Our Video of the Week this time round features the short-lived collaboration between the folks and Jensen and Donald Healey. The Jensen Healey has long been one of personal favorites with a body style that seems somewhere between a muscular Spitfire and a slimmed down Mustang, a Lotus engine, and a comfortable, almost plush, interior.
For those who don’t know, or have forgotten with our increasing age, the Jensen Healey was a two-seater convertible sports car, in true British fashion, produced from 1972 to 1976. Even though it was only produced for about 4 years, it was the best selling Jensen of all time. In total 10,503 (10 prototypes, 3,347 Mk.1 and 7,146 Mk.2) were produced by Jensen Motors Ltd. in West Bromwich. A related and rare fastback, the Jensen GT, was introduced in 1975 but did not include the Healey badging.
Launched in 1972 as a fast luxurious and competent convertible sports car, the Jensen Healey was positioned in the market between the Triumph TR6 and the Jaguar E-Type. The 50/50 weight balance due to the all alloy Lotus engine led to universal praise as having excellent handling and performance.
For more information on these increasingly scarce cars, make sure to check out the Jensen Healey Preservation Society and the Jensen Owners’ Club.
Michael Carnell is the editor and founder of the Just British Online Motoring Magazine. As a lifelong British car enthusiast, he has owned or driven British cars of all ages from Austins and MGs to Jaguars and Triumphs. He currently owns a 1966 Vanden Plas Princess 1100 and a 1977 MGB. But there is always room for more - no matter what his wife says.
