Makes › Jensen › C-V8 › C-V8 Drophead Coupé prototype · Prototype · 1965 One-off
Jensen
C-V8 Drophead Coupé prototype
Only factory-built C-V8 convertible, on experimental Mk II chassis, owned by Lord Carrington
Still being researched: full specifications. Everything shown is checked against the cited sources. Know more? Send us a source.
Contents
01Overview
At a glance
- Built
- 1 Built
- Years
- 1965
- Engine
- Not yet verified
- Power
- Not yet verified
- Top speed
- 219 km/hFactory: 219 km/h
- Body
- Not yet verified
- Designer
- Not yet verified
- In this archive
- Not yet verified
- Surviving
- Not yet verified
Sources and any conflicting figures are in the sections below.
Why it matters
This is the only C-V8 convertible built by Jensen, a factory one-off among roughly 500 C-V8s. Built on an experimental chassis and supplied new to Lord Carrington, it is considered one of the most historically significant Jensens.
How rare is it?
Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.
Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.
02Production & history
Production
Every figure says what it counts.
| What is counted | Figure | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total model productiononly factory-built C-V8 convertible | 11 | Factory production | Independently researched |
Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.
History
The car was built on an experimental Mk II chassis lengthened by about nine inches and completed in June 1965 in Smoke Green with grey leather. It was sold new to Lord Carrington and registered XYU 7. While in his ownership the factory tested it, fitted a Mk III braking system and refinished it, adding a darker hood and a burr walnut dashboard. It was later re-registered LPP 766C and stayed in long-term private ownership before a recent respray and mechanical work.
Variants
How each version differs from the standard C-V8 Drophead Coupé prototype.
No variants documented yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
03Specifications
Technical specifications
Engine
| Engine family | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Engine code | Not yet verified |
| Layout | Not yet verified |
| Displacement | Not yet verified |
| Bore | Not yet verified |
| Stroke | Not yet verified |
| Compression ratio | Not yet verified |
| Fuel system | Not yet verified |
| Power | Not yet verified |
| Power at | Not yet verified |
| Torque | Not yet verified |
Transmission & drivetrain
| Gearbox | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Gears | Not yet verified |
| Driven wheels | Not yet verified |
Chassis, body & dimensions
| Chassis | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Front suspension | Not yet verified |
| Rear suspension | Not yet verified |
| Brakes | Not yet verified |
| Steering | Not yet verified |
| Body construction | Not yet verified |
| Wheelbase | Not yet verified |
| Length | Not yet verified |
| Width | Not yet verified |
| Height | Not yet verified |
| Front track | Not yet verified |
| Rear track | Not yet verified |
| Kerb weight | Not yet verified |
| Dry weight | Not yet verified |
Performance
| Maximum speed | 219 km/hFactory: 219 km/h2 Independently researched |
|---|---|
| 0–100 km/h | 6.7 s2 Independently researched |
| Fuel tank | Not yet verified |
“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.
04Colours & options
Factory colours & interiors
Original paint and trim, with the number of cars in each where a source gives it.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Factory options & codes
Codes are shown exactly as written by the manufacturer.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
05Individual cars
Chassis register
Every documented car, with its colours, history and where it is now. Open a row for the full record. Known chassis are not automatically authenticated originals.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Competition history
Every race result of the individual cars, in date order. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Auction & sale history
Documented public sales of the individual cars. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
See one in person
Museums where an example of this car can be seen.
No example is documented on public display yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
06Reference
Identification guide
How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.
The car carries chassis number JM-EXP-108, reflecting its experimental status, and is built on a Mk II chassis stretched by about nine inches. Its original registration was XYU 7, later LPP 766C. It was finished in Smoke Green with grey leather and has a Mk III braking system fitted by the factory.
Sources
Each number links to the exact facts it supports.
-
1
RM Sotheby's lot catalogue: 1965 Jensen CV8 Drophead Coupé Prototype (London 2020) Level B
- 1 only factory-built C-V8 convertible
-
2
1965 Jensen CV8 Drophead Coupé Prototype | London 2020 Level B RM Sotheby's
- top speed of 219 km/h
- 0–100 km/h in 6.7 seconds
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