Jensen GT marks return of top British brand

Legendary British sports car maker Jensen has risen from the ashes and announced it’ll be building a new car to be launched next year, followed by a new Interceptor.

A new company called the Jensen Group will launch the GT in 2016. It’ll be powered by a General Motors 665bhp 6.4-litre supercharged V8, and be based on a bespoke spaceframe chassis with the choice of six-speed manual or six-speed semi-automatic transmissions. The rear-wheel drive GT will come as a two-seater or as a 2+2, and promises a luxurious cabin, with leather and Alcantara trim. All cars will be built to order and cost in the region of £350,000.

The GT will be built in collaboration with Jensen International Automotive (JIA) – a company better known for its modified Interceptor R model. And while neither Jensen Group nor JIA is connected to the original Jensen Car Co. Ltd, the announcement will be good news for Jensen fans, as the GT will be the first car to bear the famous name since the car maker ceased trading in 2002.

The last Jensen model was the S-V8 that debuted at the 1998 British International Motor Show in Birmingham. Costing £10m to develop, the V8 two-seater roadster cost £40,000, promised much and was designed to fill a niche between Morgan and TVR. But the factory made only 10 cars before the receivers were called in three years later, with another 30 built by a company called SV Automotive.

Jensen Group says the first GTs will arrive in 2016 before revealing a brand new Interceptor in the same year. Currently called ‘Interceptor 2’, the new car will “take design cues from the classic Interceptor and will advance the concept of the original grand tourer, to provide a thoroughly modern and exciting vehicle,” according to the company.

What do you think of the prospect of a revived Jensen brand? Let us know below...