Jensen-Healey

The loss of the Austin Healey contract in 1967 was a serious blow to the financial health of Jensen Motors which had been supported by a steady stream of revenue from BMC since 1952. While Donald Healey and his son Geoffrey worked on the design they hoped would be the successor to the Austin Healey, in the United States car importer Kjell Qvale was lamenting the loss of one of his most profitable lines. When he learnt that Jensen Motors had built the bodies for the Austin Healey, he decided to buy Jensen and use it to productionize and build the new Healey. By 1970 the prototype had been finished but sourcing an engine which would give 120 mph while also meeting Federal emissions requirements proved difficult. Various options were looked at before Qvale struck a deal with Colin Chapman to take an unproven 16-valve twin-ohc engine which Lotus was preparing for use in its next generation of sports cars. The resulting Jensen-Healey was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1972. Unfortunately, engine reliability issues and problems with fit and finish gave the car a bad name to begin with but eventually the troubles were overcome. Most were sold to the USA but Australia took 52 of the 3359 cars made. Today about 80 may be traced in Australia.