 2003 by En0203

[Seansene]

Yeah, a Corolla here can get a Lexus over there...

[Buzz]

Yeah, but they don't get the Focus RS, Peugeot 206 GTI 180, Renault Clio V6 (or any Peugeot or Renault for that matter), Honda Civic Type R, WRX Sti SpecC, Nissan R34 and before... just big brutes that go fast in a straight line

 

Yup the Americans are mad about muscle cars Monster garage even showcase a Corvette with over 400 horses When it luanch it wheely and need a extra 5 wheel at the back to keep it from flipping.

 

Personally I love the english back roads, don't have to go fast but the corners and the humps, wheee... half the time you are airborne. Like I said before still gotta wtach out for that cow or sheep.

[Seansene]

Yup, you don't have to go fast to have fun!