Jensen CV8 Mk II

Jensen CV8 Mk II

The Jensen CV8, produced from 1962 to 1966, was one of the most powerful and least conventional British grand tourers of its era. Built by Jensen Motors in West Bromwich, it combined a thunderous Chrysler 383 cubic inch V8 engine with a hand-built fibreglass body, luxurious interior trim, and the sort of brutish straight-line performance that made it one of the fastest four-seater cars in the world. Yet for all its power, the CV8 was produced in tiny numbers and remains one of the most overlooked and undervalued British GTs of the 1960s.

The CV8's story begins with the Jensen 541, which had pioneered the use of fibreglass bodywork on a production grand tourer in the mid-1950s. The CV8 continued this tradition with a new body designed by Eric Neale, Jensen's chief stylist. The result was a distinctive if polarizing design, with slanted quad headlamps set into a broad nose and flowing lines that were elegant in profile but unorthodox in detail. The fibreglass construction was beautifully executed, with a quality of finish that surpassed most contemporary fibreglass bodies.

The Mk II, introduced in 1963, addressed several shortcomings of the Mk I. The engine was upgraded from the initial 305 bhp to 330 bhp through revised cam timing and carburetor settings. More importantly, the interior was significantly improved, with better-quality Connolly leather, revised instrumentation, and improved soundproofing that reduced the V8's considerable mechanical noise to more acceptable levels. The Selectaride adjustable rear dampers were refined, and the overall build quality was improved.

Performance was the CV8's defining characteristic. The Chrysler 383 V8, producing 330 bhp and a massive 405 lb-ft of torque, propelled the Jensen to 130 mph and dispatched the 0-60 mph sprint in just 7.2 seconds — stunning figures for a luxurious four-seater in the early 1960s. The TorqueFlite automatic transmission was ideally suited to the engine's torque characteristics, providing smooth, decisive shifts and a relaxed cruising gait. The exhaust note was magnificent — a deep, barrel-chested American V8 rumble that contrasted gloriously with the car's British demeanour.

The chassis was a steel platform frame with independent front suspension using double wishbones and coil springs, while the rear employed a live axle on semi-elliptic leaf springs with a Panhard rod. This was conventional rather than sophisticated, but it worked well enough: the CV8 was a grand tourer rather than a sports car, and its chassis was tuned for comfortable high-speed cruising rather than canyon-carving. Four-wheel Dunlop disc brakes provided ample stopping power for the car's considerable weight.

The interior was trimmed to a high standard. Connolly leather covered the seats and much of the cabin surfaces, while a comprehensive set of instruments kept the driver informed. The driving position was comfortable for long journeys, and the rear seats, while not generous, were usable for shorter trips. The overall atmosphere was of a bespoke British grand tourer that happened to have an American heart — a characterful combination that anticipated the later Jensen Interceptor.

Only approximately 500 CV8s were built across all three marks (Mk I, II, and III), making it one of the rarest British production cars of the 1960s. The Mk II, with its improved specification and most powerful engine, is generally considered the most desirable version. The CV8 was succeeded by the Jensen Interceptor in 1966, which used the same Chrysler V8 concept but clothed it in Touring of Milan's more conventionally beautiful body.

Today, the Jensen CV8 is an enigmatic and rewarding classic. Its extreme rarity, powerful performance, bespoke character, and distinctive styling make it a fascinating alternative to more mainstream 1960s GTs. Values have been rising steadily as collectors recognise the CV8's significance as the forerunner of the Interceptor and as one of the most characterful British grand tourers ever built.