Invicta S1

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Rating:
On the road price: £106,000
For : Grip, easy power, good handling
Against : Unknown badge, expensive, ridiculous auto option cost

It's taken a long time to finally reach the showroom but the Invicta S1 is now available. Powered by the proven Ford Mustang sourced V8 engine the S1 has 320bhp on tap, allowing it to offer the effortless performance of a GT car. Hand built, it's been around for a while, but Invicta has made some useful updates to the car for 2004. There's a better finish to the leather interior, while the suspension has been re-tuned to offer better comfort on poorly surfaced roads and also to help isolate the cabin from road noise. The emphasis of the S1 is more on its 'Grand Touring' credentials than as an out-and-out sports car, the cavernous boot and easy nature of the power delivery making it feel quick, but not startlingly so. It's odd then that the automatic transmission is such an expensive option, few will be able to justify the additional £7,637 (yes, really) that Invicta asks for the self-shifter.

Grip levels are high but the shear size of the Invicta is likely to limit your enthusiasm on the road, it feels very wide when driven down winding country roads. With 20 cars a year being anticipated you're guaranteed exclusivity, but it comes at a price; £77,000 is a lot to ask for a car that's such with such an unknown badge. Its lofty price puts it up against some established big hitters like Porsche, Maserati, Jaguar and Mercedes. For some that exclusivity will undoubtedly appeal, but we'd struggle to recommend it over such impressive rivals.