Rare 1965 Jensen C-V8 Mk III (First in Class Winner)

A rare grey 1965 Jensen C-V8 Mk III arriving at and leaving the 2022 San Marino Motor Classic at Lacy Park, where it won First in Class (British Sports Cars – 1946-1975). Introduced in October 1962, the C-V8 was one of the fastest four-seaters of its time and featured fiberglass bodywork designed by Eric Neale and a front-mid-engined layout with a Chrysler big-block V8 engine. This example is one of 500 C-V8s built, 181 of which were Mk III cars, before the model was replaced by the more successful Interceptor.

This was one of those instances when I made a split-second decision to point my camera at a car simply because it looked different from anything I'd seen before and I had no clue what it was. I had crossed paths before with several examples of this car's successor, the much more popular Interceptor, but I was unfamiliar with earlier models like the C-V8. This car utilized what was then an incredibly popular combination - a European design with a powerful American engine. Its styling was rather controversial, especially up front, but it was certainly no slouch when it came to performance. If I'm not mistaken, this was the first time the car was shown after its restoration. It was probably the first time many people at the event had ever seen (or heard of) a C-V8, and it received a well-deserved class award.

Would you choose this Jensen C-V8 over the more popular Interceptor? Leave a comment on YouTube and let me know!