As the road clears, I finally get to punch it. The prominent burble goes guttural, then crescendos to a revelling roar, and the rear of the car squats as the nose charges forth.
It feels as if my body is being left behind, and I cling to the vintage Moto-Lita steering wheel as the space within the cabin seems to warp and stretch. Are my arms actually getting longer? This question is only fleetingly pondered as my eyes refocus to engage with the fast-changing scenery.
My mind, meanwhile, is in a quandary. This is not a supercar. It's not even new ... well, not entirely. I'm at the wheel of the 1970s Jensen Interceptor, possibly one of the coolest car names to ever exist. Except this is an Interceptor R, which never did exist.
You've just read this paragraph twice trying to figure out what’s going on. I'll explain, but first let’s wind back the exquisite Smiths Instruments analogue dash clock to the Swinging Sixties.
Reviving the Jensen brand
When British manufacturer Jensen Motors revived the Interceptor name in 1966, it turned to Carrozzeria Touring of Italy to style the imposing and handsome steel bodies, then fitted big block Chrysler V8 engines boasting up to 330 brake horsepower.
Production lasted until 1976 when the company fell into receivership. The FF version of the Interceptor is particularly notable for being the first production road car to offer all-wheel drive (13 years before the Audi Ur-Quattro) and ABS anti-lock brakes (Mercedes didn't introduce them until 1978).
Those FFs are rare: only about 300 were made out of nearly 6,500 Interceptors, of which, too, only 1,000 or so survive globally. Jensen International Automotive (founded in 2010 and not related to the original company) sources and restores old Interceptors, updating them with modern mechanicals and electronics to create the ultimate restomod classic British car.
You can take your own Interceptor to the team, and mix and match the level of restoration or upgrade desired, but in terms of turnkey-finished Interceptors, only about six are produced a year. It takes 18 months and 3,000 man-hours to build one.
Standard specs and customisation options
Visiting the company in Oxfordshire, I count three cars in various states of completion. Each has had its leaf-spring rear suspension and live axles removed and replaced with a Jaguar-sourced independent set-up requiring considerable surgery to install. Bigger ABS brakes (AP Racing six-pot callipers upfront) and traction control are added. This handles, rides and stops far better than when the cars were new.
I inspect two further bare shells sat sideways on rotisseries, the massive tubular chassis beams underneath, testament to the Interceptor's inherent strength and why it can handle nearly double the power it was originally endowed with. The heavy, thirsty and prone-to-overheating original Chrysler V8s are ditched in favour of brand-new GM 6.2-litre V8 engines, eight-speed transmissions and cooling systems.
The sky’s the limit when it comes to specification and personalisation, but engine-wise you choose between the LS3 or LT4 motors. And then you have a Jensen Interceptor with either 556bhp or a colossal 650bhp in supercharged guise.
This finally brings us to that “R” that is Jensen International's own evolution of the car, featuring extensive work not just under the skin, but in the cabin, too. There’s a completely new dashboard, with machined alloy toggle switches, electric windows and mirrors, modern infotainment including Bluetooth connectivity, and a big red starter button.
Make a powerful statement
Hit that for jaw-dropping acceleration even on this older demo car fitted with a 560bhp LSA motor and six-speed auto. With a five-metre footprint and weighing 1,600 kilograms, it feels more planted than bulky. This is no lumbering braggart, this is an erudite charmer. The power itself is never overwhelming but arrives like a well-thrown fist in a soft leather driving glove when you call for it.
The suspension upgrade means that while there are telltale rattles and wind noise redolent of classics, there is no flex, no wander. It has the high-speed stability of a modern car. The brake pedal travels a little before hooking up, but then is well moderated and drops anchor-hard when you need it.
While the car floats along comfortably on the straight, hurling it through bends finds little roll or pitch, and it retains surprising poise and assured composure when changing direction. Go harder and it will lean, but this isn't a sports car. What it most definitely will do is crush distances in great comfort for two (the rear seats are best left for children, though the luggage space is ample).
There’s no compromise when driving this “classic” in the urban environment, either, thanks to the modernisation (you can even add parking sensors and rear cameras) and you outclass all the latest exotica just by turning up in this thing.
Three of these already live in the Middle East (the one in the UAE is apparently used as a daily driver), and while it’s hard to put a price tag on them, estimate spending at least Dh1.5 million. For that, you'll get Sixties swank and devil-may-care charisma, but without compromising on the mod cons. Oh, and hold on tight, this is one quick ride.
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 650bhp
Torque: 880Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: Dh1.5 million
On sale: now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
WTL%20SCHEDULE
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KLOPP%20AT%20LIVERPOOL
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SPEC%20SHEET
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
SNAPSHOT
While Huawei did launch the first smartphone with a 50MP image sensor in its P40 series in 2020, Oppo in 2014 introduced the Find 7, which was capable of taking 50MP images: this was done using a combination of a 13MP sensor and software that resulted in shots seemingly taken from a 50MP camera.
ARGYLLE
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?
Some facts about bees:
The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer
The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days
A queen bee lives for 3-5 years
This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony
About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive
Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.
Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen
Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids
Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments
Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive, protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts
Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain
Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities
The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes
Is beekeeping dangerous?
As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.
“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
MATCH DETAILS
Barcelona 0
Slavia Prague 0
Voices: How A Great Singer Can Change Your Life
Nick Coleman
Jonathan Cape
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
HOSTS
T20 WORLD CUP
2024: US and West Indies; 2026: India and Sri Lanka; 2028: Australia and New Zealand; 2030: England, Ireland and Scotland
ODI WORLD CUP
2027: South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia; 2031: India and
Bangladesh
CHAMPIONS TROPHY
2025: Pakistan; 2029: India
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:
Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Game is on BeIN Sports
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
Results:
6.30pm: Handicap | US$135,000 (Dirt) | 1,400 metres
Winner: Rodaini, Connor Beasley (jockey), Ahmad bin Harmash (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap | $135,000 (Turf) | 1,200m
Winner: Ekhtiyaar, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson
7.40pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes | Group 3 | $200,000 (T) | 2,000m
Winner: Spotify, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby
8.15pm: UAE Oakes | Group 3 | $250,000 (D) | 1,900m
Winner: Divine Image, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
8.50pm: Zabeel Mile | Group 2 | $250,000 (T) | 1,600m
Winner: Mythical Image, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
9.20pm: Handicap | $135,000 (T) | 1,600m
Winner: Major Partnership, Kevin Stott, Saeed bin Suroor
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Borussia Dortmund v Paderborn (11.30pm)
Saturday
Bayer Leverkusen v SC Freiburg (6.30pm)
Werder Bremen v Schalke (6.30pm)
Union Berlin v Borussia Monchengladbach (6.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Wolfsburg (6.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldof v Bayern Munich (6.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Cologne (9.30pm)
Sunday
Augsburg v Hertha Berlin (6.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Mainz (9pm)
Brief scores:
Toss: Sindhis, elected to field first
Pakhtoons 137-6 (10 ov)
Fletcher 68 not out; Cutting 2-14
Sindhis 129-8 (10 ov)
Perera 47; Sohail 2-18
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
