Lot 349: 1973 Jensen Interceptor Series III Sports Saloon

With the Interceptor’s introduction in 1967, Jensen switched from glassfibre to steel for its car bodies. Underneath though, the preceding C-V8’s chassis, running gear and 6,276cc Chrysler engine remained substantially unchanged. With around 280bhp on tap, performance was more than adequate, The Motor recording a top speed of 140mph with 100mph arriving in 19 seconds. Four-wheel servo-assisted Dunlop discs looked after the braking, and the ride quality could be varied by the Armstrong Selectaride dampers’ dashboard control. Leather upholstery, reclining front seats and walnut veneer were all standard features, while automatic transmission was the choice of almost all buyers. The Series II incorporated revised front suspension, Girling brakes and a redesigned interior, while the Series III, introduced in 1971, came with a 7.2-litre engine, better seats, central locking and alloy wheels. For 1974 Jensen adopted an improved, 330bhp version of the 7.2-litre Chrysler V8 on the ‘J Series’ MkIII, which also gained all the equipment, including air conditioning, that had been standard issue on the now-discontinued Interceptor SP. The major development that year though, was the introduction of the Convertible, which in turn would inspire Jensen’s final variation on the Interceptor theme: the Coupé.
This Interceptor III’s immediately preceding owner was a prominent plastic surgeon, during whose stewardship it was extensively restored to a high standard at a reported cost of circa £40,000, while more recent mechanical work has included fitting a new camshaft and followers to the engine. Completed in 1992, the car had covered only 3,300 miles post-restoration when it was acquired by the vendor in 1995, and since then a further 6,000-or-so have been added to the total. Finished in red metallic with red-piped magnolia leather interior, the car is offered with Swansea V5 registration document and current MoT.