Bristol cars in administration...

[Dieselman]

VW spend £300million plus to sort the Bugatti Veyron, while Bristol build the Fighter for two shillings and sixpence. Typical Germans, all that over-engineering....

What a coup it would have been to have actually outgunned the Veyron...


Rock on Tommy..

 

[MOCAŠ]

With luck they'll set up a Bristol servicing/restoration independent. Most of the money was coming from that anyway I believe.

I hope so, but one of their key strengths was in being able to offer a factory restoration service, much like Aston Martin do (did?) at Newport Pagnell. If the factory and its workforce is sacrificed, that service would be irrevocably diminished.

 

[MOCAŠ]

There are, but they cost 4x as much.

Name them.

If we're talking about range of abilities, what other car offers similar (potential) performance, combined with the ability to cover over 500 miles on a single tank; accommodate drivers up to 6' 7"; hatchback-style luggage capacity (able to take the obligatory pair of golf bags); and city-friendly ground clearance and turning circle.

 

[Burger]

I wonder how the car handles at 225mph? I wonder if it's relaxing, given a straight road, or if in fact it's terrifying and requires a nerves of steel with a death grip on the steering wheel to prevent it slewing off the road? It's a not a car I know anything about, so on that basis, it's not such a daft thing to wonder about I hope. Anyone here driven one?

 

[MOCAŠ]

I wonder how the car handles at 225mph? I wonder if it's relaxing, given a straight road, or if in fact it's terrifying and requires a nerves of steel with a death grip on the steering wheel to prevent it slewing off the road? It's a not a car I know anything about, so on that basis, it's not such a daft thing to wonder about I hope. Anyone here driven one?

For the past 30 years or so Bristol have staunchly refused to let the press (motoring or otherwise) test - or even drive - their cars. Clarkson once did a write-up on the Blenheim 3G, where the car was delviered to him but he was not allowed to have the keys. All he was allowed to do was assess its static qualities (about which he was rather scathing).

In fact, when Autocar carried a drive report on the Bristol Fighter V10S (not the T), they had to borrow the car from owner Simon Draper. No top speed run, but they endorsed the 4-second 0-60 time and described the performance as "simply immense".

 

[219]

I hope so, but one of their key strengths was in being able to offer a factory restoration service, much like Aston Martin do (did?) at Newport Pagnell.

If they have deep enough pockets , Mercedes-Benz owners can also avail themselves of this facility .

Although not widely advertised , M-B have a restoration facility in Stuttgart ( primarily restoring historically significant cars for their own museum ) . They restore cars for sale via the Oldtimer Centre , and will also undertake work on behalf of customers .

 

[nick mercedes]

VW spend £300million plus to sort the Bugatti Veyron, while Bristol build the Fighter for two shillings and sixpence. Typical Germans, all that over-engineering....

Apparantly Bristol only managed to sell 20 a year, so not much scope for blowing hundreds of millions on development.

I was more saddened to see TVR get run into the ground, still amazes me that someone could destroy a company like that so quickly.

 

[Charles Morgan]

Quite Nick - my point on the Bristol is that if capable as claimed, I'd rather it were put together by someone who did spend a fortune on developing it, rather than a couple of men with pipes and a pot of tea. I believe the Fighter doesn't have ABS or traction control even. A car for men much braver than me.

 

[MOCAŠ]

Quite Nick - my point on the Bristol is that if capable as claimed, I'd rather it were put together by someone who did spend a fortune on developing it, rather than a couple of men with pipes and a pot of tea. I believe the Fighter doesn't have ABS or traction control even. A car for men much braver than me.

At least, until you've been on your course, eh?

 

[Charles Morgan]

Half an hour in a Fiesta round Thruxton and I'll be up for it....

 

[MOCAŠ]

Half an hour in a Fiesta round Thruxton and I'll be up for it....

Back in the Seventies I bought a copy of Fiesta to read about Ford's new hatchback, but it was full of Bristols...

 

[Charles Morgan]

I hear that googling Escorts gives you a similar problem. Weird when you think Bristols are powered by Chrysler engines.

 

[MOCAŠ]

I hear that googling Escorts gives you a similar problem. Weird when you think Bristols are powered by Chrysler engines.

And then there's The Sun's page three girl, Tina, whose charms often elicit the reaction, Cor! Tina!

Er, I'll get my dirty mac...

 

[markjay]

Escorts? Only a hustler or a playboy parties in a Mayfair penthouse, a true gent will avoid all this high society razzle and join a men only club where he can act the naughty knave in private.

 

[MOCAŠ]

Escorts? Only a hustler or a playboy parties in a Mayfair penthouse, a true gent will avoid all this high society razzle and join a men only club where he can act the naughty knave in private.

I think Charles and I have been comprehensively out-stashed there.

 

[Charles Morgan]

And then there's The Sun's page three girl, Tina, whose charms often elicit the reaction, Cor! Tina!

Er, I'll get my dirty mac...

As the sands of time flow into the hourglass of innuendo, we are starting to resemble a cross between Frankie Howerd and I'm sorry I haven't got a clue. We need to stop, get out in the fresh air, countryside - murdering Piers Morgan has to be therapeutic....

 

[MOCAŠ]

murdering Piers Morgan has to be therapeutic....

Your long-lost brother, perchance?

 

[tagnut]

murdering Piers Morgan has to be therapeutic....

And a net benefit to everyone other than Piers Morgan

 

[Charles Morgan]

I would have been in for fratricide in that case.

There are too many Morgans in the world to whom I am not related (ones with lots of dosh, port or rum producers or carmakers), so it would very cruel to find out there was some relationship to him.

 

[MOCAŠ]

As the sands of time flow into the hourglass of innuendo, we are starting to resemble a cross between Frankie Howerd and I'm sorry I haven't got a clue.

Actually, dragging this thread back on-topic, I wonder whether Humph ever ran a Bristol? If his eccentric taste in bespoke houses was anything to go by, I wouldn't rule it out.

(Waits for someone to suggest he'd surely have gone for a Honda Jazz...)