British tuner reckons it can future-proof Jensen's all-wheel-drive legend with front-mounted electric motorsProbably you’ll remember Jensen International Automotive. As the name suggests, the firm has been tinkering with the fabled Interceptor for years - most famously with the restomodded LS3-powered R it introduced a decade ago. More recently it has turned its attention to the Range Rover Classic with various derivatives of the well-received Chieftain.
Yes, 'Mk5' because the Interceptor only made it to a fourth generation before the original Jensen went belly up, but also because JIA presumably wants to plant a flag in the concept - this after all, is a re-engineered version of the pioneering FF. So it isn’t a cheap or modest undertaking; a good example will cost you six figures before the tuner has laid a finger on it.
But the Chieftain - which is now available with both plug-in and pure EV propulsion - has apparently persuaded the company that such a market exists. It has also provided JIA with the experience and skill set needed to create a bespoke hybrid solution for the FF. The plan is to fit a 35kWh battery that would power two electric motors ‘housed in an FF style subframe and drive shafts’ for 120hp at the front axle, while a 650hp GM LT4 V8 drives the back wheels.
“EV is an inevitability in the industry, so we’ve looked to combine the performance and character of the big V8 with the benefits of a hybrid powertrain, as we have already proven in our critically acclaimed Classic Range Rovers,” said Managing Director, David Duerden. “The resulting performance is quite eye-opening.” That much we can believe.