Page 157 - Paddock Life Issue 13 ADRENALINE

Late in 1929 and complementing the N.L.C. and its later successor, the ‘High’ chassis Type A, which was in effect the N.L.C. shorn of its luxury equipment-was the entirely new sports chassis, the Type S, its subsequent scarcity and rarity value even then was assured as only 77(55?) of these cars in all were made.
Better known at the time and since as the MPH model and frequently and incorrectly (according to the press at the time) as the 100 MPH Invicta. It attracted immediate attention by virtue of its unusual and very striking appearance and excellent finish. Some say it was probably the best-looking sports- car in the vintage tradition ever to be produced in England. After my day photographing and driving and been driven in “Shark” I’d have to say I agree this Invicta is a very special and impressive car of its age.
I can’t think of an un-supercharged car of similar capacity made in England which could out-perform it - and very few were built elsewhere.
It looked exactly what it was, a comfortable, very rapid and desirable fast-touring motor car of its time and beyond. To this day it is still exhilarating to drive fast down country lanes with that superb chassis working into every corner to get you round smoothly at whatever speed. On fast A roads
today this car makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up to attention and the power and turn of speed is very evident when you approach a corner but that tight chassis and excellent brakes bring all that under control quickly and effortlessly.
The name 100 MPH Invicta was bestowed upon the car erroneously because in a day when cars could do a genuine 100MPH could be counted on one hand, the makers never claimed maximum speed for it. Although Hamish’s car being a pristine and superbly fettled car (have to be careful here) is “I would imagine capable of this moniker” and maybe more if on a track... As written at the time by Raymond Mays of his two Invictas “They gave the most exhilarating motoring I have ever had- with their ability to crest most main road hills at nearly the century” It was said it was relatively easy to tune Invicta’s to reach this, without impairing power and flexibility in the lower and mid speed ranges, which greatly adds to this cars attraction. The chassis in this Invicta S was an entirely new design fabled to be inspired by the fantastically successful 1.5 litre Delage Grand Prix car of a year or so before.
“Sporting Shark” Success for the Invicta often came from Violette Cordery, who was Noel Macklin’s sister in law, with wins at the half mile sprint at Brooklands in 1925.
In 1926 she and a team of six set multiple long distance records at the Autodromo Nationale Monza covering 10,000 miles at 56.47 MPH and 15,000 miles at 55.76 MPH.
In July at the Autodrome de Linas Montlhery track, Paris, they covered 5,000 miles at 70.70 MPH. taking over 70 hours of day and night driving supervised by the Royal Automobile Club. Cordery was twice awarded the Dewar Trophy, latterly in 1929 for driving 30,000 miles in 30,000 minutes at Brooklands averaging 61.57 MPH.Raymond Mays held the outright Shelsley Walsh sports car record in 1932. Between February and July 1927 Cordery drove an Invicta around the world accompanied by a nurse, a mechanic and an RAC observer, they covered 10,266 miles in the 5 months crossing Europe, Africa, India, Australia, the United States and Canada.
I know what you are asking, you can’t leave it here without explaining why all cars had names? History has it that Sir Noel Macklin was a Royal Naval Volunteer and he wanted nautical terms for each individual car they produced. Riddle solved.
Finally the Latin translation for “INVICTA”... Undefeated.
With thanks to Mr Hamish Ogston for the Loan of “Shark”
157