When his Bentley is in the garage, William Boyd’s Bond borrows something far less obvious: a Jensen Interceptor FF. The Jensen FF is a British grand tourer with an American V8 and, unusually for the 1960s, four-wheel drive and anti-lock brakes. It suits a Bond who is more engineer than showman.
In the books
The car appears in Solo (2013), Boyd’s continuation novel set in 1969. Catalogue notes record Bond driving a Jensen Interceptor FF while his Bentley is being repaired, and a Bond fan site describes it as a black Jensen FF. The Jensen Owners’ Club tells the scene as Bond’s birthday, a visit to a Jensen dealership to look at an Interceptor, and an unexpected change of plan. The Sunday Times, according to one fan-club write-up, reviewed “Bond’s new car” when the book came out.
The details
Four-wheel drive. Jensen built the FF from 1966 to 1971. Ate Up With Motor calls it a full-time four-wheel-drive grand tourer with anti-lock braking, almost fifteen years ahead of the Audi Quattro, and powered by a Chrysler V8.
Longer and heavier. The FF is longer than the standard Interceptor and carries more than 270lb of extra weight, yet the same account puts 0 to 60mph at around 8 seconds. Classic and Sports Car calls it the engineer’s choice of the two, reliable if well sorted but perhaps too complex for some owners today.
The Bond connection. The Jensen Museum frames it as the car that can stand beside the Aston Martin DB5 in a long-running argument about what Bond ought to drive. Boyd’s choice is a quiet answer.
Owning it now
Jensen has not made the FF for more than fifty years, so this is a classic-car purchase. Dealers list them: Car and Classic had a 1969 FF with a 6,300cc V8 and a manual gearbox at £42,500, and Classic Driver had several in stock. Our button runs an eBay search for the car.
The complexity is the question. Four-wheel drive and early anti-lock braking were advanced in 1966, and parts and expertise are specialist. We would not buy one without a Jensen specialist’s inspection and a clear service history. In return you get a car that very few people recognise, which is part of its appeal for a man who prefers to be underestimated.
Specifications
| Model | Jensen FF (Interceptor FF), built 1966 to 1971 |
|---|---|
| Drive | Full-time four-wheel drive, anti-lock brakes |
| Engine | Chrysler V8; one listing shows 6,300cc |
| Performance | 0 to 60mph in around 8 seconds (Ate Up With Motor) |
| Novel | Solo by William Boyd (2013) |
| Price | Second-hand only; one 1969 car listed at £42,500 |
Questions
Does Bond drive a Jensen?
In William Boyd’s 2013 novel Solo, yes: a Jensen Interceptor FF, described as black, while his Bentley is repaired.
Is the Jensen FF the same as the Interceptor?
They are related. The FF is the four-wheel-drive version, longer and heavier than the standard Interceptor.
Is the Jensen FF still made?
No. Production ran from 1966 to 1971, so every example is second-hand.
Is it reliable?
Classic and Sports Car says it is reliable if well sorted, but perhaps too complex for some owners today, so a specialist inspection matters.
More from the novels in our vehicles collection, with the films and the Bond actors alongside.
