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Market Finds: British Grand Touring Beauties For Sale Now on Hemmings

British Grand Touring Beauties For Sale Now on Hemmings

By Petrolicious Productions
January 28, 2015
5 comments

The United Kingdom has given us some truly beautiful grand touring machines that would give any coachbuilder a lesson in design. Sure MGs and Triumphs are great but don’t forget about the extraordinary works of art like the 1954 Jensen 541 featured in this week’s video. Many of these cars even share components with more common models making them more affordable to maintain than some other European classics. If you have a sizeable budget, here are some storied British grand tourers available now on Hemmings Motor News.

Good:

The car: 1975 Jensen Interceptor

Price: $68,000

Location: Milford, Connecticut, USA

Seller’s Info: Click here

The Jensen Interceptor is a British Grand Tourer designed in Italy, powered by American muscle and built in England. Other British cars of the day made motorsport concessions but Jensen designed the Interceptor to cruise the motorways in comfort. This restored convertible came as production of Interceptor III wound down, making this a rare model. It has the correct Chrysler 440 cubic inch V8, three-speed automatic transmission and limited slip differential.

Better:

The car: 1955 Jaguar XK140SE Fixed Head Coupe

Price: $80,000

Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Seller’s Info: Click here

If you’re trying to keep the miles on your Bugatti Type 57 low then consider an XK140 coupe. The XK140 has upgrades over its XK120 predecessor such as more interior room, flashing turn signals, increased power and some aesthetic changes. It’s also the first Jaguar sports car offered with an automatic transmission. This well-documented XK140 has been driven all over North America and has the miles to prove it. It appears to have been well maintained and loved by its owner, who named the car ‘Olivia’.

Best:

The car: 1952 Bentley R-type La Sarthe

Price: $560,000

Location: Taunton, Somerset, England

Seller’s Info: Click here

Designed for the post-war aristocratic echelon, the Bentley R-Type makes a grand statement. The long coupe is powered by an inline six-cylinder and came standard with a manual transmission but could be sourced with an automatic. Despite its cumbersome size, the R-Type was capable of reaching 100 miles per hour. If the original R-Type wasn’t up to your standards, Bensport LTD of the UK may have the car for you. This R-Type has been tastefully retrofitted with a redesigned and handcrafted aluminum body on a restored R-Type chassis available as the La Sarthe, named for the famous Le Mans track.

If you know of a great, stylish car for sale and would like us to feature it, please let us know!

Petrolicious makes no claim as to the accuracy of the information contained in the car’s original listing, nor will it be held responsible for any errors in said information. If you’re interested in any of these cars, do your homework and research extensively before you buy.

Tags Bentley/ British/ Classified/ Jaguar/ Jensen
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Matthew Lange
Matthew Lange
9 years ago

I can’t make my mind up whether I like the Bentley La Sarthe or not? It was on display at the recent London Classic car show and created quite a lot of attention. It is certainly spectacular looking but I’m not sure if a body designed today for a fifties car really works?

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RiccardoG
RiccardoG
9 years ago
Reply to  Matthew Lange

Before reading the article I thought to myself: “wow! that is one of the most stunning things I have ever seen”. So the shape definitely works.

However… as soon as I then read its a modern interpretation it put me off. I suppose its a personal thing, but for me such things are just “mongrels” (not wanting to offend). I think the same of the Singer Porsche and Mechatronik Mercedes and all other such variations. As much as I think they’re great achievements and beautiful vehicles with great advantages, I can’t help overall seeing them as a “cheat”, something that is neither new nor old, something not like the original designers had designed.

2
Paul Thompson
Paul Thompson
9 years ago

I’d suggest the Bristol 411 as the ultimate British gentleman’s express. Exclusive, understated, very fast and very expensive.

Complete with the subtle 400 cubic inch (6.6 litre) Chrysler V8 which can blow the benchmark 300SEL 6.3 into the weeds (so they say!).

http://www.bristolcars.co.uk/Present/Sales/1973-411/

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Martin James
Martin James
9 years ago
Reply to  Paul Thompson

A – freaking – men !!! The Bristol 411 . The best of the best [ and the best of Bristol as well ] Quality , quiet exclusivity and that very rare element hardly ever to be found in any British iron at any price . That being reliability and ease of repair ! The only thing better than a 411 is the new series 411 Bristol put out just before their demise ! Then add in the subtleties and stealth of the Bristol [ no one except those rare birds like myself knows what you’re driving or how much it costs ] … and you’ve got the only genuine Gentleman’s Express as you put it in the truest meaning of the phrase . Then .. for the coupe de gras … the only car LJK Setright truly loved … wrote an entire book [ 2 volumes worth ] about and ever bothered to own more than one at the same time and ….

Buy !!!!!!

As to the list here ?

Jensen Interceptor – Much as I love the mark , sing their praises and bemoan their demise . Fact is the cars themselves were absolute crap when it came to reliability and quality of any kind . Built out of plastic containers , Elmers glue and a hope and a prayer that the damn thing would outlast its warranty … which they never did !

Pass !

Jaguar XK140SE – The official car of the automotive masochist ! Guaranteed to break down more often than a Lada … rust faster than it can drive … and cost you more to own than any other comparable car .. including a Ferrari [ not including the purchase price ] Toss in the ever present Lucas Prince of Darkness electronics and ….

Pass !!

Bentley R Type La Sarthe – The only thing worse than a Rolls Royce era production Bentley is in fact one of the custom or special series Bentley’s the company has been trying to foist onto the buying public in a vain attempt to separate and distinguish themselves from their then minders … Rolls Royce [ the epitome of pretense ]

A little habit the Bentley spin doctors are still trying to pull off with their current minders … VW-Audi

So be it a BentRolls … or a BentAudi I say to you all …. PASS !!!!!!! They’re all absolute over priced smoke and mirrors crap … as anyone who’s owned one [ and had the sense to sell it ] can attest to !

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Matthew Lange
Matthew Lange
9 years ago
Reply to  Martin James

As far as I’m aware the Le Sarthe and Bensport has nothing to do with either the Rolls Royce or Bentley companies of today. It is an original Bentley R Type chassis which has been fitted with a new body to a design that is 50s in style does not copy anything actually made in period.

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