The Jensen Interceptor, one of Britain's most celebrated car names of the 1960s and 1970s, has returned to the market as a track-only supercar producing 960bhp, built by Oxfordshire-based firm Jensen International.
The original Interceptor was hand-built at Jensen Motors' Kelvin Way factory in West Bromwich, near Birmingham, between 1966 and 1976. The two-door "shooting brake" grand tourer remains one of the most recognisable British cars of its era. The new model, called the Interceptor GTX, is built in Oxfordshire and was unveiled on Friday.
Jensen International describes the rear-wheel-drive GTX as "the ultimate analogue driving experience." The company says street-legal variants will follow the GTX to market.
Not a continuation car
The GTX is neither a continuation model nor a restomod based on an original chassis. Jensen International says it is an entirely new creation, developed from the ground up and destined to be hand-built in Britain in extremely limited numbers.
The company describes the GTX as "a statement of intent for what's to come." That future line-up will include a luxury GT cruiser inspired by the classic Interceptor, and a high-performance, road-legal GTR variant designed to bridge the gap between the GTX and the GT. Around 80 per cent of the exterior design, including key body panels and their tooling, will be shared across the GT and GTR variants.
Jensen International says the GTX "represents the physical proof point of Jensen International's credibility, engineering capability and supplier network."
Nearly 1,000bhp from a supercharged Corvette V8
Beneath the GTX's bonnet sits a 6.8-litre General Motors V8 sourced from the Chevrolet Corvette, re-engineered by Texas-based specialist Late Model Engines. The modifications include a 2.65-litre supercharger and forged internal components designed to cope with much higher performance levels.
Late Model Engines says the unit is rated at up to 1,200bhp, though output has been scaled back to 960bhp for the GTX. Power is sent exclusively to the rear wheels through a six-speed sequential gearbox. The road-going GT and GTR models will instead offer buyers a choice between a traditional H-pattern manual gearbox and a fully automatic transmission.
The GTX's adjustable rear wing generates more than 350kg of downforce. Its aerodynamic package also includes a low-slung front splitter, a flat underfloor, a large rear diffuser, various air ducts and vents, and a two-plane aerofoil to manage airflow.
Inside, the GTX has a stripped-out cockpit with an FIA-approved safety cage, carbon-fibre racing seats, six-point harnesses and an integrated fire-suppression system. Buyers who opt for the GT can expect a considerably more luxurious cabin trimmed in premium materials.
'Never a continuation car'
Jensen International managing director David Duerden said: "We were determined to create something entirely new that carries the spirit of the Jensen Interceptor forward in a modern, authentic manner and, perhaps in the case of our first car, the track-focused GTX, in a way people would not expect."
"Obviously, the 1966 Jensen Interceptor is a significant inspiration for us. And not just visually, but in terms of what that car represents," he said. "From the outset, though, our intention was never to build a continuation car or revisit something that already existed."
Duerden said the road-going models that follow have been conceived as part of the same development programme as the GTX. He described the GT as a more luxury-oriented proposition that retains a close connection to the original 1966 Interceptor while remaining focused on the future rather than nostalgia.
Price and production
Jensen International says the GTX will be priced between £850,000 and £950,000. Production is not expected to begin until 2028, and numbers will be strictly limited.
The company says the GT should be significantly more affordable than the GTX, though it has yet to give a price estimate or a launch date for either the GT or the GTR.
