Jensen P66
The Jensen P66 was a two-door Gran Turismo of the British sports car manufacturer Jensen Motors and body, which was developed from 1964. The model should be the successor of the produced at Jensen Austin -Healey 3000, its implementation was abandoned after the production of two prototypes.
History of development
The company Jensen Motors was founded in 1931, operates primarily as a body manufacturer for established British car plants. After the company had dressed in the 1930s, some vehicles individually according to customer requirements - including a Ford V8 for Clark Gable - it shifted the focus before the start of World War II on the industrial scale production of superstructures. After the war, incurred in Jensen about 4000 copies of the Austin A40 Sports, later Jensen made the body shells for the Austin -Healey 100, the Sunbeam Tiger, the P1800 and the Austin -Healey 3000th also emerged since 1936, some sports cars, the name under his own were marketed. After the war, these were the "Early Interceptor ", the 541 and the C- V8. It was this high-priced luxury coupes, which were placed in small series and the company by itself usually brought in losses.
Mid -1960s, the company contributed primarily by the production of bodies for the Austin -Healey 3000, of the eight years, more than 42,000 copies were manufactured. The American with an eight-cylinder engine equipped Chrysler Jensen C- V8 played the other hand, with a total production of 500 copies in five years, only a very minor role. In the mid- 1960s before production was the end of the Austin - Healey 3000 Jensen - management was looking for an alternative to the utilization of existing capacity at its plant in West Bromwich.
In the absence of an alternative foreign mission, the company decided to develop its own sports car, which should be positioned in the market niche of the Austin -Healey and thus located below the large and expensive C- V8. This project has been factory internally referred to as Jensen P66. The development of technology and the organization took the 1964 to complete. 1965 produced two prototypes - a closed four-seater and a convertible - that were presented to the public in London Earls Court Motor Show in the fall of 1965. At this time there were already prospectuses for the P66. Supposedly followed the presentation in 1000 orders of interested customers.
Following the presentation, there were internal company disputes about positioning and the future of the P66. While the company 's founder, Richard and Alan Jensen in favor of the P66 as Austin -Healey replacement, saw other parts of the company's management, in particular the chief engineer Kevin Beattie, the need for a replacement of the obsolete, positioned in a higher market segment C- V8. In addition, the in-plant designed body of the P66 was perceived as being frumpy and unattractive. Beattie was supported in this issue of the Norcros Group, a shareholder of Jensen Motors. In the spring of 1966, when Richard Jensen was hospitalized due to a heart attack, Beattie commissioned Carrozzeria Touring the Italian with the design of a new upper class coupe, which should take over the role of the C- V8. Most importantly, it was the Jensen Interceptor, whose production launch began in the same year. The decision in favor of the Interceptor meant the end for the P66. As a result, Richard and Alan Jensen left and Eric Neale, creator of the P66, the company.
Technology
The Jensen P66 was developed under the direction of the long-term Jensen Leaders Eric Neale. Neale designed a new space frame for the P66, which was smaller and lighter than the chassis of the C- V8. The structure was in contrast to the 541 and the C- V8, the bodies were made of plastic, aluminum. As drive three different eight-cylinder engines from Chrysler were provided. In addition to the 6.3 -liter engine, which was also used in the C- V8, also smaller versions 5.9 and 4.5 liters of displacement should be available. The front wheels were independently suspended and had coil springs, rear a De Dion axle was provided with semi- elliptic leaf springs. The transmission took place via a three-speed automatic of Chrysler.
The body of the P66 was also designed by Eric Neale. The design was based on Italian sports coupe; Observers saw particularly in the area of the front end similar to the ( 1957 ) eliminate Maserati 3500 GT. The front fenders ended in a respective round headlights, the front line of the hood was lowered slightly in comparison. The roof of the coupe was trapezoidal in shape; it had three side windows.
Further development
Jensen produced from 1966 to 1976, several thousand copies of the Interceptor, which, as a convertible and was offered as a notchback coupe and saloon. The role of P66 as an inexpensive entry- Jensen in the market segment of the Austin -Healey took over from 1972, the Jensen -Healey, created about 10,000 copies of the date of the insolvency of the company in 1976.
The coupe version of the P66 still exists. She stood in the 1990s, some time in the U.S. before it was bought by a collector in the UK. One of the prototypes was used as a test vehicle for the all-wheel drive technology of the later Jensen FF.