1971 Jensen Interceptor – Classified of the Week
January 24, 2023
Possessing one of the coolest names to ever grace a grille, boot lid or any other body panel for that matter, the Jensen Interceptor is the perfect blend of V8 muscle and sublime Italian styling but with an inherent grace and overarching sense of Britishness behind it all. One of the all-time great GT cars the Interceptor evokes those road trip fantasies that any petrolhead harbours, whether it be a jaunt to the south of France or a winding blast through the Italian Dolomites. It’s a prestigious car that not only offers a real sense of occasion but also a level of luxury and comfort that’s on par with its more (perhaps unfairly) revered counterparts – the poor man’s Aston Martin moniker is an unfairly attributed one. All backed up by more than impressive performance it is now quite rightly regarded as a true classic, sitting proudly alongside its rivals whilst remaining far more financially attainable.
It’s an exclusive club too. The Interceptor wasn’t produced in great numbers over its ten year production run, just shy of six-and-a-half thousand actually, but those that did roll out of the factory were all hand-built. The car went through three iterations during its life-cycle, in hatchback, convertible and coupé form, with either a 6.3 or later 7.2-litre Chrysler V8 engine producing 330 and 385 brake horsepower respectively. It was an engine that, although thirstier than a dried up snake in a wagon rut, put the Jensen Interceptor ahead of pretty much all of its competition at the time, from a performance perspective, and it remains a true brute to this day without sacrificing any of the factory refinement that made the car such a pleasure to drive.
Luckily for you then, dear reader, we just so happen to have a rather lovely example for sale via our classifieds. This particular 1971 Jensen Interceptor II has a lot going for it, not least of which is a comprehensive service history dating back to the year of manufacture, including the Statement of Origin from Jensen Motors itself. Not only that but some serious money has been spent keeping this Interceptor in top condition. From a £9,000 bill courtesy of the previous owner on an overhaul for the three-speed Torqueflite automatic gearbox, as well as new engine and servo mounts, to a further spend of over £34,000 spanning the past nine years the car has certainly not been left wanting.
The results of this lavish fastidiousness, along with a full repaint and exterior trim refurbishment care of Malton Coachworks are plain to see. The exterior of the Interceptor presents incredibly well and the gun metal grey paintwork is in fantastic fettle, as is all of the chrome that adorns this Jensen. The original Rostyle alloy wheels have been recently refurbished too as part of a further round of recent improvements and maintenance work and as such are in top condition, setting off the bodywork nicely. The factory biscuit leather interior is equally well-presented thanks to a refresh that saw new carpets, rear side cards and centre console. The seats and door cards have some age-related patina but this merely adds to the overall character of the car’s luxury interior.
The mechanicals have been taken care of by renowned Jensen specialists Cropredy Bridge who completely overhauled the engine through 2014 and 2015 and so the car performs as well as it looks. That thumping V8 under the bonnet should provide many more years of blistering performance.
This is a well-sorted and maintained Interceptor with a comprehensive history. All that’s left to do, then, is have a quick read of our Five Things article on the subject and then contact the seller to arrange a viewing. It’s a safe and secure process thanks to our Verified Listings platform and it also means that you can easily put in an offer. Who knows, you could soon be planning one of those road trips we mentioned earlier, excited by the prospect of piloting your new Jensen Interceptor to sunnier climbs.
