Minerva Type AP History

Introduced alongside the larger AL for 1930, the Type AP used a 4.0-litre straight-eight engine (rated 22CV for Belgian tax purposes) with coil ignition and central gearchange — mechanically distinct from the AL's larger dual-ignition unit. At under £900 sterling it was more accessible than the AL, though still firmly a luxury purchase.

The AP proved more resilient to the Depression than its larger sibling: it remained the backbone of Minerva's catalogue as the company restructured. When Minerva merged with Impéria in 1935–1936, Impéria continued to produce and sell the AP under the Minerva badge, the last cars rolling out in approximately 1938 — making the AP the final true Minerva automobile of the pre-war marque.