Imperia
Belgian maker of early automobiles, imported into the UK by Mansions Motor Co
The Impéria was a Belgian automobile manufactured from 1906 until 1948. Products of the Ateliers Piedboeuf of Liège, the first cars were designed by the German Paul Henze. These were fours of 3, 4.9, and 9.9 litres.
The next year, the company moved to Nessonvaux, and began production in the old Pieper factory.
Impéria produced a monobloc 12 hp in 1909.
1910 the company merged with Springuel.
The Nessonvaux factory began producing Impéria-Abadals from about 1916.
1921 They built three ohc 5·6-litre straight-eights.
These were quickly replaced by an ephemeral ohc 3-litre 32-valve four which was capable of going 90 mph. This was followed by an 1,100 cc side-valve 11/22 hp four designed by Couchard, one of the first cars ever built with a sunroof. Its engine rotated anti-clockwise, and its transmission brake also served as a servo for those on the front wheels.
In 1937 a six of 1,624 cc appeared; this had been available in three-carburettor Super Sports form from 1930.
Over the course of four years Impéria took over three other Belgian car manufacturers: Metallurgique (1927), Excelsior (1929), and Nagant (1931).
From 1934 until the company folded it built mainly front-wheel-drive Adlers with Belgian-made coachwork.
The company merged with Minerva in 1934, but they split in 1939.
After 1948 Impéria assembled Adlers and Standard Vanguards under license.
After Standard Motor Co decided to set up a new factory in Belgium, the factory was left without work and had to close doors in 1957.
In addition to its production in Belgium, Impéria made a number of cars in Great Britain; these were assembled at a factory in Maidenhead as British Imperia