Nostalgic British car brand is officially returning to UK after collapsing 24 years ago

A LEGENDARY British car icon is making a surprise comeback of sorts decades after its original firm collapsed.

Jensen International Automotive has today confirmed an all-new, ultra-high-performance luxury Grand Tourer for the UK – inspired by the 1960s Jensen Interceptor.

Announced today from their base near Banbury, Oxfordshire, the brand claims the new motor has been conceived as a clean-sheet project – developed entirely from the ground up.

Jensen International Automotive, or JIA, founded in 2010 specialises in re-engineering and modernising classic British icons – most famously the Jensen Interceptor.

The original entity, Jensen, ceased trading in 1976 before a revival of the Interceptor – the Mk IV – started in the mid-1980s but ultimately failed in 1993.

A second, more ambitious attempt was made in the late 1990s with the launch of the Jensen S-V8 model, but this venture also collapsed into administration in 2002.

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Though it had long stopped producing cars, the legal name Jensen Motors Limited was formally dissolved in 2011.

Now, they exist only under JIA who transforms them into high-performance “restomods” with modern V8 engines and plenty of advanced tech.

This upcoming release will pair an elegant, contemporary-looking body with an aluminium chassis and a bespoke V8 powertrain – with the clear aim of delivering a fully analogue, immersive driving experience that channels the essence of a traditional British GT while embracing modern engineering.

Indeed, this new model represents a distinct departure from JIA’s work in restoration and re-engineering.

In contrast, the forthcoming GT is a separate venture, demonstrating JIA’s in-house engineering and design capabilities to create a completely new vehicle.

The car will be hand-built in ultra-low numbers for the UK market, with JIA forming a dedicated division focused solely on bringing the new GT to market.

David Duerden, JIA’s Managing Director, said: “Taking the theme of the luxury British GT to fresh, thoroughly modern heights, JIA’s first car is designed and engineered from the ground up to deliver an unmatched, deeply immersive, V8-powered driving experience.

“While it takes inspiration from the Jensen Interceptor launched 60 years ago, this is certainly no ‘restomod’ or ‘continuation’ and will stand proudly as a completely all-new car in its own right.”