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TheInvacar (abbreviated from "invalid carriage") is a small single-seatermicrocar vehicle designed for use by disabled drivers, and was distributed for free in the UK.
In 1948,Bert Greeves adapted a motorbike for exclusively manual control with the help of his paralysed cousin, Derry Preston-Cobb, as transport for Preston-Cobb. In the number of former servicemen disabled in the Second World War they spotted a commercial opportunity and approached the UK government for support, leading to the creation of Invacar Ltd.[1][a] The British Ministry of Pensions distributed Invacars free to disabled people from 1948 until the 1970s.[2]
Most early vehicles were powered by an air-cooledVilliers 197 cc engine with Dynastart, but when production of that engine ceased in the early 1970s it was replaced by a more powerful 4-stroke 500 cc or 600 ccSteyr-Puch engine, giving a reported top speed of 82 mph (132 km/h).[1] During the 1960s and 70s the Invacar, with its modernfibreglass shell and ice-blue colouring, nicknamed Ministry Blue after theMinistry of Health,[3] was produced in the tens of thousands. Developments, including an extended wheelbase, widened track and use ofAustinMini wheels, saw the Invacars through to the end of the finalDHSS contract in 1977.[4] More than 50 variants were produced. Half of the Invacars were made byAC Cars in Ditton, with the rest made by Invacar Ltd inThundersley,Essex.[5]
On 31 March 2003, almost all of the remaining Invacars owned by the government were recalled and scrapped because of safety concerns.These included failing crash tests at Mira in 1974, a high accident rate and poor handling test results.[6][7]
All Invacars were owned by the government and leased to disabled drivers as part of their disability benefit. Their use had been in decline since the introduction of theMotability scheme in the late 1970s, offering disabled drivers a conventional car with modified options.[6] In 2018, it featured inBBC 4 programmeThe NHS: A People's History withAlex Brooker.[8][9][10]
