Review of used Jensen Interceptor, HSV Commodore and De Tomaso Longchamp: 1983-1990
If limited-price service sounds like a scam and modern car design seems a little too uniform for you, then some left-handed classic might get you excited.
After digging into the dark depths of the Carsguide website, I found some interesting old and not-so-old "time" cars on the market.
For the price of a small mid-range four-cylinder car, there are cars on the market that stand apart from the crowd of shopping carts.
As for the muscular Brits, this is one of the most muscular - the Jensen Interceptor was a four-seat grand tourer with a Chrysler V8 engine under an elongated nose.
Only a few - on a global scale - were built in the UK in the 1960s and 1970s, and a few made it to Australia, so the chances of seeing one of them going the other way are minimal.
The rounded rear was a hallmark of the Jensen, and also the fact that it was the first all-wheel drive sports coupe.
Glass's Guide says that rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive models were available here from 1970 to 1976 (when imports ceased) in 6.2 and 7.2 liter versions connected to a three-speed automatic and at a fraction of the price. over $22,000 when they were new – around the same time Holden offered the HQ Monaro, and its retail price ranged from $3800 for an 4.2-liter V8 with a manual transmission to just under $5000 for a 5.8-liter three-speed automatic model – currently as new versions of the latter can cost more than $60,000.
De Tomaso is one of those interesting Italian brands - he was born in 1959, has been involved in motorsports (including a short and embarrassing stint in Formula 1) and has also owned brands like Bugatti and Ducati.
It went into liquidation in 2004 and briefly returned to business before controversy again led to brand problems and it was put up for sale in 2012 - it continues to threaten a 21st century renaissance.
The two-door Longchamp was based on the same chassis and powertrain as the four-door Deauville, using a 243kW/440Nm 5.8-litre Ford Cleveland V8 that also powered a leaner Pantera.
A top speed of over 200 km/h and a luxurious interior were some of the car's main selling points, but given its new $65,000 price tag, you want to have a lot.
A total of 409 Longchamps (395 coupes and 14 Spyders) were built up to 1989, and in recent years only a couple of cars were produced per year.
One for the locals - while many remember the heavily spoiled Walkinshaw VL SS Group A (with a $180 five-litre 380kW/8Nm V45,000 engine) that started the Briton's relationship with Holden Special Vehicles.
The red VL SS Group A was the last Commodore produced by Peter Brock's Holden dealer team. Holden's relationship with Brock soured in 1987 after Brock and his team came up with and installed a device known as the "Energy Polarizer" along with other features not tested by Holden.
There was a bit less hype when the VN version appeared in 1990 with an asking price of $68,950 on showroom floors, powered by a 210kW/400Nm five-litre V8 engine mated to a six-speed ZF transmission (borrowed from Chev Corvette). , weighed in at around 200kg heavier, but was clad in a less polarizing (if you pardon Brock's pun) bodykit style.
The track versions of the car were reported to be faster on the straight, but not as good in the corners as the downforce VL body kit actually worked.
The VN was the last Group A, part of the Australian touring car era, to be wiped out by the all-conquering Nissan GT-R.
The build run never made it to the planned 500, and the 302 saw the light of day, based on the Berlina but fitted with a Momo leather steering wheel, velor interior trim, sports seats and instrumentation, Bilstein dampers, limited slip diff, and a Mongoose remote alarm.
1970 Jensen Interceptor coupe
Cost:
$24,990
Engine: 7.2-liter V8
Transmission: 3 speed auto
Thirst: 20l / 100km
Mileage: 78,547km
The big Jensen coupe was a rare and expensive car when it was new—it sold for just over $22,000 new, but was hand-built and had air conditioning, alloy wheels, and power windows. At the time, it was more than double the price of the V12 E-Type Jag and at least four times the price of the HQ Monaro. Such is the profile of the strange British beast, it even featured as a classic car in the game Gran Turismo 4.
Phone: 02 9119 5402
1983 DeTomaso Longsham 2 + 2
Cost:
$30,000
Engine: 5.8-liter V8
Transmission: 4 speed auto
Mileage: 23,000km
An Italian luxury coupe with a beefy Australian heart. Engines for the car were supplied from Australia when US sources of powerful V8s dried up, and Australia supplied the engines until V8 production ceased in the late 1980s. Hooked to a four-speed automatic, the Longchamp is equipped with air conditioning, power steering, power windows, remote central locking, cruise control and a leather-trimmed interior. In new condition, it was sold for $65,000, which was about the same as asking for it. sedan Mercedes-Benz 380 SE V8.
Phone: 07 3188 0544
1990 HSV VN Commodore SS Group A
Cost:
$58,990
Engine: 5-liter V8
Transmission: User manual 6
Mileage: 152,364km
Thirst: 16l / 100km
Not as famous as the VL, but a true Australian muscle car nonetheless, the HSV VN SS Group A arrived with a six-speed manual transmission (a vague but powerful transmission borrowed from the Corvette), as well as upgraded brakes and a body kit. . Capable of hitting 100 mph in 6.5 seconds and covering the quarter mile in 14.5 seconds, this example ranks 83rd in a planned run of 500 cars, but savings stopped it at 302nd. The VN Group A SS came with air conditioning, Mongoose alarms, 17" alloy wheels, cruise control, central locking, a limited slip differential, and a massive Momo leather steering wheel.
Phone: 02 9119 5606
