Behold the completed Invictus GT
Take one S2 Exige, a dash off 60s' inspiration, 10 years of hard work and - voila - a stunning retro sports car
We’ve surely all dreamed of creating our own car at some point, because who wouldn’t want the opportunity to fully realise their vision of four-wheeled nirvana? And while most of our cars may well end up looking like the Homer, that’s certainly not always the case. This is the Invictus GT, and it’s the result of one man’s obsessive pursuit to create the best possible sports car he could. With a little help from an already very good sports car as the donor.
The man behind the Invictus GT has been working on it for 10 years. Using a Series 2 Exige as the base, the goal was ‘to design the perfect car, not just in terms of aesthetics, but also drivability’. That latter point was already covered off emphatically by using the Lotus as the foundation, with aesthetics taken care of by his friend (and car designer) Iker Lopez Totorika. Clearly, the inspiration was from days gone by, the Invictus aiming to evoke some of the very best designs of the 60s and 70s while retaining its own identity. The compact dimensions of the Exige helped in that endeavour.
A 1:1 foam model was created with FBFX, which was then given to Windsor Coachworks to make a fibreglass reality. This involved 12,500 hours ‘intricate and painstaking work’ to ensure the best fit and finish. From here it looks a resounding success, with clean and consistent panel gaps, smart details, beautiful paint, and a pitch-perfect stance. The inspiration from those classic sports cars is clear to see, from the Stratos-esque rear end to the Alfa teledial-wheels and the Lola look of the front, but the GT doesn’t come across as a pastiche. It’s just a great-looking, petite and perfectly proportioned sports car. Job done.
There aren’t any images of the interior yet, and the Invictus GT is standard Exige S underneath, albeit with a redesigned intercooler and exhaust. It’s hardly like anybody will have any complaints about how the old Lotus drives. For the moment, the Invictus GT is a one-off, and what a way to arrive anywhere it looks to be. However, the creator has said that if the demand is there, it’d be rude not to give the people what they want…
I'd only call out the front number plate and spotlights bit at the front for being a bit flat/straight, but when the rest of it is SO good it's hard to pick holes...
However (and I’m not trying to rain on a parade)… (quoting from article) ‘ A 1:1 foam model was created with FBFX, which was then given to Windsor Coachworks to make a fibreglass reality. This involved 12,500 hours ‘intricate and painstaking work’ to ensure the best fit and finish.’
This implies it was Windsor Coachworks carried out the whole of the 12,500 hours. Firstly, that is a lot of hours, but even at an extremely generous rate of, say, £30 ph that works out at £375k on the body? Has an extra zero been added?
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff