Imperia Classic Cars for Sale

The Imperia was a vehicle manufactured in Belgium beginning in 1906 that enjoyed steady production until 1948. Notably, the Imperia was one of the first automobiles to offer a sunroof as well as an engine that turned counter-clockwise. This brand was revived in 2009 and offered newer models as late as 2011.

The Development History of the Imperia

Originally, the first Imperia vehicles were the creation of German designer Paul Henze. As was normal for the early days of car production, all engines were comprised of four cylinders. It is interesting to note that there were several Imperia engine variants available to customers. These were able to offer 3, 4.9 and 9.9 litres of capacity. Soon after its inception, the company relocated to a town named Nessonvaux in Belgium. The manufacturer utilised a defunct Pieper (a German hybrid automobile) factory. During the 1920s, Imperia absorbed three other car companies. These were Excelsior, Nagant and Métallurgique. After the last acquisition in 1931, Imperia mainly focused on front-wheel drive vehicles. Due to slow production and an unsuccessful merger with Minerva in 1934, Imperia suffered hard times and eventually closed its doors in 1948. During its existence, these cars were produced in Belgium as well as through a facility located in Maidenhead, England. After suffering more than 50 years of silence, some newer models were made available to the public from 2009 until 2011.

Notable Imperia Models

One of the most applauded Imperia designs was seen in the impressive Imperia Mark 1. This was quite popular within the racing circuit and the vehicle performed well on a racetrack found atop of the production facility itself. During the height of production, Imperia designed other models including Adlers, Standard Vanguards and the Imperia TA-9 BS (1938). One aspect which all of these designs had in common was the impressive speed offered by their engines. An acceleration as high as 90 miles per hour (140 kilometres per hour) were seen as being well ahead of the automobile curve during the 1920s and the early portion of the 1930s.