Bristol
(1946 - 2002)
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United Kingdom
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Today, the addition of replica has something disreputable about it, especially when it comes to classic cars. In 1932 it was quite different, promising entry into a world of motorsport as a more or less exact copy of a winner - like the Frazer Nash with chain drive. It was a quaint bird even then, but offered tangible advantages in races and long-distance driving.
When Bristol presented its own "400" sports saloon at the Geneva Motor Show in 1947, some observers still felt that the lines lacked a certain elegance. This is where external coachbuilders stepped into the breach, first and foremost Pinin Farina, who gave the 400 chassis a handsome cabriolet body, similar to those used by Alfa Romeo or Lancia. Only a few of these special bodies were produced, the first of which was exhibited at the Geneva Motor Show in 1948. This report portrays the 1947 Bristol 400 with Pininfarina bodywork and goes into its history.
In 1951, the Beutler brothers exhibited a convertible based on the Bristol 401 at the Geneva Motor Show. The one-off with its pontoon lines has survived to this day and is in excellent health. This report portrays the over 60-year-old special bodywork and shows the car and its siblings in historical photographs.
It's not every day that a rare British classic is discovered in a barn and pulled out into the light of day. In the case of the Bristol 401, this rediscovery is a very special experience, as only just under 600 of these streamlined cars were built between 1949 and 1953. They combined Italian design, German engine construction and British carmaking and were among the most expensive passenger cars of the time. This report shows the rescued Bristol 401 in many pictures and tells the story of the car type, supplemented by numerous historical photographs and the sales literature of the time.
With luck and perseverance, Stanley Harold Arnolt had become a millionaire. As part of his various activities, he helped Bertone, first building sports cars with an MG chassis and engine, and later with a Bristol 404 chassis. The Arnolt-Bristol cars even achieved sporting success. This report summarizes the history of these cars and includes historical pictures and the original brochure of the Arnolt Bristol.
Like Aston Martin or Morgan, Bristol is one of the small English sports and luxury car companies that still exist today. The Bristol brand vehicles were mainly aimed at wealthy business people. The first designs were still based on BMW design principles, later the engines were sourced from Chrysler. This brand history provides an overview of the models produced up to the present day and shows many of them in over 120 pictures and eight sales brochures, including those of coachbuilders Beutler and Zagato.
From 1969 to 1976, Bristol built just 287 examples of the Type 411 and modified so much that one could speak of five different series. Although "series" is certainly the wrong word for these elaborately hand-built coupés. Tradition was important, no wonder the design of the Bristol 411 dated back to 1957, when the Type 406 was introduced. However, performance increased by a factor of 3.5 during this time, and a few years ago, 411 owners were even able to bring their cars back to the factory for an "upgrade". This driving report is about a 1973 Series 3 model and shows it in current photos as well as the entire model history in historical photos and sales literature.
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All 26 Bristol models
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