JENSEN ESPORANDO


1971 Jensen Esporando Prototype

Jensen Esporando
When searching for the successor of the 5 year old Interceptor,
 William Towns-design the F-type was chosen among several stylists.
In June this was given free hands, though it had to fit the Interceptor chassis.
After a complete prototype programme, production was approved,
and a launch date was set and fixed for the 1973 Earls Court Show.
The oilcrises effectively stopped strangled this plan, called Esporanda
(Not the 'a at the end).

Separate from this attempt of making an F-type,
a Jensen owner of a CV8 (with the same chassis) had an idea of his own,
inspired by Lamborghini Espada.

The 1964 CV8 was redesigned for five years by Bob Curl, a chief designer for the Nomad Racing Car Co
based in Rye in Sussex.
The result of the idea and making of the car was this Esporando (note the 'o at the end).
The design was finally made by Hastings Sheet Metal Company in Hastings.

This work made the original owner tired of waiting, got afterwards tired of the car,
selling it to a demolition contractor (!) who used it, and believably treated the one-off car rather badly.
The car was owned by a couple of other owners, before it went on as a unknown mark
at a car auction in Chelmsford. There it wasn't sold!

In 1977 Jensen-enthustiast Peter Adams received a phonecall from a friend,
telling him about this unusual car, asking if he was interested.
He went to try it, and was fascinated, and while sitting in the driving seat he felt something under his shoe.
Under the mat the found the cars until then missing "Jensen-badge"!

Not surprisingly, he bought the car, and took it Mech-Spray in Rochester to restore it.
The 9 months that took, Peter Adams investigated into the cars history.
He found out that the Jensen factory knew about the car.
He then asked them if the car could be a Jensen, named Esporando -
 in memory of the Esporanda which never was.
The Jensen factory would be delighted, they said. And so it was.

What a story!


(This story is an excerpt of Autocar April 5th 1980.)