Jensen Interceptor

The Jensen Interceptor was a sports car in the GT class, the British car manufacturer Jensen built 1966-1976. The Interceptor name had Jensen in 1950 used for a predecessor, who is now usually referred to as Early Interceptor.

The concept

The Jensen Interceptor replaced the produced until 1966 C- V8, which was especially noticeable due to its unusual shape, which was sometimes perceived by observers as outdated as ugly. From the C- V8 Interceptor took over the tube frame chassis and the main features of the suspension. As in the case of its predecessor, the front wheels were individually suspended on wishbones and coil springs, rear Jensen used a live axle with leaf springs and Panhard rod. The drive still served an eight-cylinder engine, the Jensen Chrysler moved.

The body of the Interceptor had contrast, no similarity with the C- V8. During the construction of the C- V8 and its predecessor was 541 made ​​of glass fiber reinforced plastic, was the body of the Interceptor from steel. The forms were designed in Italy by Carrozzeria Touring. The Swiss Jensen importer and later sports car maker Peter Monteverdi maintained well into the 1970s, he had designed the body of the Interceptor for Touring; a strenuous process of him remained, however, without success. The first 50 bodies of the Interceptor were manufactured in Italy by Vignale in Turin, in 1967 but rebuilt the main factory in West Bromwich the complete vehicles.

Karosserievarianten

Saloon (GT )

At the beginning there was the two-door GT Interceptor only. The modern body hatchback closes with the characteristic large rear window, which is often referred to as " goldfish bowl" in the English language. In the construction period from 1966 to 1976 there were a total of three series. The Interceptor from the first series followed the model series Interceptor Mk 2 and Mk 3 series learned besides, numerous detail changes that were related both to the drive technology as well as the body design and the interior.

Interceptor Mk 1

Jensen used a 6.3 -liter eight-cylinder engine from Chrysler, as in the preceding C- V8 for the first production models. He made 325 hp ( 239 kW). As power transmission was standard also built by a Chrysler Torqueflite three-speed automatic type; 23 vehicles were equipped by way of derogation to customer with a manually shifted four-speed transmission. The vehicles of the first series were not yet equipped with power steering. Externally, the first series can be seen on narrow, deep bumpers; The front turn signals were installed on the bumper.

Interceptor Mk 2

The second, introduced in October 1969 series received on American higher safety regulations scheduled bumpers in view; the front indicators were now below the bumper. The grille was also redesigned as the dashboard. In contrast, the engine remained unchanged.

Interceptor Mk 3

The third series of the Interceptor was produced from October 1971. The body was broadly the Mk 2; However, the car received standard alloy wheels and a revised interior. From November 1971 Jensen also replaced the 6.3 -liter engine with an eight-cylinder engine with 7.2 liter displacement, which was still available from Chrysler. RH drive vehicles were given until May 1972 engine of the previous model. Reason for the change was the reduction by the American emission laws performance of the engines. Increasingly tough laws required a lower compression ratio, resulting in a significant performance loss. To compensate for this to some extent, Jensen was how other customers forced Chrysler to use engines with larger displacements. But even with the 7.2 -liter engine that delivered 285 hp (210 kW), the Mk 3 was less sporty than the early Mk -1 models, because the bigger engines were heavier and limited the maneuverability of the vehicles one.

SP

A special version of the Mk 3 was the Jensen SP ( for six pack ), which was intended as a successor to the economically less successful FF and had a significantly increased performance. The 7.2 -liter engine had three twin carburettors and delivered 385 hp; However, the response is usually described as getting used to. The SP needed attentive maintenance. In some publications it is claimed that the carburetor at very short intervals - sometimes spoken of only 500 miles - had to be readjusted. The very expensive SP was because he did not meet the U.S. emission laws, are not exported to the United States, so he remained primarily restricted to the UK market. Until 1973 he made 232 copies, most of which were given a right-hand drive.

Convertible ( Cabriolet )

The important U.S. market prompted Jensen to accommodate a convertible model to the program. Presented in 1974 that Interceptor Convertible corresponded technically the Saloon Mk 3 It is considered particularly elegant and is one of this, but also the most expensive models of the brand. Unlike the saloon, the Cabriolet was sold with its blank on the American market primarily as a left-hand drive.

Coupe

The rarest version of the Interceptor is the coupe, which was launched at the Earls Court Motor Show in London in October 1975, shortly before the company became insolvent. Unlike the Saloon, the Coupé had a notchback. It was based on the bodyshell of the Interceptor Convertible, but received instead of the top, a hard top. The installation of the hard top was not at Jensen himself, but in the British mini series Manufacturer Panther Westwinds.

The side windows of the vehicle rear end consisted of differently shaped slices. Most specimens had a width B column, which was often covered with vinyl. The chrome binding the B-pillar continued in these models in the form of a roll bar above the roof on. Single copies had taken a wide B-pillar, an additional side window. The rear window corresponded in all cases of the Jaguar XJ -C, the chrome coupe lettering on the rear fenders were taken from the Morris Marina. Until the final stop in production in 1976, left 46, according to other sources 47 or 54 vehicles left the plant in West Bromwich, of which there are about 40 today.

The Jensen FF

The Jensen FF was the first production car with all-wheel drive. Strictly speaking, however, the FF is not a Interceptor, but a separate series. The all-wheel drive needed more space, so that the entire front end had to be extended. Although the FF looks quite similar to an interceptor, it can be seen on the revised front fascia well with double side vents. It was built until 1971.

The production

The production numbers of the Jensen Interceptor soft in various publications partially interdependent. The following overview is based on the data in a model Chronicle of the journal British Classic Cars:

Revival

Jensen Parts and Service, a successor of Jensen Motors, produced from 1984 to 1993, a two-digit number of additional interceptor vehicles, which were called Interceptor Mark IV and were powered by a 5.9 -liter eight-cylinder Chrysler.

The current market situation

Jensen Interceptor are sought-after classics. However, although the vehicles in their time a similar reputation enjoyed as the models from Aston Martin and partly were significantly more expensive, they are not as popular as vintage by far, which is also reflected in the prices. For a Jensen Interceptor Mk 3 in proper condition a price of about 25,500 Euros in 2010 was estimated; an Aston Martin V8 in the same condition on the used car market more than twice as expensive. An Interceptor Convertible is significantly more expensive than the closed version, but it lags far behind the price of an Aston Martin V8 Volante. The reason for the price difference between Jensen and Aston Martin is most often seen in the literature in the use of a less prestigious American Motors.

Media

In the movie Fast & Furious 6 from the year 2013 travels Dominic Toretto's girlfriend Letty Ortiz a dull gray Jensen Interceptor. In the movie " Russian Roulette ", a British / kandadische production (1975 ) George Segal drives a Jensen Interceptor Saloon.

Competitors

Pictures

Jensen Interceptor II ( 1970)

The dashboard of the Interceptor III until 1974

The nobler dashboard of the late Vehicles

The 7.2 liter Chrysler engine of the Series III (1974 )

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