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MG MGA - The SAINT (TV Show form the 60's)

OK, this has nothing to do with A's, but does involve the non-use of a British car in a British TV show. By chance, I recently watched the very first episode of the The Saint, released in 1962, starring a pre-Bond Roger Moore; it also featured a pre-Bond Shirley Eaton! I remember watching it as a kid and loved the Volvo P1800, but it never struck me as odd, until now that is, as to why a British TV show, set in England, would resolve to using a Volvo when they had a long list of eligible British cars to use. I've not found anything on-line; anyone out there who may shed a bit of light on this question?
Nick Kopernik

Well, in fact the Saint's Volvo was British, as it was manufactured by Jensen in West-Bromwich. See https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_P1800
Rutger Booy

From a recent thread on the midget BBS, apparently Jaguar were inundated with requests for car 'placements', so weren't interested.

As Rutger said, the early P1800 was made in West Brom.

The later P1800S was made in Sweden.
Dave O'Neill 2

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2429701/1962-Volvo-driven-Roger-Moore-The-Saint-rotting-away-22-years-ago-road.html

IBM
I B Morris

Gentlemen, thank you; mystery solved!
Nick Kopernik

Apparently Volvo were not happy with the standard of workmanship Jensen provided with their P1800 cars and took the building of the P1800 back. It is only the early "bull horn" style front bumper bar cars that were built by Jensen. The later straight style front bumper cars were built by Volvo.
Judging by what we found, ex-factory, under the paint in my Jensen Interceptor III that I ran for a number of years, I can understand Volvo's concerns. I'd be happy to elaborate on some of the (Interceptor) issues we found if anyone might be interested.
T Aczel

I understand that the James Bond car was to be a Jaguar E Type, but the producers got a cool reception from Jaguar whereas Aston Martin were only too happy to oblige. I wonder where Aston would be today without 007?

Matthew.
M Magilton

This thread was discussed between 27/07/2015 and 28/07/2015

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