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British car brand Jensen is BACK :-D!!

Gustav_GravesGustav_Graves
in General Discussion Posts: 11,119
During the 85th Geneva International Motor Show, we'll get to see the revival of British car brand Jensen. On the brand-new Jensen stand, this clay model of the Jensen GT will be shown:
q61ycmxbcpqz.jpg
tg9yubxbfke9.jpg

It will be the basis of the upcoming new Jensen Interceptor 2, which will have a 6.5 liter V8 SuperCharger engine from General Motors. As you can see, the design is based on the old Jensen Interceptor.
Jensen-Interceptor-Convertible-copper-brown-1974-00B9J370226442E.jpeg
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Comments

  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,340
    pretty cool that! wonder if they're really going to pull it off...
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Great to see some of the old car companies, getting a new lease of life. =D>
  • MrcogginsMrcoggins Following in the footsteps of Quentin Quigley.
    Posts: 3,144
    That looks more like a yank tank could we be looking at a possible prototype of the next but one mustang ?.
  • Campbell2Campbell2 Epsilon Rho Rho house, Bending State University
    Posts: 299
    Yeah, the front made me think of Mustang too. Not bad altogether. Could do with a bit less contour on the bonnet
  • Gustav_GravesGustav_Graves
    edited February 2015 Posts: 11,119
    "Yank Tank" is a bit too negative for me. Don't forget that the old Jensen Interceptor was already perceived as a "Brit Tank". It's arse was....well....huge! And, like the old Aston Martin DBS, also this Jensen Interceptor had circular head lights with a very straightforward front. So....the Americans did it, the Brits as well.

    Jensen_Interceptor_rear.jpg

    Jensen Interceptor Mark 1 1969:
    4256983116_ed355804c9.jpg

    Ford Mustang Fastback 1969:
    1969-mustang-custom-001.jpg

    Aston Martin DBS 1969:
    i013692.jpg
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    I love it. Lots of character.

    Much prefer this kind of well proportioned, practical design to some of the super streamlined cars we see nowadays.

    I hope they pull it off. It's a British icon.
  • Gustav_GravesGustav_Graves
    Posts: 11,119
    bondjames wrote: »
    I love it. Lots of character.

    Much prefer this kind of well proportioned, practical design to some of the super streamlined cars we see nowadays.

    I hope they pull it off. It's a British icon.

    Fully agreed. See my above post @BondJames ;-)
  • Campbell2Campbell2 Epsilon Rho Rho house, Bending State University
    Posts: 299
    How many orders do they need to start building them?think they would need a huge investment for this to take off. Would be helpful to have a big company for it, no?
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    edited February 2015 Posts: 7,594
    Great news! These things always seemed awesome, although my experience with them is extraordinarily limited. Wasn't there a dramatic Top Gear episode about them as they toured an abandoned Jensen factory and they talked about how they washed up? Maybe it was a different car company...
  • Gustav_GravesGustav_Graves
    Posts: 11,119
    NickTwentyTwo wrote: »
    Great news! These things always seemed awesome, although my experience with them is extraordinarily limited. Wasn't there a dramatic Top Gear episode about them as they toured an abandoned Jensen factory and they talked about how they washed up? Maybe it was a different car company...

    Triumph maybe? Or TVR? McClaren or Lotus?
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts: 7,594
    Difficult to say... It may have been a small unknown company and the episode was talking more about the british car mfg industry in general. Might have to find it on Netflix again!
  • PropertyOfALadyPropertyOfALady Colders Federation CEO
    Posts: 3,675
    Well, good to see that back. I've always kinda liked Jensen.
  • MrcogginsMrcoggins Following in the footsteps of Quentin Quigley.
    Posts: 3,144
    I wish someone would bring back Bristol Cars .
  • PropertyOfALadyPropertyOfALady Colders Federation CEO
    Posts: 3,675
    @Mrcoggins I thought Bristol was back.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 14,003
    The front reminds me of the modern Dodge Challenger. And there's not enough goldfish bowl with the back window, too.
  • MrcogginsMrcoggins Following in the footsteps of Quentin Quigley.
    Posts: 3,144
    PropertyOfALady wrote: »
    @Mrcoggins I thought Bristol was back.
    Not yet there is some slight hope that a new car will see the light of day
    But as of now the only thing new about Bristol are the plans that are still on the drawing board.
  • andmcitandmcit
    Posts: 1,068
    The old top gear episode was about TVR in Blackpool and the Russian playboy millionaire that threw it all away.

    The ridiculous thirst of the old interceptor even makes a 4.6 V8 Range Rover look very frugal. No way a new one will pull it off as it's a dream that pops up every now and again. The only future for Brit super cars is McLaren road cars - forget the Honda F1.
  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,340
    NickTwentyTwo wrote: »
    Great news! These things always seemed awesome, although my experience with them is extraordinarily limited. Wasn't there a dramatic Top Gear episode about them as they toured an abandoned Jensen factory and they talked about how they washed up? Maybe it was a different car company...

    I think you're talking about the British Layland episode where they used three different Leyland cars to show how badly they were made:http://www.topgear.com/uk/tv-show/series-10/episode-7

    At least one of th cars was a Rover which was so badly made it couldn't start the watertank test.

    The Jensen Interceptor wasn't build by Layland. Thankfully.
  • boldfingerboldfinger
    edited March 2015 Posts: 5,767
    Gustav_Graves wrote:
    During the 85th Geneva International Motor Show, we'll get to see the revival of British car brand Jensen. On the brand-new Jensen stand, this clay model of the Jensen GT will be shown:
    q61ycmxbcpqz.jpg
    tg9yubxbfke9.jpg
    Don´t care much for the design of the old one, but the new one has sexy lines. I´ll have one. I´d even take that colour.

  • Villiers53Villiers53
    Posts: 802
    Mrcoggins wrote: »
    I wish someone would bring back Bristol Cars .

    Now that is a great, great thought!
    I reserve judgement on the new Jenson GT but I have to say my abiding memory of the Interceptor 1 and 11 is of 'merde' brown cars broken down all over the place. Their reliability was terrible.
    What's more, I have actually driven a 11 and it was terrible and I can't understand Clarkson's fascination with the marque.
    There one redeeming feature was their well proportioned and curvaceous rear and I've always been in favour of a well proportioned and curvaceous rear!

  • patbpatb
    edited March 2015 Posts: 4,617
    That original rear screen for me was THE defining reference point for the original Jensen, seems a shame to lose it and the new model looks like any kind of generic USA muscle car
  • Villiers53Villiers53
    Posts: 802
    patb wrote: »
    That original rear screen for me was THE defining reference point for the original Jensen, seems a shame to lose it and the new model looks like any kind of generic USE muscle car

    I agree.
    Unfortunately it would appear that contemporary safety standards often seem to get in the way of good design. At one point Jag had a rear glass opening hatch type screen scheduled for the F Type. Evidently they couldn't make it work because of safety issues so probably recreating the Jenson rear falls into the same category.
  • Gustav_GravesGustav_Graves
    Posts: 11,119
    Villiers53 wrote: »
    patb wrote: »
    That original rear screen for me was THE defining reference point for the original Jensen, seems a shame to lose it and the new model looks like any kind of generic USE muscle car

    I agree.
    Unfortunately it would appear that contemporary safety standards often seem to get in the way of good design. At one point Jag had a rear glass opening hatch type screen scheduled for the F Type. Evidently they couldn't make it work because of safety issues so probably recreating the Jenson rear falls into the same category.

    Actually, if you look closely, the rear side windows are exactly the same shape as the ones on the old Jensen Interceptor.

    The new model is just less hatchback-esque and more coupé-esque...
  • Campbell2Campbell2 Epsilon Rho Rho house, Bending State University
    Posts: 299
    Anyway, how many orders will they need, what will be the specifics technical side? And price tag? Won't this need some big company as0partner for engines and assistance systems and such?
  • GetafixGetafix
    Posts: 11,425
    This design needs a bit of work, if it isn't going just to be a weird expensive oddity like the Bristol.
  • Campbell2Campbell2 Epsilon Rho Rho house, Bending State University
    Posts: 299
    I'd think the best shot would be to have this as sideline to some existing marqe, Aston or Jaguar. Some company with the capital and technical know-how to get this goin Dealers they'd also need.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited March 2015 Posts: 23,883
    Campbell2 wrote: »
    I'd think the best shot would be to have this as sideline to some existing marqe, Aston or Jaguar. Some company with the capital and technical know-how to get this goin Dealers they'd also need.

    I agree. That's the way to go these days. However, I'm not sure if the brand is strong enough for one of the big boys to take it on. Jaguar/Land Rover was ok for Tata, Mini/Rolls was ok for BMW, and Bentley was ok for VW, but I'm not sure whether suitable volume or investment return exists with Jensen for a 'big boy'.

    A hedge or equity fund may be interested however (like Aston).
  • GetafixGetafix
    Posts: 11,425
    Except Aston and even Jaguar are hardly the big boys. Aston Martin is in a pretty difficult situation. I don't really see how it can survive as it is. They had a very successful period under Ford (at least in terms of design and quality) but they seem a little directionless currently. And I don't think they have the money required to invest in serious new models.

    Jaguar is a different story. Lucky for Jag it's being bankrolled by Tata and supported by the profits from Land Rover, but commercially it's a disaster - losing money hand over fist. Tata wants to keep it because they have aspiraitions of growing the brand to make it a competitor to BMW, Merc, Audi etc. There's a very long way to go, both in terms of sales, and also in terms of the product and the marketing. There's something slightly naff about Jag I often think. Even when I like their cars, such as the F-type, I find the marketing really off-putting. The lame harping on about Britishness harks back to the old Rover ads from the 80s - bit tragic.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited March 2015 Posts: 23,883
    True, but Jag has come a heck of a long way compared to where it was a decade or so ago, and they are slowly becoming relevant again. It is a slow process, but the potential return is there, as the Jag nameplate is well known enough and the increasingly large wealthy Indian market may buy into it down the road once they know it's a Tata product. The primary problem with Jaguar for many people was the reliability. If they can fix that, they can go places.

    Aston did get an equity infusion from a private equity fund recently, but that's not going to be good enough in the long run. Even so, the Aston name is far more alluring and well known than Jensen imho.

    That's why I'm not sure who would put money into Jensen, even though a big investor is what it needs...
  • GetafixGetafix
    Posts: 11,425
    bondjames wrote: »
    True, but Jag has come a heck of a long way compared to where it was a decade or so ago, and they are slowly becoming relevant again. It is a slow process, but the potential return is there, as the Jag nameplate is well known enough and the increasingly large wealthy Indian market may buy into it down the road once they know it's a Tata product. The primary problem with Jaguar for many people was the reliability. If they can fix that, they can go places.

    Aston did get an equity infusion from a private equity fund recently, but that's not going to be good enough in the long run. Even so, the Aston name is far more alluring and well known than Jensen imho.

    That's why I'm not sure who would put money into Jensen, even though a big investor is what it needs...

    Yes, it's not clear to me what Aston's long term plan is. I don't see how they can survive on their own.

    In a way, Aston could be good fit with Jag and Land Rover. If Jag was squarely targeted at the upper end of the mid-market, like its German rivals, and Aston was the luxury brand, they could share platforms and investment, as happened under Ford.

    I agree that Jag has potential. But they need to sort their models and the marketing out. Their cars are too showy to compete with Merc, Audi, BMW, in my opinion. They might appeal to the get rich quick wide-boys in the City and naff golf club crowd, but I don't see them having that mass appeal the German brands have. A shame some of Britain's other great brands have disappeated. I'm just not sure Jag is the right brand for what Tata wants it to do.

    I suppose Tata's other alternative is to start making saloon car Range Rovers. The Evoque has almost taken them into that territory. They also own the Rover marque, although I can't see any one wanting to revive that.
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