Intercept a 2014 bargain in 2021 - Jensen Interceptor
Values of Brum’s stylish GT are time-travelling back to cheaper times – but for how long?
CHASING CARS
Quentin Willson’s hot tips
If you’ve always wanted an Interceptor, now might be your moment. This year values of Birmingham’s Aston Martin have weakened with lots of no-sale results and some surprisingly reasonable hammer prices. These days £20,000 to £30,000 buys a decent driver-condition car and £45k a well-restored and very special example.
How about the £16,650 drawn by CCA in September for a very straight and refreshingly rust-free, left-hand-drive ’71 Series II from California? Driving and starting well with just one owner from new – reputedly the largest orange grower in the state, so fittingly delivered in a lovely shade of bright Citrus Yellow – it was nicely original, needing only fettling and recommissioning. This was the sort of money that not so long ago we used to pay for shabby, non-running projects.
In August, Anglia Car Auctions sold a metallic green ’75 Series III, just out of ten-year ownership, looking very smart, shiny and running and driving well with 68,000 miles and history for £22,680. In July Bonhams at Bicester sold a 1970 Series I, an older restoration in silver with 67,000 miles and an ‘extensive history file’, for £23,062 including premium. An honest, straight and alluring early model, all it need was detailing, recommissioning and the later Series III alloys swapping for the period correct earlier Rostyle rims. Expensively restored Interceptors are looking like really good value. In June Anglia sold a ’75 Series III in blue, restored from an acid-dipped ’shell, with a multitude of new panels fitted, new leather trim and a full mechanical refresh. With 90,000 miles and lots of history, its hammer price of £30,420 would be a fraction of the previous owner’s restoration costs.
In May, Brightwells also sold a restored Series III, this time a ’1974 with 63,000 miles, recent bills for £20k and a wonderful, near-continuous history including sheaves of old invoices from the Seventies and Eighties, for £42,784. This was a seriously nice Interceptor knocked down for half the price it would’ve made several years ago. Interceptors have been going in and out of fashion since launch and this year’s softening in values may be one of those moments – 2021 was a great opportunity to bag one of these bewitching V8 GTs at 2014 money. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
VALUE 2014 £18.5kVALUE NOW £35k‘2021 was a great opportunity to bag one at 2014 money’