THE Jensen Interceptor in which Eric Morecambe had his first heart attack is expected to fetch up to £100,000 at auction.
The comedian was rescued by passer-by Walter Butterworth who jumped behind the wheel to drive him to hospital in 1968.
Now restored to Concours condition, the Jensen is expected to sell for £90,000 – £100,000 at the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show on November 11-12 at Birmingham’s NEC.
The Interceptor was bought by Morecambe in 1968, just as he was starting on his path to superstardom as half of the Morecambe and Wise duo.
Costing double that of a Jaguar E-Type and more than the equivalent Aston Martin, the Interceptor was one of the most expensive cars in the world at the time.
The cabin of Eric Morecambe’s 1968 Jensen Interceptor
After Morecambe’s first heart attack just two months later, the Jensen became famous in its own right as the comedian recounted the story of how Yorkshireman Walter Butterworth jumped into the driving seat late one evening to drive him to Leeds Infirmary, saving his life.
With matching chassis and engine numbers, the Crystal Blue car has the original number plate as owned by Eric Morecambe, and is one of less than 30 Mk1 Jensen Interceptors left in existence.
It will be joined by the infamous Only Fools & Horses Reliant three-wheeler driven by Del Boy Trotter, resplendent in its tiger-print interior and iconic Trotter’s Independent Traders decals. The Reliant is being auctioned without reserve.
The potential show-stealer, however, is a superbly preserved 1988 Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500 with just 6,000 miles on the clock.
With an estimate of £100,000 – £115,000 the Sierra is a potential auction record breaker.
