Jensen Parts and Service

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jensen Parts and Service Ltd.
Jensen Cars Ltd.

logo
legal form Limited
founding 1982
resolution 1993
Reason for dissolution insolvency
Seat West Bromwich , UK
Branch Automotive industry

Jensen Parts and Service (from 1988: Jensen Cars ) was a British automobile manufacturer that produced a small number of high-priced Gran Turismo vehicles from 1984 to 1993 . It was the successor to the Jensen Motors company , which had been dissolved after bankruptcy in 1976, and as such continued the production of the Jensen Interceptor for a short time .

Company history

Founded in 1935 by Richard and Alan Jensen and based in West Bromwich , Jensen Motors was primarily active as a body manufacturer; after the Second World War, the bodies for the Austin Healey and the Volvo P1800 were built . In addition, Jensen had been producing a number of expensive sports cars under his own name since 1946, which were located in the upper-class market segment. The last model was the Jensen Interceptor presented in 1967, which was produced in three series until 1976. At the beginning of the 1970s, Jensen ran into economic difficulties, which were temporarily resolved through a financial commitment from the US American Jensen importer Kjell Qvale . The first oil crisis in 1973-74 led as with other sports car manufacturers, but also to a significant decline in sales, became insolvent in consequence of Jensen 1976th The company was then liquidated and production of the Interceptor ended.

As part of the liquidation of Jensen Motors, the previous spare parts department was separated from the company and made independent under the name Jensen Parts and Service (JP&S). JP&S was initially a subsidiary of Britcar Holdings owned by Kjell Qvale. It was managed by Ian Orford and was responsible for the supply of spare parts as well as the repair and restoration of earlier Jensen models. As early as the late 1970s, several customers were ordering all the individual parts that were required to assemble a new Interceptor. Orford then believed that there was still a market for new Jensen vehicles. In 1982 Orford Jensen Parts & Services took over and prepared to resume series production of the Interceptor.

From 1984 the car was available under the name Jensen Interceptor Mark IV (also: Series 4). Outwardly, it largely corresponded to the Interceptor Mark III, which was produced until 1976, but technically it had been revised - especially in the area of ​​the engine. The very expensive models offered as saloons and convertibles competed with vehicles from Aston Martin and Bristol . They only achieved a very low level of production.

In 1988 Ian Orford sold the company to a British investor who changed the company to Jensen Cars. Orford initially stayed with the company, but after a short time withdrew completely after his position had been reduced to the rank of Production Manager. At the end of the 1980s there were considerations to offer a significantly redesigned Interceptor Mark V; however, they were not realized. In 1993, Jensen Cars was liquidated after it became insolvent.

From 1984 to 1992 only 14 copies of the Interceptor Mark IV were built, including 8 convertibles, 5 saloons and 1 hardtop coupé, another convertible was never completed. In addition to newly built vehicles, however, customer vehicles were also restored and z. B. upgraded with new components (injection systems, electrical mirrors).

vehicles

Jensen Interceptor Mark IV

Jensen Interceptor Saloon
Jensen Interceptor Convertible

The Interceptor Mark IV was a further development of the Mark III produced until 1976. JP&S claimed that more than 1,000 detail changes had been made to the Mark IV.

The body was largely unchanged. As with the predecessor, a closed two-door, known as a saloon , with a large glazed tailgate and a convertible were available. A notchback coupé with the designation Fixed Head Coupé was also produced as a single specimen in 1987 , which was based on the coupé presented in 1975 and built in around 50 units by 1976. The only stylistic independence was a subtle front spoiler under the front bumper. Electrically adjustable seats from Recaro were installed in the interior . Details such as fittings, switch positions and color design could be individually determined by the customer.

The most important technical change was the installation of a smaller engine. Instead of the 7.2-liter eight-cylinder from Chrysler used in the Mark III , Jensen used a small-block eight-cylinder from the same manufacturer with 5.9-liter displacement in the Mark IV . The engine belonged to the LA family introduced in 1964 and was a standard engine for the mid-range models of the Chrysler Group at the beginning of the 1970s. In the 1980s, Bristol still used the engine for the Britannia , Brigand and Beaufighter models . Unlike Bristol, however, Jensen did not use a carburettor version of the engine, but used gasoline injection and electronic engine management. In this form, the engine met all US emissions regulations. At 280 hp, the output was almost on a par with the earlier 7.2-liter models. Further technical modifications concerned the fan, which was purchased from Bosch , and the disc brakes , which were now ventilated.

The Interceptor Mark IV had type approval in the UK and the USA. Due to the structural proximity of the car to the Mark III, the British and American authorities did not carry out any new crash tests. Such a test would have been necessary for type approval in Europe. Jensen did not do this for financial reasons, so that in continental Europe each Mark IV model had to be approved individually.

The first Mark IV was unveiled at the Birmingham Motor Fair in late 1983, followed by a second presentation at London's Earls Court Motor Show in 1984. The retail price at the time was quoted at £ 40,000. The Jensens were thus positioned slightly above the Bristol models.

The production was limited to a few copies. By the end of 1987, eleven vehicles had been produced.

Prototype: Jensen Interceptor Mark V

From 1986 onwards, the company developed a revised Interceptor model called the Mark V, with series production planned for 1992. As a drive, the technicians envisaged a 5.7 liter eight-cylinder engine from General Motors , which should correspond to the engine used in the Chevrolet Corvette . Instead of the tubular frame, the car used a space frame , which was supposed to be lighter but similarly resistant to torsion as the previous design. In terms of style, the distinctive rear section was retained, but the front section had been redesigned. A prototype was created in 1988, but it was never fitted with the Chevrolet engine. The new owner of the company kept the prototype under lock and key.

literature

  • Wolfgang König: Götterdämmerung. Jensen and Life After: The Interceptor's Rebirth . In: Auto Motor und Sport, Issue 10/1986, S: 72 ff.
  • John Tipler: Jensen Interceptor. The Complete Story . Crowood Press Ltd., Ramsbury 2004. ISBN 978-1-86126-711-5
  • Car Story: Jensen Interceptor . In: British Classic Cars , Issue 3/1010 (April and May 2010), p. 34 ff.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Auto Motor und Sport, Issue 10/1986, p. 73.
  2. ↑ Calver, Richard: A History of Jensen - All the Models, Melbourne 2007, ISBN 978-0975129111 , pp. 374 ff.
  3. ↑ a b Tipler, p. 119.
  4. ↑ a b Auto Catalog No. 31 (1987/88), p. 107.
  5. ↑ Overview of the use of Chrysler's LA small block engines on the website www.allpar.com (accessed November 23, 2013).
  6. ↑ Tipler, p. 72 f.
  7. ^ Tipler, p. 73.
  8. ↑ Auto Motor und Sport, Issue 10/1986, p. 75.
  9. ↑ Tipler, p. 125 f.