The Jensen S-V8 is the most recent car carrying the name ''Jensen''. After a £10 million investment, including Liverpool City Council and the Department of Trade and Industry, the two-seater convertible was launched at the 1998
British International Motor Show
The British International Motor Show was an annual (bi-biennial after 1976) motor show held by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) between 1903 and 2008 in England. The show was relaunched in 2021 with a new location at Farnb ...
, with an initial production run of 300 deposit paid vehicles planned at a selling price of £40,000 each, but by October 1999 it was confirmed that 110 orders had been placed.
The new Merseyside factory in Speke commenced production in August 2001 but troubles with manufacture meant production ceased with only 20 ever leaving the factory and another 18 cars left partially completed. The company went into administration in July 2002.
The Jensen name and partially completed cars were later sold to SV Automotive of Carterton, Oxfordshire in 2003. SV Automotive was to complete the build of 12 of the cars and sell them for £38,070, retaining the others for spares.
Specification
The S-V8 is powered by a
Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is a series of American Car, automobiles manufactured by Ford Motor Company, Ford. In continuous production since 1964, the Mustang is currently the longest-produced Ford car nameplate. Currently in its Ford Mustang (seventh ...
-sourced 4.6-litre
(4601 cc), 32-valve, four-cam, V8 engine producing , with a top speed of and 0-60 mph in less than five seconds.
C-V8
A coupé version of the convertible S-V8 was planned, but due to the company's troubles it never saw the light of day bar one prototype.
References
S-V8
{{Modern-auto-stub