Many people were dismayed at British Leyland's decision to axe the Austin-Healey 3000.

Not least among them were Donald Healey - the man behind the name - and Kjell Qvale, who had done more than anybody to market British sports cars in the USA and who had enjoyed particular success with the 'Big Healey'.

Adamant that the MGC was no substitute for the venerable Healey, Qvale - the son of a Norwegian sea captain - set about solving the problem himself.

He discovered that the Healey family had been working on the prototype of an all new two-seater sports car and that Jensen (who had produced the bodies for the Healey 3000) was the obvious company to build it.

Aston Martin DBS designer Bill Towns was commissioned to develop the styling and the Jensen-Healey was born.

Power came from the 4-cylinder, 2-litre, twin-cam, Vauxhall-based Lotus 907 engine which drove through the four-speed Chrysler gearbox of the Sunbeam Rapier.

The independent front suspension and live rear axle came court...