Nice Video, I do like Bristol cars. My Dad had a 403 (1954) for years which he was restoring. I seem to remember a wind tunnel test on a 401 or 403 in the late 70s or early 80s (I think) which rated the car in the top 10 most aerodynamic cars in the world. Not bad for a car designed in the early 50s. No door handles outside, just a flat button. It looked like it was doing a 100mph just standing still. and tha lovely old straight 6 engine with its strange valve setup.. Used in Formula 2 I believe
It's sad that Bristol cars are gone. The Blenham was more practical and efficient than most luxury coupes .Ben Samuelson is the younger brother of actress Emma Samms.
I go past this (now defunct) showroom every other day when I walk from Hammersmith to Kensington. It's great to see these cars but the Directors' comments that they sell in a niche market proved their undoing. Shame really but if I come up on the lottery there's a 409 in the window that's mine!
How I'd love a Bristol. Sadly beyond my purchasing power! Oh well, they still give me something to dream about. Style indeed. I'd love a twin headlight 411.
Hi Coolhunting, is there any chance I could use 20 seconds of this video for a documentary on Bristol Cars that i'm currently cutting together? You'd be credited of course
First, Bristols are discreet, contrary to Royce, Benz, and the like. The Fighter is quite an exception. There is some kind of sports in bigger German Cities to set luxury cars afire by placing a lit grill igniter on every tire. You have about 15 minutes to go away undetected. A Blenheim may be a better choice.
A Blenheim is a better choice simply for the fact that is a classic drivers car in the most sincere sense of the term. It comes without all of the interfering technologies and gimmickry such as traction control, sports buttons, power buttons, drift buttons [pfft], etc. etc. Nor did Bristol indulge in technology for technology's sake å la BMW and Mercedes- Benz, with their array of sensors and onboard computers. So while BMW was seminal in terms of the development of Bristol as a car manufacturer, unlike BMW, Bristol is still true to form when it comes to making cars for people who demand a drivers' car.
"the only manufacturer in the world that still hand-builds cars" Hmm, not sure that that's true. I do find these cars quite charming but I can't imagine that they can get anywhere close to the current crop of exec/luxury cars from Bentley, Jaguar, Merc. etc. because their development budget will be many hundreds of millions of pounds.
They should've offered their turbocharger for the Chrysler 360 as a parts kit - it would've wound up under the hoods of any number of Dusters, police Diplomats and Dodge pickups.
The fighter is 250,000 pounds, or like $400,000. You can get a lamborghini murcielago SV which is very hand built for that much. Check out the special of the lambo factory. Or check out a rolls royce factory tour... i bet lambos and rolls royce are as hand built as these things are.
omegaslast yep! you are right! But, can you use a Lamborghini, Rolls Royce, Ferrari, etc. for daily use? Meanwhile RR, and the sportscar are for a flamboyant market, Bristol are for a specific discret market that no matter how it is cost, but has in their hands a good quality car that represent you very well. It's like compare hand made special editions of Nike or Converse shoes with a unknown but very exquisit brand of hand made "mocasino leather" shoes
Tony Crook totally mismanaged this company, failing to invest in development and showing snobbery and introversion when it came to cultivating a customer base. It's little wonder that the company folded.
This is so wrong. The company folded because of the huge development cost of the new Fighter, which Bristol customers were not interested in. Mr Crook kept the company going for 50 years, when all about him were going bust (remember Jensen, Aston Aston Martin, British Leyland, Rolls-Royce etc etc).
I totally agree and the accusation he mismanaged the company is absurd. The majority of businesses fail within 5 years. And in the following 5 years, of those left, the majority of those fail too. Tony Crook ran Bristol for 50 years, and then it failed after managerial control was given over to others, in, it should be said, a sector that has become staggeringly demanding and complex in the last 20 years. Whilst his management style was, clearly, unusual, it was effective.
Mr Crook was well and truly out of the picture by the time the organisation failed. He had sold his ownership stake in Bristol many years prior and due to a rupture in internal relations, was no longer involved as an employee either.
Blenheim: What an ugly 70's thing. Stop the production now please. Fighter: Cool car. Could need a facelift though... Just the face. New model?: A 4 door "2005 Quattroporte meets 2005 Jag XJ" sort of car would fit brilliant.
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I find Bristol fascinating. Heart breaking there no longer around.
loved these cars ever since I saw one as a kid in the 60's. gorgeous cars
You HAVE to love Bristol Cars. May they keep on living in the past untill the end of time!
Nice Video, I do like Bristol cars. My Dad had a 403 (1954) for years which he was restoring. I seem to remember a wind tunnel test on a 401 or 403 in the late 70s or early 80s (I think) which rated the car in the top 10 most aerodynamic cars in the world. Not bad for a car designed in the early 50s. No door handles outside, just a flat button. It looked like it was doing a 100mph just standing still. and tha lovely old straight 6 engine with its strange valve setup.. Used in Formula 2 I believe
This, to me, is what car ownership (at its best) is all about. The only other manufacturer that measures up, in this respect, is probably Morgan.
Fascinating...especially the Blenheim. A real classic. Congrats and wishing them bright future.
It's sad that Bristol cars are gone. The Blenham was more practical and efficient than most luxury coupes .Ben Samuelson is the younger brother of actress Emma Samms.
I go past this (now defunct) showroom every other day when I walk from Hammersmith to Kensington. It's great to see these cars but the Directors' comments that they sell in a niche market proved their undoing. Shame really but if I come up on the lottery there's a 409 in the window that's mine!
How I'd love a Bristol. Sadly beyond my purchasing power! Oh well, they still give me something to dream about. Style indeed. I'd love a twin headlight 411.
Leno has a Bristol 403 in his garage. . The early Bristol models are stunning,-built to WW II aircraft standards..
The first Bristols clearly show their pedigree to the german prewar BMWs !
I don't know why but I have this great admiration and respect for Mr Crook even though not a massive fan of his cars
I want a Bristol.
I love that blue series 6
Hi Coolhunting, is there any chance I could use 20 seconds of this video for a documentary on Bristol Cars that i'm currently cutting together? You'd be credited of course
@karmachasescathy
I agree. I'm amazed they existed for so long when far more innovative manafacturers have long gone out of business. Truly a relic.
なんともいえない良い味が出てる、上品な高級車。イギリスならではですね。
Remember the purple Bristol 405 in the 2018 movie " Phantom Thread "
First, Bristols are discreet, contrary to Royce, Benz, and the like. The Fighter is quite an exception. There is some kind of sports in bigger German Cities to set luxury cars afire by placing a lit grill igniter on every tire. You have about 15 minutes to go away undetected. A Blenheim may be a better choice.
A Blenheim is a better choice simply for the fact that is a classic drivers car in the most sincere sense of the term. It comes without all of the interfering technologies and gimmickry such as traction control, sports buttons, power buttons, drift buttons [pfft], etc. etc. Nor did Bristol indulge in technology for technology's sake å la BMW and Mercedes- Benz, with their array of sensors and onboard computers. So while BMW was seminal in terms of the development of Bristol as a car manufacturer, unlike BMW, Bristol is still true to form when it comes to making cars for people who demand a drivers' car.
THE 411 SERIES 6 IS MY FAV
Where did they build them? Did they actually assemble them in Kensington too?
Bristol were made in Bristol UK
stephen weblin
Thank you Stephen,
+stephen weblin Filton, to be exact.
"the only manufacturer in the world that still hand-builds cars"
Hmm, not sure that that's true.
I do find these cars quite charming but I can't imagine that they can get anywhere close to the current crop of exec/luxury cars from Bentley, Jaguar, Merc. etc. because their development budget will be many hundreds of millions of pounds.
i just uploaded some video pictures of my Bristol 411 Series 3 in San Francisco.
I've tried pasting the link here but says error.
That's sad,would be nice to see.
@HighCrystal Bristol have gone then??
Love it
@HighCrystal I DIDN'T know....thanks for the reply.
no video of a bristol blenheim on youtube??
I want one!
0:22 i sooo want that car.
They should've offered their turbocharger for the Chrysler 360 as a parts kit - it would've wound up under the hoods of any number of Dusters, police Diplomats and Dodge pickups.
Unfortunately, they have "done the Saab" some years ago.
@Dav123xyz No the Showrooms still operating and they have 4 cars there, but as you know the company went into administration.
where is this shop ? street ?
The fighter is 250,000 pounds, or like $400,000. You can get a lamborghini murcielago SV which is very hand built for that much. Check out the special of the lambo factory. Or check out a rolls royce factory tour... i bet lambos and rolls royce are as hand built as these things are.
omegaslast yep! you are right! But, can you use a Lamborghini, Rolls Royce, Ferrari, etc. for daily use? Meanwhile RR, and the sportscar are for a flamboyant market, Bristol are for a specific discret market that no matter how it is cost, but has in their hands a good quality car that represent you very well. It's like compare hand made special editions of Nike or Converse shoes with a unknown but very exquisit brand of hand made "mocasino leather" shoes
It's Kensington High Street, I believe.
I miss spelled Blenheim.
Lottery win.....
Tony Crook totally mismanaged this company, failing to invest in development and showing snobbery and introversion when it came to cultivating a customer base. It's little wonder that the company folded.
This is so wrong. The company folded because of the huge development cost of the new Fighter, which Bristol customers were not interested in. Mr Crook kept the company going for 50 years, when all about him were going bust (remember Jensen, Aston Aston Martin, British Leyland, Rolls-Royce etc etc).
I totally agree and the accusation he mismanaged the company is absurd. The majority of businesses fail within 5 years. And in the following 5 years, of those left, the majority of those fail too. Tony Crook ran Bristol for 50 years, and then it failed after managerial control was given over to others, in, it should be said, a sector that has become staggeringly demanding and complex in the last 20 years. Whilst his management style was, clearly, unusual, it was effective.
Mr Crook was well and truly out of the picture by the time the organisation failed. He had sold his ownership stake in Bristol many years prior and due to a rupture in internal relations, was no longer involved as an employee either.
they went bust in 2011
Blenheim: What an ugly 70's thing. Stop the production now please.
Fighter: Cool car. Could need a facelift though... Just the face.
New model?: A 4 door "2005 Quattroporte meets 2005 Jag XJ" sort of car would fit brilliant.