Miguel Sánchez
On the outskirts of industrial Birmingham is West Bromwich. A quiet and friendly city, perfect for concentrating on mechanical work. Maybe that's why he settled there Jensen; one of the small family factories that adorn the history of the English motor. From 1934 to 1976 Jensen launched models full of personality; a personality like the one this one has 541R, one of the most important GT's in the history of the brand together with the C-V8 and the Interceptor II.
Although it had significant technological advances, the 541R could not match the performance of more sporty contemporaries such as the Jaguars. However, this coupe had a fairly good weight / power ratio, so much so that it became the fastest 4-seater (rather 2 + 2) of its time by marking a top speed of more than 200 km / h. In general, the Jensens were characterized as cars for gentleman over 50 years old with a desire for war, and that is appreciated in the presence of the 541R that today we bring to these pages ...
THE AMAZING LIGHTNESS OF A 4 SEATS
Launched on the market in 1954, the mechanics of the Jensen 541 is sufficient for a GT of sporting pretensions of the time. He rode a 4-liter from Austin capable of making 135Cvs. In 1956 the 541R version appeared, the protagonist of this news and for which the portance was raised to 150 CV. Still, many missed the Interceptor's Nash engines from the late 40s.
Now, the technological powerhouse of the Jensen is not in the engine, but in the body and the chassis. The car weighs 1.224 kilos thanks to the dress it is fiberglass, pioneering material in the 50s. In addition, the molding of its bodywork allows it to give a truly outstanding aerodynamic coefficient: only 0'39.
Continuing with the chassis ... it was one of the first four-seater passenger cars to mount disc brakes. And it is worth it, although in 1955 the ultra modern Citroën DS was the first to apply it to mass production ... The truth is that to date they had only been used in sports cars or racing cars. So you see, while the Austin mechanics of the Jensen 541R are moderately powerful ... its lightness and technical advances make it an excellent car.
IF YOUR BRAND IS SPECIAL ... THIS UNIT IS EVEN MORE
During 9 years, Jensen produced about 550 units of the 541. Of these, only about 190 were made under the 1956 "R" evolution. And in turn ... only 20 assembled the special factory kit for this unit, which includes a third carburettor. In short, we are facing a really special unit and frankly well restored. To show you just have to see the brilliance of his Milano Red paint, a beauty.
Also, this Jensen 541R It was owned by Quentin Keynes, mythical reporter and explorer on the National Geographic payroll, great-grandson of Charles Darwin and nephew of economist John Maynard Keynes. Who knows ... Maybe between its technical advances, its elegant as well as sporty aesthetics and its past as an explorer's transport, who acquires it in Russo and Steele I ended up living many adventures on the rump of your 150CVs ...
