Description
By: Brooklands Books ., Compiled by R.M. Clarke - Foreword by Australia's own prolific motoring author, Gavin Farmer
Brooklands Books has updated and expanded the Gold Portfolio for the delight of Jensen enthusiasts everywhere.
Included are road and comparison tests, new model introductions, touring features, full specifications and performance data plus a Buyer's Guide, offering advice on acquiring a good used Jensen.
Models covered:
Interceptor I, II, III, SP, Convertible and four wheel drive FF I, II, III.
We are delighted to add this volume on the Interceptor to our collection of books about Jensen. It replaces a smaller Gold Portfolio book which has been out of print for some time.
We would like to thank photographer Nic Cooper who took the cover photos and Zac Marshall, Regalia Secretary at the Jensen Owners' Club. The web address of the club is www.joc.org.uk.
As always, we are pleased to thank those magazines which have generously allowed us to reproduce material they originally published. In the case of this book, our gratitude is extended to Autocar, Autosport, Car, Classic Cars, Classics, Competition Car, GTS, Jensen Motors Limited, Modern Motor, Motor, Motor Manual, Motor Sport, Motor Trend, Performance Car, Popular Classics, Road & Track, Road & Track Specials, Road Test, Sports Car Graphic, Sports Car World, Wheels, Worlds Fastest Sports Cars and the World Car Catalogue.
R.M. Clarke
The Jensen marque is yet another of those bespoke English companies that produced a number of excellent automobiles but was unable to adapt to the changing international industrial climate. A great pity really.
After several years of producing the innovative and distinctive looking C-V8, Jensen really lifted its game with the 1966 introduction of the Interceptor. It was, the most luxurious and well-appointed car to proudly carry the Jensen name. it carried on the tradition of being powered by a big American (Chrysler) cast iron V8 engine and, for the first time, had an all-steel body designed in Italy—in this case by Touring of Milan.
Initially the bodies were built by Carrozzeria Vignale and trucked to West Bromwich for final assembly but this expensive process ended in early 1967 when Jensen took over full production responsibilities.
The Interceptor range comprised two models: the Interceptor and FF. Hailed by the world's motoring media as the most technically advanced car of its time, the FF was voted "Car of the Year" by a panel of experts. Quite an accolade.
Its combination of svelte Italian styling and V8 power in conjunction with the Ferguson Formula four-wheel drive system and Dunlop Maxaret anti-lock braking system was revolutionary stuff for 1966. Almost irresistible if you believed what the press wrote.
Performance was never lacking, even from the "small" 6.3-litre V8- engined cars. The two-wheel drive model could run to 137 mph and do the 0-60 mph sprint in 8.1 seconds while the FF returned 131 mph and the same 8.1 seconds. Motor magazine said it was "the best handling car for its size and power we have tested."
Over the next decade Jensen embarked on a process of refinements that left the beautiful styling virtually untouched. Engine size increased to 7.2 litres and new versions arrived in the forms of the SP, Convertible and the Coupe. The FF had the shortest lifespan, from 1966 through 1971 during which time only 320 were built. Surely this must be one of the most collectable cars ever made in England?
Ownership changes of the company after it departed the British automotive scene in 1976 saw an attempt at reviving the Interceptor and at one time there was the possibility of a completely new model. But sadly it was not to be. We do, however, have the Interceptor, a true high performance Continenthl crusher that is today coveted by a growing number of enthusiasts around the world.
Gavin Farmer
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