An excellent 1974 Jensen Interceptor is up for sale in San Diego, California. Priced at $37,500 on Craigslist, this rogue was built with British chassis engineering, Italian design, and an American V8 powerplant, bringing the best of three countries to the road. Painted in a beautiful shade of red, this dashing car is ready to hit the road in style.
Jensen is not a marquee name in the classic car community, but when you take a closer look at the specs on these cars, you have to wonder why they don’t get more attention. With reasonably low production numbers, these cars are not standard at local car shows. But when you look at all the specs on these cars, a special vehicle starts to emerge. Starting with the exterior styling, we get some shooting-brake vibes. Carrozzeria Touring captured a striking design for these Interceptor models, at least by my eye. I can see this car being used to advertise British woodsy-smelling cologne or a dapper sports watch.
This specific Interceptor is an excellent example from the limited pictures. The color is striking, and the alloy wheels have a great sporting look. The tube grill continues with a clean design, and you won’t have trouble seeing out of the back window! The interior has the British elegance of a cigar lounge with black leather and wood accents. Under the hood is a de-tuned Chrysler 440 with about 285 ponies in stock form. This is a reliable V-8 that can be livened up with some aftermarket goodies. Putting this power to the road is a 3-speed Torqueflite automatic transmission, which is, again, another reliable mechanical component. Don’t overlook the chassis, though. This is a well-designed and well-handling (for its vintage) chassis that can manage the American V-8 power well.
I have always thought the Jensens were beautiful cars, but honestly, I did not know much about them. This is one of the reasons why I was excited to write this post and do a little research on a marque that was not familiar. But what about you? Have you owned an Interceptor or any of the other Jensen models? What was your experience with them? Can any former mechanics who have worked on these tell us about their experience? After learning more about Jensen, I will watch them closely whenever they cross my path. They seem a great way to get into British luxury without spending Aston Martin money or dealing with Jaguar reliability. You can purchase this car here on Craigslist.
Looks great and mighty clean, i would rather have a manual, but a automatic might be better for some. I hope it sells.
Manual interceptors are rare as hen’s teeth (something like 22 of them made, I’m guessing all RHD.) There was also the FF, an early AWD version that is pretty rare also and sells for a big premium.
Something about the name “Interceptor” is just cool to me.
Maybe from “The Road Warrior”?
His car was the “last of the V8 Interceptors.”
A few images of the undercarriage would be nice as well.
This one looks surprisingly well kept, or restored. Most you find on the market have or are suffering from the tin worm or a deep electrical issue. They only came in automatic form, with either a 380 or 440 MOPAR engine. I have heard it takes several hides to redo the interior, which is very comfy from my experience. I prefer the convertible, but that massive back glass might make it feel more open, just better make sure the AC is up to snuff prior to cruising on a sunny day.
I helped a buddy restore his Interceptor. his had the 440 and it was a perfect but tight fit in the engine bay. We replaced the entire seating surfaces and all interior panel. the seat covers alone were $2500 and this was in 1988! Remember that this is still a British car with Lucas electronics and that was the worst part of the car. Once that was straightened out the car was bulletproof. We also restored his Sunbeam Tiger. that was a hoot to drive.
Carhag.. Chrysler did not make a “380”.. did you mean 360?
I have probably had as many Jensen Interceptors as anyone. I had some contacts in Anchorage Alaska and I helped them buy cars in the lower 48. It was a unique time, they were making a lot of money in Alaska ,but they were stranded ,almost like living on an island. They wanted cars ,but there was no inventory in Alaska and they couldn’t take the time to go find a car. I started with one guy and once I established a reputation, I had a growing business. They wanted Corvettes, Mercedes, Jaguars, Porsche any high end exotic. One guy really liked Jensen’s and I got very familiar with them. They certainly are an oxymoron. I had a love hate relationship with everyone of them. Mostly because of the Prince of darkness. This B/F car looks like a good car, one I would have certainly considered.