New 6.0-litre V8 Jensen Interceptor

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By Alborz Fallah | May 19th, 2008

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The makers, Cropredy Bridge Garage, promise at least 307kW, which is enormous for such an outdated chassis.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.

http://www.nigelhoneyphotos.com/blog Nige

ooooooooooooooooh yeah!!
Reckless1

ooooooooooooooooh no!!

Enough retro already. If you really must have a retro V8 from the dinosaur era, get a Bolwell.
http://www.nigelhoneyphotos.com/blog Nige

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
http://www.caradvice.com.au Anthony

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.
GhisGT

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…
Captain Mainwaring

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.’
Reckless1

What?????

A dishonest car dealer???

My bubble has been burst
http://jaguar XR_2 Capri

If only we could retro the fuel cost of the original as well!
Grumps

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.
No Name

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
Golfschwein

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.”
Golfschwein

hehe, “What’s an Iso Grifo?”, some will say.
Golfschwein

being real careful now that, ahem, comments can be reported.
anthony C

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
BOSSCR

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..?
No Name

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.
Golfschwein

Have a Google and tell me what you think. They’re beautiful things…
Jerome

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.

dennis

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

http://jaguar XR_2 Capri

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.
http://www.caradvice.com.au Anthony

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.
http://www.nigelhoneyphotos.com/blog Nige

Golfschwein I have the matchbox Iso Grifo, yes its sky blue, want me to take a photo??

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
http://www.nigelhoneyphotos.com/blog Nige

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.
Golfschwein

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!
Reckless1

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…..
Reckless1

Err – the Iso, I’m referring to…
Doh

is it required to be ncap tested & rated?
Ole Sanne

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.
philh

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!
http://www.veight.web.com Steve B

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!
http://www.nigelhoneyphotos.com/blog Nige

Steve B
Yes please!!

(I wish!)
spannermann

Back in the 70′s I was a mechanic on these along with Mercedes, never got over hearing those V8′s go out the workshop, a few of our customers used to ditch the six pack carbs for 2 x 4 chokes, absolutely awesome. I do believe Jensen was the first 4WD super car with ABS.
Shak

Any idea where the Gear lever comes from…three guesses
Charles

I’ve found my dream car.
http://www.thehun.net Vannymaster

Shift knob from a Monaro?