A RARE sports car – one of just 250 on the road – is set to go under the hammer and fetch up to £15,000 at auction.

The 1973 Jensen Interceptor Mark III in “metallic cerise” with a beige interior will be up for auction next week at Stacey’s Auctioneers in Rayleigh.

It was hand-built at Jensen’s Kelvin Way Factory in West Bromwich.

Stacey’s Auctioneers will be putting it up for auction on April 23, and currently have a guide price of £10,000 to £15,000.

The car has been stored in a garage for more than 20 years and is one of the last hand built Jensens.

Paul Stacey, a specialist at Stacey’s Auctioneers, said: “This 1973 Jensen Interceptor Mark III is an especially rare car as there are only approximately 250 left on Britain’s roads.

“It is one of the last of the hand built Jensens to leave their West Bromwich factory.

“The car has survived in amazing condition having been garage-stored for over 20 years.”

The auction will be on Tuesday, April 23, from 10am, which is part of an upcoming two-day sale of antiques and collectables.

Bosses say that the Grand Tourer is in “very good condition” and has been “running well”.

It has also had very few miles over the last few years, with the last MOT mileage recorded at 87,000.

A spokesman for Stacey’s Auctioneers adds: “The car was first registered on 7/11/1973.

“It has lots of history, old MOT with a good audit of genuine mileage repair receipts, V5, a Statement of Origin and more.”

Jensen had fallen on hard times by 1975, owing to the then worldwide recession, and to problems with its Jensen-Healey sports car.

The company was placed into receivership, and the receivers allowed production to continue until the available cache of parts was exhausted.

Production of the Interceptor ended in 1976.

Visit https://www.staceyauction.com/Auction-Detail_367312