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Jensen GT - good thinking in the final stage

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Created on August 17, 2023

Text:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

54

Archiv

14

Daniel Reinhard

54

Archiv

14

Jensen GT (1976) - was two centimeters higher than the Cabriolet, but still low at 123 cm

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Jensen GT (1976) - the lines correspond to the Jensen Healey with the exception of the roof

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Jensen GT (1976) - length 4.21 meters

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Jensen GT (1976) - long hood, relatively little space for the occupants

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Jensen GT (1976) - short rear overhang

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Jensen GT (1976) - compact sports station wagon

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Jensen GT (1976) - ready for the big journey, but GT stood for Good Thinking

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Jensen GT (1976) - small door in front of big door, only the rear window opened to lift luggage into the trunk

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Jensen GT (1976) - 1090 kg (empty weight) want to be wrestled around the bend here

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Jensen GT (1976) - thanks to a fairly balanced weight distribution, the GT is quite neutral around bends

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Jensen GT (1976) - the lines, including the sweep of the hips, correspond exactly to the convertible with the exception of the roof

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Jensen GT (1976) - thanks to thin A-pillars, the GT is easy to position

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Jensen GT (1976) - significant lateral inclination in curves

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Jensen GT (1976) - almost the same number of right-hand drive and left-hand drive models were built

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Jensen GT (1976) - it almost looks as if the driver is sitting on the rear axle

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Jensen GT (1976) - electric windows, therefore no cranks

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Jensen GT (1976) - dignified interior in "tan"

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Jensen GT (1976) - six main instruments in the burr walnut dashboard

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Jensen GT (1976) - the steering wheel design preferred by Jensen owner Kjell Qvale, but with a retrofitted cover

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Jensen GT (1976) - main instruments - the only thing missing is an oil temperature indicator

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Jensen GT (1976) - relatively small Smiths main instruments, the mileage values were relabeled in the speedometer with mileage information

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Jensen GT (1976) - the oil pressure can be read in the center of the dashboard directly in front of the driver for a reason

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Jensen GT (1976) - View over the steering column

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Jensen GT (1976) - Center console with heater control unit and various toggle switches

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Jensen GT (1976) - five-speed gearbox with 1st gear left rear

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Jensen GT (1976) - View of the interior through the Webasto sliding roof

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Jensen GT (1976) - Corderoy was one of two options for upholstering the seats

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Jensen GT (1976) - Headrests with additional cushion

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Jensen GT (1976) - generously dimensioned rear seat with hardly any legroom

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Jensen GT (1976) - bright interior when the sunroof is open

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Jensen GT (1976) - the trunk offers 280 liters of space up to the rear seats

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Jensen GT (1976) - the storage space can be increased to 480 liters by folding down the rear seats

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Jensen GT (1976) - the lettering of the delivering dealer

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Jensen GT (1976) - Handle for unlocking the tailgate

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Jensen GT (1976) - the closing mechanism of the Webasto folding sunroof

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Jensen GT (1976) - Folding of the sunroof

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Jensen GT (1976) - the hood is also held in place by gas pressure dampers and gives access to the 2-liter 16-valve engine

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Jensen GT (1976) - longitudinally mounted four-cylinder sixteen-valve engine from Lotus (907)

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Jensen GT (1976) - the four-cylinder engine with two overhead camshafts is installed at an angle to save space

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Jensen GT (1976) - the four-cylinder engine with two overhead camshafts comes from Lotus

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Jensen GT (1976) - two horizontal twin carburetors Dell'Orto DHLA-40 E

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Jensen GT (1976) - Nameplate

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Jensen GT (1976) - Jensen trademark on the hood

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Jensen GT (1976) - Jensen sign on the hood

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Jensen GT (1976) - bulge in the hood to accommodate the carburettors

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Jensen GT (1976) - 13-inch aluminum wheels

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Jensen GT (1976) - Jensen sign on the B-pillar

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Jensen GT (1976) - attention to detail - a special resting place was provided for the rear window wiper when the rear window was opened

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Jensen GT (1976) - Jensen lettering on the rear

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Jensen GT (1976) - lockable fuel filler flap

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Jensen GT (1976) - Fuel filler cap

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Jensen GT (1976) - Ventilation of the interior

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Jensen GT (1976) - the tailgate is held in place by gas pressure dampers

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Jensen GT (1976) - Jensen GT lettering on the rear bumper

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Jensen Healey at the Geneva Motor Show 1972 - World premiere of the new small sports car

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Jensen Healey at the 1972 Geneva Motor Show - World premiere of the indirect Austin Healey successor

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Jensen-Healey (1972) - At the 1972 Geneva Motor Show - it looked good, the sports car

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Jensen-Healey (1972) - the design was not to everyone's taste

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Jensen-Healey (1974) - View into the engine compartment, the European configuration is clearly visible

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Jensen-Healey (1972) - At the Geneva Motor Show in 1972, view of the removed 2-liter engine with 16 valves

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Jensen-Healey (1972) - Interior and dashboard of an early example

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Jensen-Healey (1972) - Transparency drawing

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Jensen Healey (1972) - a beautiful sports car

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Jensen Healey (1975) - with minor optical retouching

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Jensen-Healey (1974) - Mk2 model, also nice to look at with closed roof

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Jensen Healey (1975) - the two-liter engine with five-speed gearbox

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Jensen-Healey GT (1975) - the unusually shaped sports station wagon

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Jensen-Healey GT (1975) - designed as a lifeline for Jensen, but unsuccessful on the market

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Summary

Only 511 of the Jensen GT were built between 1975 and 1976, around a tenth of which are likely to have survived. Developed from the Jensen Healey, the estate coupé was intended to build a bridge to the Jensen Interceptor. But the practical sports car came too late to save the manufacturer. This driving report tells the story of the Jensen GT and shows it in current and historical images.

This article contains the following chapters

A Shooting Brake
A new era
A well thought-out model
Based on the Jensen-Healey
Rich in variants and expensive
The end came too soon
Few survivors
On the road in a one-off

Estimated reading time: 8min

Preview (beginning of the article)

It is probably not a good sign for a new car when the general importer has to deny in a press release that the manufacturer has to close down. But this is exactly what happened in 1975, when the Swiss Jensen importer Edgar Schwyn had to deny Jensen bankruptcy rumors on September 29, 1975: "Newspaper reports have recently announced that the English sports car company Jensen Motors Ltd. in West Bromwich has filed for bankruptcy and will be liquidated. This report is not true, but it is true that the company's main financial backer, Bank of America, has appointed J.A. Griffiths as manager. He took control of the factory in order to rebalance the financial situation and protect the invested assets. He has already taken the necessary steps to ensure parts manufacturing, maintenance and warranty claims in addition to new car production. Sales of Jensen cars continue unhindered in all countries.Despite the tense situation, all 600 workers have returned to work after the plant vacations and are producing the Jensen Interceptor, GT and Healey models. The production rhythm has even been significantly increased for the new GT models. There are no plans to restrict operations in any way, and the unions have agreed to play an active role in safeguarding jobs. Jensen will also continue to exhibit at the international motor shows in Paris and London as before."

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