The return of the Jensen Intercetor 2014

[McColm]

Hi,
Most car manufactures these days have at least one 4x4 model, back in the early sixties there was just the LandRover.
The Jensen Interceptor was penned by Carrozzeria Touring Italy and early examples built by vignale, moving production to West Bromwich England. The model ran from 1966-1976 and was restarted again in the 1980s but with a limited run on the series 4 S4 5.9L engine.
The Interceptor came as a two door four seater; hatchback, convertable (267) or the rarer coupe (60) over the ten years 6,408 cars were built. the MarkI model had the optional 4 speed manual gearbox (22 built) or the 3 speed auto box and the Chrysler V8 6276cc (383 c.i.) engine.
The FF model was introduced in 1967 and 302 cars were sold.
The R uses existing cars that get updated with new components and new engines.
CCP Global holdings are working on a new model based on the four seat grand tourer with a new aluminium chassis and hand crafted aluminum body, deliveries to the public in 2014.

I haven't got £20, 000 to buy a good second hand car that hasn't been updated, but you can get the die cast 1/43 scale versions for £25-£40 depending on the model you want or a 1/93 scale pewter looking version for less than a fiver.
I don't know if there has been any plastic kit versions released, although I did find an all resin built version in 1/43 scale. I know the firm Oxford do a die cast model, not too sure if Matchbox ever did. Corgi did the Rocket and Juniors Whizzwheels, Dinky did there own line.
If not, what plastic kits would you advise for a scratch build/whiff?

[chrisonord]

I know someone who has an interceptor MKII with the 7.2 litre chrysler  engine and his son has an FF locked in an air conditioned container. The Interceptor gets driven regular too.
Chris

[PR19_Kit]

Oooh yes, cracking car! I drove a Mk1 Interceptor once, but I suspect it was actually driving me! I was about 25 yards behind the car all the way round the track! 

[Hobbes]

oh yes, the Interceptor. Never knew there was a coupe version. Looks a bit ungainly compared to the hatchback.


There's also this project using a Dodge Viper V10 engine:

great idea, but I'm not wild about e.g. the front and rear lights http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C207035#

[PR19_Kit]

Difficult to improve on the original I reckon.

The front overhang on the Viper engined version is a bit long, but then it is a V10 engine I suppose, but the whole thing is almost a cartoon of itself.

[McColm]

Should have just tweaked the original design and used Jaguar parts on the engineering side. They could of gone for a hybrid engine or one that runs on liquid gas to get a better return on the mpg.
This is very similar to the Bristol Car Company, I hope they can rise from the ashes as well.

[royabulgaf]

I hope they do well, as I am a MOPAR guy.  However, the Jensons always struck me as somewhat ungainly. 

[PR19_Kit]

I hope they do well, as I am a MOPAR guy.  However, the Jensons always struck me as somewhat ungainly. 

Both the Mk1 and Mk2 used Chrysler engines which should gladden your heart. 

However I can't think of a single American built car of the period that was LESS ungainly than an Interceptor! We had quite a number of US cars on our R&D fleet and while most went like crazy in a straight line (0-60 in 4.2 secs for the Hemi engined Plymouth Sport Fury, and that was in 1968!) they wouldn't stop and they handled like barges! The Interceptor would run rings round any of them on any UK country road, and while it was a big car it handled very well indeed. Of course something like an E-Type or a Porsche 356 would run away from the Interceptor but they were quite a bit smaller and weighed a lot less.

[royabulgaf]

Oh, I'm aware that the Interceptor could run rings around the muscle cars and pony cars back in the day.  However, by "ungainly" I meant appearance.  The hatchback seemed a bit too bulbous, worse than the XKE 2*2.  The convertible looked clunky top up or top down, like a conversion done by mid-level conversion house.  The less said about the coupe, the better.  Still, I wouldn't cry if I found one (especially a hemi powered one) in my driveway.

[The Wooksta!]

Me Dad's always wanted one and I'd like to get him one when I win the Lottery.  I'd still rather have a Jaguar XK8 or (ideally) an Aston Martin DB7 GT Coupe.

And prices for the Jag are tumbling.  I found one a few days back for under THREE grand!

[PR19_Kit]

  However, by "ungainly" I meant appearance.  The hatchback seemed a bit too bulbous, worse than the XKE 2*2.  The convertible looked clunky top up or top down, like a conversion done by mid-level conversion house.  The less said about the coupe, the better.  Still, I wouldn't cry if I found one (especially a hemi powered one) in my driveway.

Ah, gotcha. Sorry I misunderstood that bit. 

Yes, it's not the most svelte of Grand Tourers to be sure, as you say that rear window/hatch is HUGE, even larger than a Barracuda for goodness sake.

The E-Type 2+2 has a particular place for me as I did the seat belt anchorage tests on it, first time they'd ever been needed in the rear of course, and it SAILED through them, much to the Jag engineer's amazement.  I actually like the side view look of the 2+2 more than the standard coupe, but there's no accounting for taste/

[McColm]

In 1996 whilst working as a first aid/fire officer on the film 'La Passione' which was partially shot at the former BBC North Acton site, I got to drive a 1969 Ferrari 365 GT with Chris Rea sitting in the passenger seat.
I've never been able to get a copy of the film, but I enjoyed myself on the day meeting the cast and crew.
My uncle had a primrose yellow Series II Jaguar E-type Roadster, which he let be start up but wouldn't allow me to drive it on a public road. He sold his jag along with his garage in 1997.
The only American Muscle car I've ever driven was a 1967 Ford Mustang whilst I was on holiday in Florida.

[jcf]

The LandRover was the only 4X4 in the early sixties? That will come as a surprise to Jeep, International
Harvester and Toyota, amongst others. 

Anyhow, several types of 4X4s were available, and the Jensen FF was not the first go at a 4WD/AWD
road car, however, it was the first attempt at mating the concept to a production high-performance
GT.

I recall seeing an Interceptor, in the flesh, for the first time in Vancouver in the late-60s and an FF
model in Portland, Oregon in the mid-70s. I think it was Ron Tonkin's, Daryl J. will get the reference. 

As to the styling of the Interceptor, personally speaking I've always been of two minds, as it looks
better in person than it does in photos or on film/video. I think it's a matter of sight lines and the
flattening effect of photography, there is something about the lines that simply aren't captured
by imaging processes.

As to a 'new' Interceptor, the renderings shown by the company that are supposedly building it,
are OK, but nothing earth-shattering.
The Interceptor of the '60s looked nothing like the original Interceptor of the '50s, so why does a 21st
century version need to echo the '60s car?

[PR19_Kit]

The Jenson FF, the 4WD drive version of the Interceptor, used the Ferguson 4WD system, thus the FF from 'Ferguson Formula'. Harry Ferguson had developed his ideas for 4WD over some years previously, building 4-5 R&D cars to test out the system and six of the R5 model's body shells were built by my employers at the time, Pressed Steel Fisher.

While hardly a thing of beauty, the R5 was YEARS ahead of its time having the 4WD system of course, but also electric windows, anti-skid disc brakes and a hatchback. We had one of the R5s in our test lab for quite a while but sadly I never got the chance to either drive it or even ride in the thing. That was a privilage reserved for 'Senior Engineers' and the like, and I was ANYthing but one of them!

[McColm]

I suppose the term 'retro' is used for car manufactures who want to bring the new buyers in and return some of the older buyers to their youth. Sometimes this works, take the Fiat 500. The shape is the same, the interior hasn't changed that much. Compaired to the BMW Mini and there lies the problem, apart from the dashboard layout the soul of the car is missing.
VW has tried with the new Beetle and I've seen the concept models of the VW Camper Van. Ford on the other hand has toyed with us in bringing out the new Capri based on the Ford Focus or new Fiesta. Although it did bring out the GT.
Jaguar on the other hand has tried to copy the success of the E-type, with the new F and G models.
China has concept models of the MG and has introduced the brand back in the UK.
Yes you can still buy the classic car, keep the orginal parts or modernise it for better ride and braking.