Jensen Interceptor

Alan and Richard Jensen set up Jensen Motors Limited in 1934 and in the pre-war years their handbuilt cars, a number of which were powered by Ford V8 engines, attracted a wealthy and exclusive clientele. Then, in the 1950s, appeared the sleek 541 which established Jensen as manufacturers of high performance touring cars. Following on from the 541, came the C-V8 with its outstanding performance and slightly oriental styling, and the very short lived P66. It is without doubt, that the Touring-designed Interceptor and revolutionary FF which, launched at the 1966 London Motor Show, boosted the company's image in world markets. Within the pages of this book, an introduction to the early postwar cars of the company is given, and also a look at coachbuilding on commercial chassis, but it is the Interceptor which is the focus. From the Italian body shop of Vignale supplying coachwork for the early cars, through to production in West Bromwich, a vast number of period photographs have been used to illustrate the development of Interceptor and Ferguson Formula 4 wheel drive FF cars. The Jensen Healey is also covered in the latter pages, as the life of the Interceptor model drew to a close, through damaging sales of this V8 machine, during the oil crisis of the1970s.