Latest news

The year is 1960, the venue is the London Motor Show, and the place is Stand 134. Of course, any car that hailed from the West Bromwich factory was an object of desire, but the new Jensen 541S was especially eye-catching.

It was not just that it was four inches wider than the outgoing 541R or that it boasted a conventional grille, rather than the familiar adjustable panel. The Jensen on display at Earls Court was Britain’s first car fitted with seat-belts as standard equipment.

The original 541 made its bow in 1953, mesmerising virtually all with its GRP coachwork. Power was from a triple carburettor version of Austin’s 4-litre straight-six, as found in the resolutely non-sporting A135 Princess.

Jensen introduced the facelifted R four years later, but the S was more of a reinvention of the 541. The modified coachwork offered far more headroom; there was a new rack-&-pinion steering mechanism, all-disc brakes and a Powr-Lok limited-slip differential.

The 541S owner also gained twin fog lamps, a fire-extinguisher, a first-aid kit and a Motorola radio (which displayed a “Jensen” logo when illuminated). Naturally, the seats were upholstered in hide, and both doors sported adjustable armrests.

Bear in mind 1960 was a year when you could order a Ford Popular 100E devoid of a heater, windscreen washers, ashtrays and an interior lamp.

Unlike previous versions of the 541, Jensen equipped the S with Hydramatic transmission. It was possible to specify a four-speed Moss box with Laycock-de-Normanville overdrive, but a mere twenty-two buyers selected this option.

As for the top speed, 109 mph was not quite in the class of the Jaguar XK150S, but more than suited to a dash along the M1, sailing past Vauxhall Victors and Austin Cambridges with style.

Production of the 541S lasted until 1963, and the replacement CV8 marked a change of engineering policy – from Longbridge to Chrysler.

The Sunday Times of 13^th May 1962 thought the Austin engine of the earlier model lacked ‘the delicacy and poise of a thoroughbred’ but possessed ‘the effortless power necessary for smooth and quiet high-speed cruising’. It must be said that the 127 owners of the 541S were not overly concerned by such opinions, as they knew that they were piloting a vehicle of rare distinction.

And the appeal of the 541S is paradoxically distinctive yet hard to define. It was never transport for the budding “Jet Set”; the sound of that Longbridge-sourced power-plant was just too parochial.

At £3,102 it was also far more expensive than a Jaguar E-Type Coupe, as well as far slower. Nor did it appear as lithely aggressive as the Aston Martin DB4 or as formal as a Bentley S2 Continental by H.J.Mulliner.

Instead, the Jensen belongs in the same category as the likes of the AC Greyhound or the Bristol 406. These were cars that were as ideal for Goodwood as for the directors’ car park.

Roger Moore’s Simon Templar would also have been quite at home behind the wheel of a 541S; ironically, Jensen also made his Volvo P1800 at their West Bromwich plant. After all, this was the car with ‘regal passenger accusation’ and ‘lithe graceful lines’.

Why choose Lancaster Insurance?

Here at Lancaster, we love classic cars as much as you do and we understand what it takes to protect them for future generations.

We have links with some of the top classic car clubs around the country and some of our policies even offer discounts of up to 25% for club members.

Other benefits of classic car insurance through Lancaster can include:

• Historic rally cover
• Static show cover
• Limited mileage discounts
• Choice of repairer
• 24-hour claims helpline

Give your classic the protection it deserves and get a quote for your classic today.