British Muscle
While Aston Martin is a name one thinks of when it comes to British grand tourers, Jensen deserves a shout, too. Established in 1922, the company first made sedans and convertibles, but it would become better known as a maker of GTs starting in the ’50s.
For the most part, V8s were part of the equation, a rarity in Europe. And when the second-generation Interceptor (yes, there was a first one) premiered in 1966, it was the car that would define the brand. Unlike Aston Martin, which had been rescued countless times (but still in constant danger), Jensen fell by the wayside and suffered through several revivals that failed to reach the market.
That said, the modern iteration of Jensen, Jensen International Automotive (JIA), did what no one had before and actually brought the brand back to life. Now, it’s just about ready to roll out a new design from the ground up with the Interceptor GTX.
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A True Classic GT
JIA currently builds continuations of the original Interceptor, but announced earlier this year that it’s building a totally new, limited-run model that’s set to come out soon. Not long after that, the company announced its name. While the use of Interceptor isn’t all too surprising, let’s be honest and say it couldn’t be anything else.
The great news here is that the Interceptor GTX won’t be an electric facsimile of the original. Instead, it’s a gas-fed, V8-powered tribute to the past that’s been adapted for the 2020s. A few snippets of the car have been shown, showing off a few design details that pay respect to the car that started it all.
Jensen International Automotive
But Wait, There’s More
JIA refuses to be a one-trick pony when it comes to brand revivals. The company recently announced that the Interceptor GTX will spawn more cars along the way. It’s an ambitious goal by any means, but it does show the current owners actually care about the marque and its future prospects.
In its own statement, JIA said, ‘the Interceptor GTX will establish the foundations for several future Interceptor variants, including roadgoing models and track-focused cars.’ Notice the use of plural words here? That’s vision right there.
Of course, the company isn’t saying exactly which models it plans to produce, but the Interceptor GTX is a good indicator. It’s clear that it has no intention of being a mass-market brand, as the cars will be hand-built and highly exclusive. As a low-volume manufacturer, it has more leeway to build the kinds of cars it actually wants and to avoid emission-regulation requirements that force electrification. That also means it doesn’t have to build crossovers to survive, which is welcome relief in this case.
Jensen International Automotive
