JENSEN

Jensen Interceptor GTX

Jensen International, the British restorer of early Jensen vehicles and classic Range Rovers, is launching this new Interceptor, having recently acquired the rights to the legendary name.

No arguments: ‘Interceptor’ is the coolest name a British car ever wore. Jensen built the original from 1966 to 1976, until it went the way of most British car companies. Bust.

A company in Oxfordshire has been diligently restoring old Interceptors since 2007 – we tested one of their fine £300,000 revamps here – but now Jensen International Automotive has decided the time is right for an all-new Interceptor. But it’s going about it in a deeply unusual way.

Normally, a company builds a spangly concept car, then a watered down production road car, and if it turns out to be any good, then strips it out and takes it to the track. Jensen International has decided to flip that around, and mash it all up. Welcome to the Jensen Interceptor GTX. A track only concept car you can’t race. Huh?

The idea is that this ultra-extreme prototype will test the design and components to destruction. Once they’re tough enough for track-spec abuse, Jensen will know its future road-going version won’t perform the British sports car party piece of expiring in a steamy cloud of embarrassment.

This first prototype, the Interceptor GTX, is a two-door track-ready coupe with an aluminum body. It has a front-mounted engine, rear-wheel drive, a six-speed sequential gearbox and a 6.8-liter V8 GM LS engine with a supercharger. It produces 960 hp here, but could be tuned to 1200 hp later.

A huge carbon fiber rear wing, along with a splitter, flat floor and diffuser, helps generate more than 350 kg of downforce.

Inside, there are carbon fiber racing seats, six-point harnesses, a roll cage and a MoTeC display.

The GTX will be followed by more road-focused models - the GTR and GT - which will not only have four seats, but also four doors.

There are no prices for the road-going cars yet, but if you want a car with this specification, it would cost somewhere between £850,000 and £950,000.

The prototype is now set for six months of testing while Jensen assesses the car's response. "We're flexible," the company says.

Autonews