Category Archives: NEW CARS

NEW CARS

The Jensen Interceptor Is Back—and This Time It’s Packing American V-8 Thunder Again

Some names never really die. They just wait for the right moment—and the right engine—to come roaring back. The Jensen Interceptor, one of Britain’s most charismatic muscle-bound grand tourers, is officially set for resurrection, nearly 50 years after the last original rolled off the line. And yes, it’s bringing a V-8 with it.

The reborn Interceptor comes courtesy of Jensen International Automotive (JIA), a Banbury-based outfit best known for painstakingly restoring and reimagining classic Interceptors into modern restomods like the Interceptor R. This time, though, JIA isn’t reworking history—it’s writing a fresh chapter. The upcoming GT is the company’s first clean-sheet design, a fully new car that merely tips its hat to the past.

Production will be extremely limited—“ultra-low,” in JIA’s words—which is shorthand for don’t ask the price unless you already know you can afford it. Hand-built in Britain, the new Interceptor positions itself as an ultra-high-performance luxury GT aimed squarely at drivers who think the word “analogue” is a compliment.

That philosophy should resonate with anyone tired of capacitive sliders and menu-diving. JIA promises a fully analogue driving experience, which strongly suggests a manual gearbox and a cabin heavy on real switches and physical controls—much like the original Interceptor, only without the 1960s build tolerances.

Under that long hood will be a familiar but formidable powerplant. While final specs haven’t been released, Autocar reports that the car will be based around the latest Chevrolet Corvette’s 6.2-liter V-8. In stock form, that engine produces 495 horsepower and 452 pound-feet of torque, but JIA says the powertrain will be “bespoke,” which likely means tuning, calibration, and possibly hardware changes tailored specifically to this car’s GT mission.

That transatlantic engine choice is entirely in keeping with tradition. The original Interceptor relied on a big-block Chrysler V-8—6.3 liters initially—making around 250 horsepower and pushing the car to nearly 140 mph, serious numbers for its era. The new car aims to honor that same formula: British luxury and style, American displacement and punch.

The chassis will be a lightweight aluminum structure, a modern foundation designed to keep mass in check and maximize the power-to-weight ratio. No curb weight figures yet, but the intent is clear: this won’t be a soft boulevard cruiser masquerading as a performance car.

Design details are still under wraps, but the first official image confirms that JIA understands what made the Interceptor visually iconic. Expect a long bonnet, a raked roofline, and a low, muscular stance—classic GT proportions interpreted through a modern lens rather than a retro caricature.

Managing director David Duerden says JIA is “taking the theme of the luxury British GT to fresh, thoroughly modern heights,” while emphasizing that the car will stand as an all-new machine rather than a nostalgic remake. That’s the right call. Icons survive by evolving, not by pretending time stopped in 1971.

As for when we’ll see it in the metal, no official debut date has been announced. Still, given JIA’s emphasis on British identity, a reveal at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this July would make perfect sense. Fast cars, loud engines, historic names reborn—it’s exactly the kind of setting where the Interceptor belongs.

Half a century on, the Jensen Interceptor is returning not as a museum piece, but as a modern GT with old-school values: big engine, rear-drive attitude, and a driver-first mindset. And frankly, we could use more cars like that.

Source: Jensen Motors

NEW CARS

Pocket Bunny GT-R

The Tokyo Motor Show is always good for a few double takes. Between earnest production cars and sensible concepts, there’s inevitably something that looks like it escaped from an AI prompt that read “classic JDM legend, but make it tiny.” This year, that honor goes to a car that stops you mid-stride: a pint-size Nissan GT-R that absolutely is not a Nissan GT-R.

What you’re looking at is called the Pocket Bunny, and beneath its familiar scowl is a Suzuki Twin—a kei car last seen quietly minding its own business in the early 2000s. The transformation comes courtesy of the Rocket Bunny Pandem crew, working with designer Jun Takahashi and Saitama-based J Beat Custom Shop. The result is equal parts homage, parody, and love letter to one of Japan’s most revered performance cars: the R32 Skyline GT-R.

The Suzuki Twin, if you need a refresher, was never meant to stir emotions. Introduced in 2002, it was round, upright, and about as threatening as a toaster. But that blank-slate anonymity is exactly what makes it such a compelling canvas. Reimagined as the Pocket Bunny, the Twin sheds nearly all visual ties to its former self. Aside from the doors, windows, and roof, virtually every exterior panel has been redesigned, reshaped, or outright replaced.

The resemblance to the R32 is uncanny—and occasionally surreal. Pandem’s custom kit gives the car a shrunken Skyline face, complete with squared-off headlights and a hood that echoes the original GT-R’s muscular simplicity. The front and rear bumpers are bespoke, the fenders are widened just enough to sell the illusion, and the tailgate and rear wing mirror the Skyline’s greatest hits, scaled down to kei-car proportions. Even the taillights have been reworked to faithfully channel the four-circle GT-R signature.

Stand back a few paces and squint, and your brain fills in the blanks. This thing reads as a classic Nissan, just viewed through a funhouse mirror. It’s the automotive equivalent of seeing a perfectly accurate model train—your rational mind knows it’s small, but your emotions don’t care.

Pull closer and the craftsmanship becomes the story. This isn’t a bolt-on cosplay. According to the builders, installing the kit requires cutting into the original bodywork and sealing the inner fenders. Translation: this conversion is permanent. Once you commit to Pocket Bunny life, there’s no returning to stock Twin anonymity. That’s a bold move for a car that started out as transportation appliance, and it says a lot about the confidence behind the project.

The show car leans hard into the stance scene, riding on new alloy wheels and a dramatically lowered setup thanks to electromagnetic air suspension from Airmext Japan. Inside, subtlety is not invited. There’s a roll cage, bucket seats, a three-spoke steering wheel, and an extra infotainment screen—because why not? It’s part show car, part toy, and fully self-aware.

Performance, at least for now, remains pure kei car. The original 658cc three-cylinder engine carries over, producing a heroic 27 horsepower. Power goes to the front wheels through a five-speed manual, just as Suzuki intended. In stock form, the Twin was available with a hybrid option as well, though neither version was ever accused of being fast.

But that may change. Automotive photographer Larry Chen reports that the Pocket Bunny team has far bigger plans: a rotary engine swap and a conversion to rear-wheel drive. Yes, really. It’s an audacious idea that sounds either brilliant or completely unhinged, which means it’s perfectly on brand. If it happens, the Pocket Bunny would graduate from visual joke to genuine mechanical statement—and probably become terrifying in all the right ways.

As for the kit itself, the price lands at €3,622, not including paint or installation. At the time of writing, it’s officially sold out, though Pandem has promised more runs in the future. Given the attention this tiny GT-R magnet is pulling, that promise will be tested quickly.

The Pocket Bunny doesn’t make sense in the traditional automotive way. It’s not fast, it’s not practical, and it’s certainly not subtle. But it captures something essential about car culture: the joy of reinterpreting icons, the willingness to commit fully to an idea, and the understanding that sometimes the best builds exist simply because someone asked, “What if?”

In a hall full of serious machinery, this little kei car dares you not to smile. And that might be its greatest performance figure of all.

Source: Larry Chen

NEW CARS

Meet the Shangjie Z7: The Taycan Lookalike That Costs Less Than a Taycan’s Options List

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Porsche’s design studio should be feeling very appreciated right now. The latest electric sedan to draw unmistakable inspiration from the Taycan comes from China, wears the name Shangjie Z7, and—if early reports are accurate—costs about as much as a lightly optioned German compact car.

Shangjie has begun rolling out official images and teasers of its upcoming Z7 sedan, and the resemblance to Porsche’s electric four-door isn’t subtle. From the sweeping roofline to the muscular rear haunches, the Z7’s silhouette reads like a Taycan that’s been run through a “slightly different, legally distinct” filter. It’s not a photocopy, but it’s close enough that you’d do a double take at a stoplight.

The headlights, to be fair, go their own way. They don’t mimic Porsche’s signature four-point motif, and that alone may be enough to keep the lawyers at bay. But step back a few meters and squint, and the overall effect is clear: this car wants to tap into the Taycan’s visual gravitas without asking Taycan money.

And that’s the real hook. Chinese media report that the Z7 is aimed squarely at younger buyers, with a rumored starting price under 200,000 yuan—roughly €24,600. For context, the actual Porsche Taycan starts at around 918,000 yuan in China, or about €113,000. That’s not a gap; that’s a canyon.

The Z7 is being developed by HIMA—short for Harmony Intelligence Mobility Alliance—and will be sold under SAIC’s Shangjie brand. HIMA is essentially Huawei’s automotive brain trust, bringing together several Chinese automakers including Seres, Chery, BAIC, JAC, and SAIC. Vehicles born under this alliance already wear names like Aito, Luxeed, Stelato, and Maextro, and the common thread is heavy integration of Huawei’s software, connectivity, and driver-assistance tech.

Design-wise, HIMA hasn’t exactly been shy with the Z7. A dark teaser image practically traces the Taycan’s side profile with a highlighter: coupe-like roof, flush door handles, and pronounced rear fenders that look ready to house a wide set of tires. Even the shape of the doors themselves feels eerily familiar. Around back, the rear glass and full-width light bar lean so heavily on Porsche’s playbook that the word “homage” starts to feel generous.

Up front, though, the Z7 does carve out some identity. Beyond the different headlight design, there’s a prominent LiDAR unit mounted above the windshield—a clear signal that advanced driver-assistance systems, and possibly hands-off driving features, are a priority. That’s a reminder that while the Z7 may borrow its look from Stuttgart, its soul is firmly rooted in China’s tech-forward EV ecosystem.

Things get even more interesting when you factor in reports of a wagon variant. Chinese outlet Autohome has snapped spy photos of what appears to be a Z7 estate, heavily camouflaged but unmistakable in its proportions. The long roof, sloping rear, and overall stance draw obvious parallels to the Taycan Sport Turismo. Porsche’s electric wagon is a niche favorite among enthusiasts; seeing a budget-friendly Chinese interpretation could make it far more mainstream—at least in its home market.

As for what’s under the skin, HIMA is keeping quiet. No specifications have been released, leaving open questions about performance, range, and drivetrain options. The Z7 could slot in as a direct rival to Xiaomi’s SU7, another Taycan-adjacent electric sedan that has already made waves. The SU7 starts at 215,900 yuan (about €26,500), and early versions boast serious performance credentials. If the Z7 lands in the same neighborhood, it could turn the segment into a full-blown price war.

One thing is certain: whatever numbers eventually appear on the spec sheet, the Z7 will undercut Porsche by a massive margin. It’s offering the Taycan’s sleek, low-slung aesthetic at a price that makes Western buyers do a double take—and maybe a little math to see how many Taycan options you’d have to delete to get close.

Whether the Z7 ends up being a genuine driver’s car or simply a compelling visual facsimile remains to be seen. But as China’s EV industry continues to blur the line between inspiration and imitation, one thing is clear: Porsche’s design language has become a global template—and not everyone is charging six figures for it.

Source: Car News China