New 6.0-litre V8 Jensen Interceptor
May 19, 2008 by Alborz Fallah
Classic car fans can rejoice, a company dedicated to keeping the Interceptor dream alive is bringing back the icon with a new heart. The Jensen Interceptor is a classic sports car that was hand-built in the UK by Jensen Motors from 1966 to 1976, when the company went out of business.
So what if there was a new Interceptor, one that could do 11.7L/100km? Powered by General Motors’ 6-litre V8 LS2 engine? Sounds great doesn’t it, well it’s happening and 27 Interceptor lovers have already put their money down.
The makers, Cropredy Bridge Garage, promise at least 307kW, which is enormous for such an outdated chassis.
However thankfully the chassis gets a 21st century make over, the new model comes with independent rear suspension and LSD, APS 6-pot racing brakes with vented disks, seventeen inch wheels with low profile tyres and a GM 4-speed electronic automatic with overdrive.
The interior is also improved with full leather seats and upholstery using new hides and double-stitched with cross-hatching detail in your colour of choice.
But it all comes at a price, a very high price. The car costs £74,960 which is about AUD $155,000.
“This car is a complete rebuild with significant upgrades in performance, quality, and luxury. It stands comparison with other vehicles in this sector and we believe it represents excellent value for money for a unique hand-built vehicle” Mr David Duerden, Technical Director of Cropredy Bridge Garage said.
Do you want one? Although it’s built in the UK, given it’s right-hand drive it can be imported to Australia without too many dramas.
Click here if you’re interested.
Another company tried to build a new Interceptor back in the late 90s which ended up as a disaster. The Jensen S-V8 had an initial production run of 300 deposit paid vehicles costing about £40,000 each, but troubles soon hit the company and only 20 where ever built and the company in charge went bankrupt.
Print it: 
ooooooooooooooooh yeah!! :D
ooooooooooooooooh no!!
Enough retro already. If you really must have a retro V8 from the dinosaur era, get a Bolwell.
Technically, its not a “retro” car, at least in the way the BMW Mini, new Beetle, Charger etc etc are, as this is a rebuilt and modernised original Interceptor chassis/body.
And that new Bolwell is UGLY
The Jensen Interceptor 111. My hero car as a very young car nut. Some race bookie friend of Dad’s came for diner once in a brand new Orange Interceptor, and when we heard it come up the drive, I couldn’t get down the stairs fast enough and nearly broke my leg trying. They still look good although, I think original model had a 7.2-litre Chrysler engine, from memory.
APS brakes? What’s the go with that when you can clearly see they are AP Racing callipers?
Get with it CarAdvice, next you will be confusing a VE HSV to a VE SS Commodore…
Back in the ’80s there was a dealer who ended up with one of these crates on his yard and predictably, couldn’t get rid of it. Eventually he decided to take it to the big city to try and deal out of it. Mysteriously half way there it caught fire and burnt to a crisp. From that point on he was known as ‘Tom the Torch.’
What?????
A dishonest car dealer???
My bubble has been burst :(
If only we could retro the fuel cost of the original as well!
I saw an Interceptor on the weekend for sale – $27,000. It had been restored but still needed a bit of work to bring it up to scratch.
Aww Reckless – Honest car dealer. Sounds a bit like happily married, some how the words don’t go together. Ha Ha ;)
Anthony – funnily enough it was my favourite childhood car as well. I did have a Matchbox version once. Ace
I loved these cars, too. The one in the photo rekindles all their glory.
No Name, are you sure they did a Matchbox model of these? I so badly wanted an Iso Grifo Matchbox car when I was a kid, and never bought one or got given one, so don’t make me jealous and say, “Yeah, of course I had one in that sky blue colour.”
hehe, “What’s an Iso Grifo?”, some will say.
being real careful now that, ahem, comments can be reported. :)
i love these modernizing car companies.. if you want a cool classic car.. that you could actually use.. as a posed to just.. look at… its a groovy idea
theres a few in the UK a cool half million pounds for a modernized frame up db3 or e-type
top gear have done a few shows on em.
i wish there were more in australia
cookie
I like the idea of the retro re-build. The Jensen Interceptor is cool. I wonder, as they are using effectively a SS Commode motor, can they get away with putting Interceptor rims on the back….? Or is that reserved to BT1 Interceptors…..?
Anyway, Id like a Rover Mini from the late 80’s early 90’s..?
Iso Grifo – what the… sounds like a norwegian troll Golfie..Oh was that racist mentioned the jolly foreigner thing. Ah help the report buttons coming eeeeek.
Mmmm sky blue – could have been.
Have a Google and tell me what you think. They’re beautiful things…
umm seriously for the price who in the world would be stupid enough to buy one.
In no way is there $160 000 worth of car there, for that money you could buy something that is truly beautiful, have a interior thats nicer then most peoples houses and have a car that will handle much better then this thing.
For $160 000 you could get some extremely nice cars, or if your senile and English you could get a jensen.
being a owner of a 72 interceptor and what it takes to restore 70k uk is not a bad deal, i was at a stop light with a new bent conv. next to me and the guy in the pub yelled out is that a jensen. if you haven’t driven one you should
My Iso Grifo was the fastest car that I had with my hot wheels set, plus I used a texta to make mine red like a ferrari.
A Jensen or a W427 for about the same money both a waste of money.
or buy a F6 and pocket the change.
That’s hilarious GhisGT. Now do you have anything intelligent to say about the Jensen Interceptor 1, 11 or 111? Or perhaps you have a comment on the FF car? Yes. No. Yes…
Pull your head in mate and either contribute something interesting, or go and bother someone else.
Golfschwein I have the matchbox Iso Grifo, yes its sky blue, want me to take a photo?? :P
I also have the Corgi Rockets Junior Interceptor Mk1, still on the card (though the blister was cut along the bottom so you can get the car out) and the Dinky No 166 Jensen FF in yellow :)
I think what people miss about this car (and yes even owners of the Jensen Owners Club in the UK were unsure about its value) is that it IS a useable and modernised classic, and it will be very very exclusive. And its hand made. Nothing hand made is cheap ;) New the interceptor was the price of two e-type jags so by comparison to the new Jag XKR its cheap! And you wont log onto carsales and see a dozen of them for sale lol
These cars also ushered in a lot of things that are now common place. FF was the first AWD passenger car and also the first with anti locking brakes. The Interceptor was the first car with inertia reel seatbelts. There are other firsts too.
Nige, thanks for that. No Name, you had a Corgi, not a Matchbox! I didn’t know about the jensen in corgi, but had a look at that and the Dinky 166 courtesy of Google just now.
How dare they escaped my childhood! :)
Unlike other Italian supercars, these used a bulletproof and reliable engine – go the Chev 327 :)
No need for for new pistons, rings, etc with every oil change…..
Err – the Iso, I’m referring to…
is it required to be ncap tested & rated?
I have a Interceptor 7.2 litre chrysler…never been opened…runs like a clock…new carb, manifold and cam was usd 2.000….375 hp…drives the shit of any jaguar/aston from same era and doesnt need a negine rebuild of usd 20.000 every 10.000 km.
And then the luxury….lambswool carpets, everything in leather and even ashtray in silver…
One of the most underrated cars ever….check the price of a American Muscle car with same engine and gearbox and drive train….cost 5 times more and you wrapped in vinly and plastic…while i got a standard like a rolls royce…a no brainer.
Kinda wonder why they chose the GM powerplant instead of trying to keep closer to the Interceptor heritage and use a Chrysler Hemi – the 6.1L SRT8 variant would work a treat in this, sounds much better as well. Even the 5.7L could give them performance to better the originals while offering DOD for better economy.
Just seems wrong to me to have a Chev in a Jensen – worse even than a Chev into a Jag!
Gentlemen,
We worked for nearly three years to produce this car. It was born from our desire to have a useable, reliable, efficient and powerful Jensen. All things can be criticised but I drive this car every day and she is beautiful and all of the above. My Daughter is about to spend three years in Sydney so if anyone would like me to bring them one then please contact me via our web site as soon as possible and I will be delighted to sort out a car for you!
Steve B
Yes please!! :D
(I wish!)