Jensen FF - A trailblazing feat of engineering well ahead of its time | Tyrrell's Classic Workshop

The Jensen FF was highly innovative when it debuted in 1966, the first non all-terrain production car equipped with four-wheel drive and an anti-lock braking system as standard. The FF stands for Ferguson Formula, after Harry Ferguson, another tractor manufacturer who decided to dip his toes in the world of high-performance cars, who invented the car's four-wheel drive system. Jensen took their Interceptor as a starting point and modified it to fit the complex mechanical set-up, a true feat of engineering.

Despite the innovation and being powered by a 6.3L Chrysler V8, the high purchase cost meant it wasn't commercially successful with only 320 to 330 examples produced. Of those, less than half likely remain today, and this particular example has its own unique history, first serving as Jensen's press-car, and then being loaned to none other than Giovanni "Gianni" Agnelli, head of Fiat and the richest man in modern Italian history. No doubt this car has welcomed its fair share of VIPs - Very Important Passengers!

00:00 - Introduction
00:46 - Ferguson Formula
01:45 - Active vs Passive Safety
02:21 - 4WD System
03:59 - Dunlop Maxaret ABS System
04:51 - Jensen's trailblazer
06:29 - Rubery Owen Wheels
07:14 - Unique history of this example
07:33 - Giovanni "Gianni" Agnelli
08:45 - Inspiration from the Miura
09:27 - Front-wheel setup for 4WD and Chrysler 383 V8 engine
10:41 - The belly of the beast
12:09 - Road test
23:34 - Outro

Thank you once again to everyone for the overwhelming reception of these videos and for all the support of likes, subscribes and wonderful comments.

With thanks to legendary guitarist/composer/music producer Steve Wright for the music

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IMAGE ATTRIBUTION:

[tonymarshall]

Around the time that Sgr Agnelli had the use of the FF he decided to pay a visit to the London Motor Show for the first time. It is not hard to think of the preparations that had to be made by the UK Fiat organisation for this historic occasion, a truly Royal Occasion for them. Many senior motor industry execs were to be lined up to meet the great man, Including Donald Healey who held the Fiat franchise in Warwick.
At the tome Donald Healey was living in Cornwall and he was approached one day by the local Fiat dealer who asked him to try and use his link with Fiat to help solve a parts supply problem. This dealer had an elderly Fiat 500 owner the engine of which required new pistons. Despite all efforts a considerable time had elapsed since the order for them had been placed and the poor dealer was being somewhat pressurised by the owner! At last he appealed to Donald who agreed to help as much as possible but had little confidence in being successful.
Came the big day at Earls Court and the arrival of Sgr Agnelli to be met my Celebs and Fiat dealers. Eventually it became Donald's turn. 'Ah, Mr Healey' said Agnelli, 'I am so pleased to tell you that the pistons for your friend's car are being posted to you right away'!
One of the best PR stories I heard during my time at Jensen.
Tony M

[zumwild]

This fantastic car FF 119/069 would have had Selectaride electrically adjustable rear dampers when new, so you could firm up the ride at the touch of a switch. As an early car chassis no 69 may have the early Italian window lift motors (common on the first 50 cars) which were faster than later ones, although slightly more noisy! Being a press car it was the first with the later style door frames without opening quarter lights. I owned FF no 73 which although a numerically later car was supplied new with the earlier style opening front quarter lights. FF 69 had a very nice 3 spoke aluminium/leather rimmed steering wheel on period road test photos and until quite recently. Not the more usual Mk1 leather type which looks a like a Miura one, but one with black filled slots in the spokes. The 2 leather style wheels were a factory option that appears on other cars. Pushing the FF hard the way the centre diff locks up and releases is simply sublime, much nicer than all 4WD cars I have owned since. The car also has a Duo-lock feature, if one brake calliper fails, the centre diff can lock under braking to mechanically distribute the force of the other three wheels automatically, as I found out once, so you actually get excess braking force transferred from the other 3 wheels onto the wheel with the faulty calliper!

[fusionfan]

I thought your viewers might be interested in some personal reminiscences on my Dad’s old Jensen interceptor.

He bought one of the very first production Interceptors and it was a nightmare! I believe that early ones had their coachwork built in Turin by Vignale, they only a limited number of cars, and it leaked like a sieve. Also, it didn’t have a limited slip diff and when Dad drove over to Italy to the ancestral home in the mountains – many of the early Italians in the UK emigrated from a small town and its surrounds in the Emilia Romagna called Bardi – it literally scrubbed the tyres bare and he had a nightmare finding replacements. In the end Jensen gave him a brand new car and I have fond memories of that burbling V8, which was a thing of beauty to a young 8 year old.

And another interesting anecdote.

My uncle was a car nut and even did test driving for Bristol cars, as well as I believe some driving with Sterling Moss. At the time he was looking at getting an Aston Martin, but borrowed Dad’s interceptor to see what it was like. When he returned it to the house, Dad wasn’t home, so he put it in the garage, but unfortunately left both side window down and the side door to the garage open. We had just bought a Beagle puppy, which was a bit of a wild destructive thing, and it got into the car and destroyed the Connolly leather seats! Let’s just say when Dad got home, that dog auditioned for the UK space programme! Dad had to send the car back for retrimming, which cost and arm and a leg.

I can’t recall the reg of the cars but the fist was a metallic blue I think, and the replacement was a metallic sand sort of colour. Great memories!

[briananthony]

At 11:57, that exhaust pipe is very close to the front drive shaft. I remember reading a British motoring magazine back in the late '60s or early '70s that did a test on the FF. It must have been winter as there was thick snow on the ground. They came across a traffic jam on a country road that stretched far ahead. They decided this would be a good test of the FF system so pulled over to the verge on the left that had a thick layer of snow (thankfully it didn't cover a ditch) and proceeded to crunch their way past all the stuck motorists. They boasted that they reached 60 mph and felt entirely safe in doing so thanks to the FF, anti-lock brakes and traction control. I always remembered that story. I fell in love with the car. The transmission is a torqueflite 727, I had a Australian E55 Charger back in '73 with the 340 V8 and 727.

[russellthechemist]

The ultimate gentleman's express. Either this or a classic Bristol!
Wonderful to see this car gets its own slot on this channel.

[nickbitten]

My Dad had a ' normal' Interceptor in his workshop back in the day ( I was only a youngster at the time). Remember being fascinated by the rear window and the lovely V8 waffle on start up and driving off- almost felt lost on the large passenger seat. Happy days.

[coastalbbq]

Love your videos. My dad was a USAF pilot. That noise you experienced on your drive with the Hawks we'd call "The Sound of Freedom". I doubt you mind it.

[lindaoffenbach]

Such a distinctive car and for the first time the FF being properly clarified and being showed in all its exceptional technicality details for the time. And such a privilege to be able doing and enjoying this for us to witness. Wonderful! We’ve had the privilege of driving in an Interceptor III with a bloke who had it restored himself from the ground up. Not an FF but it truly was something very different as it was. Thank you so much once again Iain. This channel certainly is not to be taken for granted, as it must consume quite some time from you and your business.

[jackburtonstwin]

The Interceptor / FF is just one of the most beautiful vehicles ever created. For me, it sits beside the 246 Dino. Flawed, yes, but just stunning in every way that matters. A mistress you would sell your mortal soul to in a heartbeat.

[staffy]

Wow! Riding in a 68 jff through the British countryside and after donning some spectacular sunglasses and making a big left turn somewhere, we’re suddenly living the sweet life in Italy! How did I miss that turn?! Mr tyrrell you paint the best mental pictures. Can’t wait to see where we will go next!

[anthonypaterson]

Thanks for this vid. iain, Having just watched Harry with FFR yours was very sedate. Harry would have beaten the Hawks on the noise level at full chat. Always loved the Jensen from my youth, but alas will never own one. The car is timeless and I think gives the Italians a run for the money.

[Matteo_Licata]

Very interesting! I didn't know Agnelli used that Jensen, but it doesn't surprise me, given the character: cultivated and accustomed to the best of everything since forever, he sure was intrigued by the FF's engineering. As you rightly pointed out, Touring of Milan styled the Interceptor, but the firm went belly-up in '66, so Vignale ended up making the bodies. Touring's designer was Federico Formenti, possibly the least known of all great Italian stylists. After Touring folded, he was hired at Alfa Romeo's styling studio, where he worked until his retirement age.

[fteoOpty]

The speedo is swinging like a pendulum.... Great classic.

[eric]

Casting an eye around the workshop during this video I see pretty close to every car I've ever coveted 😅. Goodness, what a collection. As always, a wonderful history lesson and video.

[chrischadwick]

The engineering expertise to produce this car is credit to the original thinking @ the time.
Thanks Ian you are also a credit to the best of British .

[ralmo]

I only exist because of Jensen my parents met when they worked together there.My dad used to bring them home when I was a kid but at the time I had no idea what they were.I can remember the distinctive smell in them.

[daniellarge]

One of my dream cars. Sad to know there are less than 200 still around.

[danielfrancois]

There's a bolt missing in the gearbox oil pan visible at 3:08. But a stunning car. I remeber my father, who was a car dealer, traded in a interceptor mark 3 and I never forget the sound of that car.

[clonmore]

I could listen to this man for hours and hours. Magnetic voice and knowledge to match. I remember going in an FF circa 1970 owned by the Chairman of Manpower Services Commission in Henley.

[eieghn]

As a child in the 1960's, in Detroit, whose father was a Mechanical Engineer, read Design News an engineering magazine. In that magazine they laid out all of what you are covering in this vid. It caught my eye and sent me down the road of automobile performance. What a car! I was able to work on one of these in 1980.