Bristol Cars is a manufacturer of hand-built luxury cars headquartered in
PatchwayPatchway is a town in South Gloucestershire, England, situated northwest of central Bristol. The town is a housing overflow for Bristol being contiguous to Bristol's urban area, and is often regarded as a large outer suburb. Nearby are the other Bristol satellite towns of Filton and Bradley Stoke....
, near
BristolBristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, United Kingdom. Bristol have always been a low-volume manufacturer; the most recent published official production figures were for 1982, which stated that 104 cars were produced in that year. While no official figures have been produced since then it is believed that in recent years production has been around 20 cars per annum.
Unlike most speciality automakers, Bristol does not court publicity and has only one showroom, located on
Kensington High StreetKensington High Street is the main shopping street in Kensington, west London. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
in
LondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
(51.49670833°N 0.206225°W). Nevertheless the company maintains an enthusiastic and loyal clientele.
The company suspended manufacturing in March 2011, when administrators were appointed and 22 staff were made redundant.
In April 2011, the company was purchased by
Kamkorp AutokraftKamkorp is a British-Swiss holding company owned by UK-based Indian businessman Kamal Siddiqi.It owns Frazer-Nash Research, a UK-based company that develops electric and hybrid vehicle powertrain technologies...
.
History
The history of Bristol Cars began in 1945, with the end of
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Forecasting an excess labour capacity, the
Bristol Aeroplane CompanyThe Bristol Aeroplane Company, originally the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, was both one of the first and one of the most important British aviation companies, designing and manufacturing both airframes and aero engines...
(BAC) began working with AFN Ltd, makers of Frazer Nash cars and British importer of BMWs before the war, on plans for a joint venture in automotive manufacture. By July 1945 BAC had created a Car Division and bought a controlling stake in AFN. Originally a division of this airplane maker Bristol Cars was sold after its parent joined with other British airplane companies in 1960 to create the British Aircraft Corporation, which later became part of
British AerospaceBritish Aerospace plc was a UK aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer. Its head office was in the Warwick House in the Farnborough Aerospace Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire...
. A factory was established at Filton Aerodrome, near Bristol.
Pre-war BMW designs
HJ Aldington, a director of the Bristol Aeroplane Company affiliated AFN (BMW's pre-war concessionaire in the UK), used his
British ArmyThe British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
connections to visit the bombed
BMWBayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
factory in
MunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
several times post-war. In 1945 he took plans for BMW cars back to Britain. A BMW chief engineer, Dr.
Fritz FiedlerFritz Fiedler , a qualified engineer, joined the BMW firm in 1932 as chief designer at the age of 32 after working for Horch, designed 8 cylinder and 12 cylinder cars. Working with Fiedler was Rudolf Schleicher, who had joined Horch in 1927 after being at BMW on their motorcycle design team...
, was also given employment. Its first car was the
Bristol 400The Bristol 400 luxury car is the first automotive product of the British Bristol Aeroplane Company. After World War II, BAC decided to diversify and formed a car division, which would later be the Bristol Cars company in its own right...
, prototyped in 1946 and introduced at the 1947 Geneva Motor Show. Derived from immediately pre-WW2 BMW products (thanks to a connection to BMW through
Frazer NashFrazer Nash was a British sports car manufacturer and engineering company founded by Archibald Frazer-Nash in 1922. It produced sports cars incorporating a unique multi-chain transmission before World War II and also imported BMW cars to the UK. After the war it continued producing sports cars with...
), the engine and
chassisA chassis consists of an internal framework that supports a man-made object. It is analogous to an animal's skeleton. An example of a chassis is the underpart of a motor vehicle, consisting of the frame with the wheels and machinery.- Vehicles :In the case of vehicles, the term chassis means the...
were based on the
BMW 326The BMW 326 is a relatively rapid medium sized sedan produced by the Bavarian firm between 1936 and 1941, and again briefly after 1945. It had an innovative design and sold well despite its relatively high price...
, the engine on the
328The BMW 328 is a sports car made by BMW between 1936 and 1940, with the body design credited to Peter Szymanowski, who became BMW chief of design after World War II ....
, and the body on the
327The BMW 327 is a medium sized touring coupé produced by the Bavarian firm between 1937 and 1941, and again produced after 1945. It sat on a shortened version of the BMW 326 chassis.-Launch:...
. Even a variation on the famous double-kidney BMW grille was retained. Bristol, however, did a thoroughgoing examination of the car's handling and ended up with performance "only matched by outright purpose-built competition cars". 700 of the Bristol 400 were built, with 17 receiving "handsome" convertible bodywork from
PininfarinaPininfarina S.p.A. is an Italian car design firm and coachbuilder in Cambiano, Italy.Founded as Società anonima Carrozzeria Pinin Farina in 1930 by automobile designer and builder Battista "Pinin" Farina, Pininfarina has been employed by a wide variety of high-end automobile manufacturers,...
.
In 1949, the 400 was joined by the five-place
401The Bristol 401 saloon and Bristol 402 cabriolet are British luxury sporting cars, produced by the Bristol Aeroplane Co. between 1948 and 1953. They were the successors to the initial Bristol 400....
. Bodied by
TouringCarrozzeria Touring is an automobile coachbuilder established on March 25, 1926 in Milan, Italy by Felice Bianchi Anderloni and Gaetano Ponzoni...
, it was
aerodynamicallyAerodynamics is a branch of dynamics concerned with studying the motion of air, particularly when it interacts with a moving object. Aerodynamics is a subfield of fluid dynamics and gas dynamics, with much theory shared between them. Aerodynamics is often used synonymously with gas dynamics, with...
sleeker, accelerated better, and had higher top speed. It was joined by the
dropheadA convertible is a type of automobile in which the roof can retract and fold away having windows which wind-down inside the doors, converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle...
402The Bristol 401 saloon and Bristol 402 cabriolet are British luxury sporting cars, produced by the Bristol Aeroplane Co. between 1948 and 1953. They were the successors to the initial Bristol 400....
, of which just 24 examples were built.
The
403The Bristol 403 is a luxury car which was produced between 1953 and 1955 by British manufacturer Bristol Aeroplane Co. . The 403 was the third of the eventual five series of Bristols powered by the BMW-derived pushrod straight-six engine...
followed in 1953, which featured improved brakes,
gearboxA machine consists of a power source and a power transmission system, which provides controlled application of the power. Merriam-Webster defines transmission as: an assembly of parts including the speed-changing gears and the propeller shaft by which the power is transmitted from an engine to a...
,
damperA shock absorber is a mechanical device designed to smooth out or damp shock impulse, and dissipate kinetic energy. It is a type of dashpot.-Nomenclature:...
s, heater, and engine (a detuned racing motor, in fact). Bristol would use this same engine in the
450The Bristol Type 450 was a successful sports car racing prototype model, designed in 1953 by Bristol Cars and based on the abortive ERA G-type Formula Two car of 1952. Although most sources state that only three 450s were built, photographic evidence suggests that at least four were in existence at...
, entered at
Le MansThe 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
in 1953; it broke its experimental crankshaft, but despite being less than aerodynamically ideal proved fully five seconds a lap quicker than the competition. Bristol withdrew from racing two years later.
Along with the 403 was the 404, on a shorter
wheelbaseIn both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels.- Road :In automobiles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the center of the front wheel and the center of the rear wheel...
, with more powerful engine and styling reminiscent of the 450. The 404 introduced a concealed front
wingFender is the US English term for the part of an automobile, motorcycle or other vehicle body that frames a wheel well . Its primary purpose is to prevent sand, mud, rocks, liquids, and other road spray from being thrown into the air by the rotating tire. Fenders are typically rigid and can be...
-mounted spare wheel and battery. It was built to extremely exacting standards, and the price reflected it; this, plus newly-introduced "punative taxation", meant only 40 were produced.
The 405, which entered production in 1954, was much more successful, not least for being Bristol's only four-door. It remained in production until 1958, with 297 saloons and 43 drophead
coupéA coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time...
s produced in all.
Bristol debuted the
406The Bristol 406 was a luxury car produced between 1958 and 1961 by British manufacturer Bristol Aeroplane Co....
in 1958, and it remained in production until 1961. Its replacement, the
407The Bristol 407 was a luxury car produced by British manufacturer Bristol Cars between 1961 and 1963. It was the first Bristol model to be made under the present administration after their separation from Bristol Aeroplane Co., which had built all previous Bristol models.Outwardly it resembled the...
, was powered by a 5.2 litre
V8A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
provided by Chrysler of Canada.
It was followed in 1963 by the
408The Bristol 408 is a British luxury car made by Bristol Cars between 1963 and 1966. Unusually for Bristol, a slightly revised version was launched during the middle of the model's production run in 1965 and known as the 408 Mark II....
, with drastic restyling as well as improved suspension. This was succeeded by the
409The Bristol 409 was the third series of cars from British manufacturer Bristol Cars powered by Chrysler V8 engines. It was actually introduced before the older Bristol 408 went out of production and only gradually supplanted that model after a year....
. Many buyers preferred the crisp steering and gearbox of the earlier six-cylinder cars.
The
410The Bristol 410 was the fourth series of Chrysler V8-engined models from British manufacturer Bristol Cars. It was the last Bristol to use the 5.2 litre engine originally found in the Bristol 407....
, introduced in 1966, was a return to the high-performance touring tradition, offering the same top speed as the 409, and superior acceleration, with the same powerplant. It also saw Bristol become a private company and marked a return to quality to the exclusion of output: no more than three cars a week were to be made.
In 1969, the
Bristol 411The Bristol 411 is a car which was built by the British manufacturer Bristol Cars. It was the fifth series of Chrysler V8 engined Bristol models....
appeared, with a new 6.2 litre Chrysler V8 (still rebuilt and modified by Bristol, as before) granting higher top speed and better acceleration still.
Engines
Until 1961, all Bristol cars used derivatives of a six-cylinder BMW engine. This well-regarded engine also powered a number of sports and racing cars, including all post-war Frazer Nashes (apart from a few prototypes), some
ACAC Cars Group Ltd. formerly known as Auto Carriers Ltd. is a British specialist automobile manufacturer and one of the oldest independent car marques founded in Britain...
s, some
LotusLotus Cars is a British manufacturer of sports and racing cars based at the former site of RAF Hethel, a World War II airfield in Norfolk. The company designs and builds race and production automobiles of light weight and fine handling characteristics...
and
CooperThe Cooper Car Company was founded in 1946 by Charles Cooper and his son John Cooper. Together with John's boyhood friend, Eric Brandon, they began by building racing cars in Charles' small garage in Surbiton, Surrey, England in 1946...
racing cars, and several others.
In 1961, with the launch of the
Bristol 407The Bristol 407 was a luxury car produced by British manufacturer Bristol Cars between 1961 and 1963. It was the first Bristol model to be made under the present administration after their separation from Bristol Aeroplane Co., which had built all previous Bristol models.Outwardly it resembled the...
, the company switched to larger
Chrysler V8The LA engines are a family of pushrod OHV 90° V-block gasoline engines built by Chrysler Corporation and factory-installed in passenger vehicles, trucks and vans, commercial vehicles, marine and industrial applications from 1964 through 2003...
engines, which were more suitable for the increasingly heavy cars. All post-1961 Bristols, including the latest Blenheim and Fighter models, use Chrysler engines.
Bankruptcy and purchase
On 3 March 2011, it was announced Bristol Cars has gone into administration, with the immediate loss of 22 jobs.
On 21 April 2011, the company was purchased by the
KamkorpKamkorp is a British-Swiss holding company owned by UK-based Indian businessman Kamal Siddiqi.It owns Frazer-Nash Research, a UK-based company that develops electric and hybrid vehicle powertrain technologies...
Group, which also owns electric vehicle drivetrain company Frazer-Nash Research.
BMW-engined cars
- Type 400
The Bristol 400 luxury car is the first automotive product of the British Bristol Aeroplane Company. After World War II, BAC decided to diversify and formed a car division, which would later be the Bristol Cars company in its own right...
(1946–1950)
- Type 401
The Bristol 401 saloon and Bristol 402 cabriolet are British luxury sporting cars, produced by the Bristol Aeroplane Co. between 1948 and 1953. They were the successors to the initial Bristol 400....
(1948–1953)
- Type 402 (1949–1950)
- Type 403
The Bristol 403 is a luxury car which was produced between 1953 and 1955 by British manufacturer Bristol Aeroplane Co. . The 403 was the third of the eventual five series of Bristols powered by the BMW-derived pushrod straight-six engine...
(1953–1955)
- Type 404 (1953–1955)
- Type 404X Arnolt Bristol (1954–1958)
- Type 405
The Bristol 404 and Bristol 405 were British luxury cars manufactured by Bristol Aeroplane Co., whose car division later became Bristol Cars. The models were successors to the Bristol 403 built between 1953 and 1958....
(1954–1958)
- Type 406
The Bristol 406 was a luxury car produced between 1958 and 1961 by British manufacturer Bristol Aeroplane Co....
(1958–1961)
- Type 450
The Bristol Type 450 was a successful sports car racing prototype model, designed in 1953 by Bristol Cars and based on the abortive ERA G-type Formula Two car of 1952. Although most sources state that only three 450s were built, photographic evidence suggests that at least four were in existence at...
(1953–1955)
Chrysler-engined cars
- Type 407
The Bristol 407 was a luxury car produced by British manufacturer Bristol Cars between 1961 and 1963. It was the first Bristol model to be made under the present administration after their separation from Bristol Aeroplane Co., which had built all previous Bristol models.Outwardly it resembled the...
(1961–1963)
- Type 408
The Bristol 408 is a British luxury car made by Bristol Cars between 1963 and 1966. Unusually for Bristol, a slightly revised version was launched during the middle of the model's production run in 1965 and known as the 408 Mark II....
(1963–1965)
- Type 409
The Bristol 409 was the third series of cars from British manufacturer Bristol Cars powered by Chrysler V8 engines. It was actually introduced before the older Bristol 408 went out of production and only gradually supplanted that model after a year....
(1965–1967)
- Type 410
The Bristol 410 was the fourth series of Chrysler V8-engined models from British manufacturer Bristol Cars. It was the last Bristol to use the 5.2 litre engine originally found in the Bristol 407....
(1967–1969)
- Type 411
The Bristol 411 is a car which was built by the British manufacturer Bristol Cars. It was the fifth series of Chrysler V8 engined Bristol models....
(1969–1976)
- Type 412
The Bristol 412 is a car which was built by British manufacturer Bristol Cars.-First model:Along with the Bristol 603, it was one of two concurrent successors to the long-serving 411 that had carried Bristol Cars through from the late 1960s to the late 1970s...
/Beaufighter (1975–1993)
- Type 603
The Bristol Type 603 is a car which was launched in 1976, by British manufacturer Bristol Cars to replace the 411.With the 603 – introduced along with the Zagato-built 412 – the Bristol car underwent its first major facelift since the introduction of the 406 in the late 1950s...
(1976–1982)
- Britannia/Brigand (1982–1993)
- Blenheim (1993–present)
- Blenheim 2
- Blenheim 3, 3S and 3G
- Blenheim 4
- Series 6 (2000–present)
- Blenheim Roadster/Speedster (2003–present)
- Fighter
The Bristol Fighter is a British sports car, manufactured by Bristol Cars in small numbers from 2004, and described by commentators as a supercar....
(2004–present)
External links