Jensen International is dusting off the Interceptor name once again with the wild 'GTX' concept car, boasting a powerful 960-horsepower engine built solely for racetrack use. The world has waited 60 years for the Jensen Interceptor's revival. But when it returns, it comes in a trio of models! Renderings reveal Jensen's vision, highlighted by an enormous rear wing and a cabin offering comfort comparable to a nuclear submarine. This Interceptor Concept GTX is the first version to be built. If all goes as planned, Jensen will follow with two street-legal versions: the standard Interceptor and the Interceptor GTR, which features a rear wing and is fully legal for highway use.
All three models use GM's V8 engine, tuned by Late Model Engines, theoretically capable of producing up to 1,200 horsepower. Additionally, if you observe the panel lines on the street-going Interceptor, you'll notice something never seen in the original model: rear-hinged doors. The idea is to improve access to the rear seats. The new Interceptor features rear-hinged coach doors similar to those on the Mazda RX-8, or viewed another way, like the BMW i3.
David Duerden, Jensen's CEO, explained the plan: Beyond the GTX project, their ambition is to develop a limited-run GTR street car series with an analog feel and ultra-high-performance capabilities, followed by a fully luxurious GT model inspired most closely by the original Interceptor. They are proceeding step-by-step, ensuring each phase receives proper financial backing, design, development, and engineering support. They have a clear vision for the next steps while maintaining full flexibility to collaborate with customers and meet their specific desires.
There is no announced production schedule or pricing yet. Jensen International is currently focusing all efforts on the GTX racing prototype. The more challenging task of creating a perfect, exquisite street-legal version will come later.
'Interceptor' is one of the coolest names ever used by a British car maker. Jensen produced the original model from 1966 to 1976 until its demise, like many British car brands, due to bankruptcy.
Recently, a company in Oxfordshire has been dedicated to reviving the old Interceptor since 2007. Now Jensen International Automotive believes the time is right to resurrect the new Interceptor, but in a very unconventional way.
Typically, car companies first create a flashy concept car, then a toned-down production street car, and if successful, strip options to produce a racing variant. Jensen International has reversed this process. Their idea is to build an extreme prototype to test designs and components until it breaks, ensuring it can endure brutal racing conditions. Only then will Jensen be confident that future street-legal versions will avoid the infamous British sports car curse of breaking down embarrassingly amid clouds of steam.
The entirely new GTX body resembles a Ford Mustang GTD, crafted from aluminum by British designers. The carbon-fiber air splitter generates up to 350 kilograms of downforce. The massive rear wing somewhat obstructs the fastback-style rear window iconic to the Interceptor. Original touches remain with quad headlights, slanted side air vents, and a badge on the rear roof pillar.
Under the enormous hood, the Interceptor GTX carries the legacy of extreme American muscle power. The original model's V8 grew from 6.3 to 7.2 liters during its life. The new version features a completely new 6.8-liter V8 sourced from General Motors but heavily reworked by Late Model Engines in Houston, Texas. It includes a 2.65-liter supercharger and many forged parts. The engine bay front is lined with gold foil. The GTX prototype targets 960 horsepower, but the powertrain can reach an immense 1,200 horsepower and 1,100 pound-feet of torque.
All power is sent via a carbon-fiber driveshaft to the rear wheels through a 6-speed sequential transaxle. The prototype allows gear changes via paddle shifters or a manual sequential shifter. Street versions may offer a traditional manual gearbox if customer demand is high. This is the project's essence: build it first and see if there are buyers.
Jensen believes that rather than making grand promises about street car projects and quickly burning through deposits like premium unleaded gasoline, building a thoroughly durable prototype to attract collectors’ credit card details first, then figuring out how to create a street-legal version that will make Aston Martin Vanquish and Ferrari 12Cilindri look ordinary, is a much smarter approach.