Solved - NEH 955: Jensen F-type "Esporanda" 1973

[Carnut]

1 point on offer for the Puzzler who knows what this is:

[Carnut]

Experts?

[navara]

This is the Jensen Esporanda, designed by William Towns. Intended as a replacement to the Interceptor. It was an official Jensen project.
But the oil crisis put an end the dream of this getting to production.
Autopuzzles has a link to the Jensen Esporando, not the same car, the esporando, was a privately converted C-V8 designed by Bob Curl, inspired by the Espada.

[del78]

i found it under the name Jensen F-Type Prototype
"The car which was to take over for Jensen FF,
never was to be more than a prototype."

[Carnut]

i found it under the name Jensen F-Type Prototype
"The car which was to take over for Jensen FF,
never was to be more than a prototype."

This is what I have it as too so 1 point to you!

This is the Jensen Esporanda, designed by William Towns. Intended as a replacement to the Interceptor. It was an official Jensen project.
But the oil crisis put an end the dream of this getting to production.
Autopuzzles has a link to the Jensen Esporando, not the same car, the esporando, was a privately converted C-V8 designed by Bob Curl, inspired by the Espada.

I haven't seen the puzzle car referred to as an Esporanda, only as an F-type as del78 correctly said.  I would have locked it for you if yours had been the only reply, but obviously I can't do that!  However, since you clearly knew it was a Jensen, and it does look like a Bill Towns design (one of his most successful ones if indeed it was his), I'll give you a point IF you can show me some proof (by PM perhaps) that it was also called Esporando?

The other Esporando you refer to (which has featured on AP before) is pictured below, and is obviously no relation at all:

[navara]

F type was the prototype code for the car. Esporanda was its registered model name.
to quote from Autocar 5th April 1980 ''Jensen Motors were anxious that a replacement, to be code named the F-type, soon be put in hand. After completion of a prototype program, production was approved, the Esporanda was registered with the SMMT ( society of motor manufacturers and traders) and a launch date was fixed for the 1973 Earls court show.

To quote page 177 of the book 'Jensen' talking about the F type '
Jensen had tentatively registered the name Esporanda for the new model.... '
the author - a well known Jensen expert Keith Anderson!

The other car is Esporando, note the 'o' at the end, replacing the 'a' of the official car.
The Esporando was named as a kind of tribute to the F type Esporanda.

[Carnut]

Fascinating stuff!
Well worth a point..