Highlights
1 of the 87 RHD original convertibles made
6377 miles since build to Interceptor R spec for Sir Charles Dunstone - JIA shareholder
Featured on the Grand Tour, Top Gear, Sunday Times and numerous other media
2 owners since build - scarcely used and commensurately in excellent condition
Today would cost £350k to replicate this car to this specification with a typical build time of 6-12 months
Indisputable provenance and the reference Jensen Interceptor R convertible by which all others are judged
General Description
The Jensen Interceptor was produced in the West Midlands between 1966 and 1971 and fused a dramatic Carrozzeria Touring GT bodyshape with tried and tested American V8 large capacity engines. The styling and muscular performance from the Chrysler V8 engines made the cars highly desirable and instantly find favour with celebrities. In particular, musicians such as Cher, Frank Sinatra, Ginger Baker, Mitch Mitchell of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, John Bonham and Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin and even renown car connoisseur Nick Mason of Pink Floyd, owned an Interceptor at one point.
The model range featured Chrysler V8 engines of between 6.3 to 7.2 litres, producing between 250 and 330 bhp depending on carburettor options chosen. The key to the cars' strong performance was the huge amount of available torque, and any derivative from the four wheel drive FF, Coupe or Convertible, produced effortless performance which established the model as a GT icon.
These handbuilt cars were made in a very limited production and perhaps the most desirable of them of them all was the convertible Mk111 model produced between 1973 and 1976. Although produced primarily for the lucrative and more temperate climate of the US market, of the total 514 convertibles made, 86 were understood to have been made in right hand drive.
The recession in 1975 predictably made a hugely expensive hand built car with a 7.2 litre V8 somewhat limited in its market appeal and after various ill fated attempts to maintain production the company was liquidated in the 1990's. In 2010 Jensen International Automotive was founded, funded by telecoms magnate Sir Charles Dunstone, with key staff from the original Jensen company. This time with funding at a different order of magnitude to earlier efforts to re-establish the Jensen company, the model was reborn and re-engineered with modern components.
These new models known as the Jensen Interceptor R, use original cars as the basis, with the old heavy Chrysler V8, substituted with a contemporary alloy Chevrolet LS 6.2 V8, producing a reliable and considerably more fuel efficient 430 BHP. When this is combined with a modern 6 speed automatic gearbox, replacing the somewhat primitive 3 speed Torqueflite box, you are looking at 160 mph + top speed and 0-60 in 4.6 seconds. In other words performance is considerably improved over the original car....Brakes, suspension and electrics are suitably upgraded and obviously the entire car is treated to a nut and bolt restoration and finished with bespoke trim options of your choice.
Essentially you have the looks of the iconic classic convertible with 21st century performance. In many ways the Interceptor R was one of the "retromod" pioneers, using todays popular formula of modern running gear in a classic bodyshape. The models are more or less indistinguishable externally from their orginal Interceptor, its just that everything works now(!) and the build quality and performance is of a different order to the original car from which an R is developed. It is not unrealistic to consider using one of these re-engineered cars for extended long distance touring or even daily use and the modern dynamics transform the car's performance whilst retaining it's relaxed and luxurious character. It's also worth pointing out that when these cars were new, they were considered big cars, nowadays the footprint of this car is significantly smaller than a medium sized SUV and it's weighs less than a modern M3 - the alloy block LS3 making a significant contribution to the weight saving!
Predictably, none of this comes cheap - you are probably looking at something of the order of £350k and a wait of 6 months to drive away in a convertible R today, similar to the specification of the car we have for sale.
About this specific vehicle
1 of the 87 RHD original convertibles made
Originally commissioned for Sir Charles Dunstone, the main shareholder of Jensen International Automotive, the car's build was undertaken without regard to expense and this Interceptor was used extensively for media duties, having featured favourably in the Times, The Grand Tour, Top Gear aswell as in factory media material.
Finished to R specification as per the factory brochure, the only deviations from standard specification are:
- Replacement of the hood with with a Lynx version which comes with electic opposed to manual catches - a very rare and desiraabale feature
- Conversion to single windscreen wiper - as fitted to supercharged models today
Always cherished and maintained regardless of expense, the car has been scarcely used since it's build, in fact it is suspected that the majority of use was undertaken by the company's marketing manager when performing media duties.
Offered today in as new condition - this Jensen Interceptor R convertible is probably the best known example in existence and provides the next custodian with a car in as new condition without the 6-12 months build wait.
