1968 Jensen FF MkI Coupe

When Jensen’s Interceptor hit the streets in 1966 it elevated the West Bromwich company to the same league as the likes of Aston Martin and Maserati.  With stunning Italian styling by Touring, a beautifully appointed interior and towering performance from the big Chrysler V8, the Interceptor’s price was beyond the reach of most and a long list of celebrity owners turned Jensen into a household name.  The bespoke GT was powered by a 383-cid V8 sourced from Chrysler along, as was the Torqueflite three-speed transmission (a four speed manual was also available), while four-wheel disc brakes, rack and pinion steering and conventional suspension (double wishbones at the front and a live rear axle with semi-elliptic springs), were all standard features.  Enhancing Jensen’s reputation for technical innovation, the flagship FF utilized a four-wheel drive system developed by Harry Ferguson.  The Interceptor’s platform was stretched to accommodate the front diff along with Dunlop’s ‘Maxaret’ mechanical anti-lock braking system, with drive split 37/63 front/rear and a limited-slip rear diff for improved traction.  Eye-wateringly expensive, the complex FF was largely hand-made in tiny numbers with just 196 Mark 1s built in 1967-1969, followed by 109 Mark 2 variants and just 15 Mark 3s in 1971.  While these later cars carried a host of improvements, it’s the earlier Mark I that retains a purity somewhat diluted on later models, in particular the wonderful 1960s dash layout.  Popular with celebrities from all walks of life, the list of famous owners reads like a who’s who of popular entertainment in the late 1960s and early 1970s, including the likes of Keith Richards, John Bonham, Tony Curtis and even Frank Sinatra.  The combination of Italianate good looks, luxuriously appointed interior and strong performance coupled with technical innovation and rarity has seen FF values soar in recent years and they rarely come on the open market here in Australia.