As Alan Smith has just reported, this car was recently sold at auction. The car has alloy bodywork. As this was the prototype, that construction would have been chosen for time considerations. Aluminium alloy can be a difficult material to work with when there are no production formers -- it maybe softer than steel but it doesn't stretch nearly as much. So a lot of very skilled man hours went into the original build of this motor car.
This is an interesting original factory photo before it was airbrushed for publication -- no Photoshop in those days!
And here it is again, all airbrushed and ready for print.
This is the 541's designer Eric Neale demonstrating how his new car is definitely a full four-seater.
The Original Jensen 541 Prototype
The Original Jensen 541 Prototype
Last edited by Keith on Thu Apr 13, 2006 6:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Keith Andrews and I went to the auction and had a good look at the car.
Your photos confirm that the interior has remained original, and is in some ways superior to the production version. Note the folding front seats. Also the back seat has a centre armrest/console.The bonnet is held up by sprung cantilevered arms, much nicer than the struts used in production.The bonnet styling is slightly different to the production bonnet. The petrol tank took up a lot of the boot.
Overall the car appeared in good condition with a nice paint job. The price seemed about right given a prototype premium.
Your photos confirm that the interior has remained original, and is in some ways superior to the production version. Note the folding front seats. Also the back seat has a centre armrest/console.The bonnet is held up by sprung cantilevered arms, much nicer than the struts used in production.The bonnet styling is slightly different to the production bonnet. The petrol tank took up a lot of the boot.
Overall the car appeared in good condition with a nice paint job. The price seemed about right given a prototype premium.
541 Aluminium prototype
It made xxx£18K plus, presumably, buyers commission. Good piece of valuation by the auctioneers, who estimated xxx£16K to xxx£18K.
Tony Marshall
JML 1967-74
JOC 7828
JML 1967-74
JOC 7828