The only one with a fixed roof: Invicta S-Type 4½-Litre “Sea Bear”

What did revolutionary car tech look like in the early 1930s? Look no further than this Invicta.

Invicta? Like the watch? Not quite. This is an S-Type 4½-Litre Low Chassis Fixed Head Coupe known as the “Sea-Bear.”

Why Sea Bear? We’re not entirely sure, but we do know that the S-Type 4½-Litre Low Chassis was initially unveiled at the 1930 Olympia Car Show to much acclaim for some groundbreaking tech: The axles were positioned above the frame rails, an innovation that greatly lowered the car’s center of gravity.

Power was provided by a 4467cc inline-six engine mated to a Meadows Type 8A gearbox that, according to the seller, “was geared for maximum flexibility, capable of pulling smoothly from walking pace in top gear while retaining the ability to propel the car to speeds approaching 100 miles per hour.”

In total, Invicta produced just 77 examples of the S-Type 4½-Litre Low Chassis, though only 56 are known to survive today. Of those 56, this example is understood to be the only one fitted with a fixed roof.

The Academy of Art University Collection acquired the Invicta in 2011, treating the car to a ground-up restoration costing a total of nearly $1 million. Work included rebuilding and sorting the engine, refreshing the bodywork with its current blue paint color and trimming the interior with red leather.