Bristol Blenheim 3 - What's it all about?

[funk odyssey]

LHDisbest said:

Stack said:

I read an article not so long ago on Bristol - it may have been in Evo can't quite remember.

There was a few anecdotes such as.

Toby Silverton ones bought staff members some pipes , so if a journo looked in the window they would pretend to be puffing away in the showroom to live up to their English eccentric image.

Once a Tramp entered the showroom with an assortment of carrier bags - he asked Bristol if they could make a car in in colour of his favourite battered old cooking pan. Once they said yes the "tramp" then took around £50K out of another carrier bag as a deposit - apparantly the chap was a leading Austrailian Industrialist who hated snobbery & it was his little test.

The showroom's exterior sign saying "Bristol Cars" regularly malfunctions - Bristol do not mind as they have a little game to see what words may appear eg P istol Cars & so it remains unfixed for long periods of time.

That was Richard Porter in EVO. I liked that he prefered the Bristol Fighter to the Spyker.

I mean, how many cars have an engine hours meter like a plane?

or a tractor!

[LHDisbest]

funk odyssey said:

LHDisbest said:

Stack said:

I read an article not so long ago on Bristol - it may have been in Evo can't quite remember.

There was a few anecdotes such as.

Toby Silverton ones bought staff members some pipes , so if a journo looked in the window they would pretend to be puffing away in the showroom to live up to their English eccentric image.

Once a Tramp entered the showroom with an assortment of carrier bags - he asked Bristol if they could make a car in in colour of his favourite battered old cooking pan. Once they said yes the "tramp" then took around £50K out of another carrier bag as a deposit - apparantly the chap was a leading Austrailian Industrialist who hated snobbery & it was his little test.

The showroom's exterior sign saying "Bristol Cars" regularly malfunctions - Bristol do not mind as they have a little game to see what words may appear eg P istol Cars & so it remains unfixed for long periods of time.

That was Richard Porter in EVO. I liked that he prefered the Bristol Fighter to the Spyker.

I mean, how many cars have an engine hours meter like a plane?

or a tractor!

Well Porsche and Lambourghini have made tractors.

[XitUp]

LHDisbest said:

Well Porsche and Lambourghini have made tractors.

Lambo still do.

(Although it's not a seperate company to the cars)

[Dr Jekyll]

LHDisbest said:

funk odyssey said:

LHDisbest said:

Stack said:

I read an article not so long ago on Bristol - it may have been in Evo can't quite remember.

There was a few anecdotes such as.

Toby Silverton ones bought staff members some pipes , so if a journo looked in the window they would pretend to be puffing away in the showroom to live up to their English eccentric image.

Once a Tramp entered the showroom with an assortment of carrier bags - he asked Bristol if they could make a car in in colour of his favourite battered old cooking pan. Once they said yes the "tramp" then took around £50K out of another carrier bag as a deposit - apparantly the chap was a leading Austrailian Industrialist who hated snobbery & it was his little test.

The showroom's exterior sign saying "Bristol Cars" regularly malfunctions - Bristol do not mind as they have a little game to see what words may appear eg P istol Cars & so it remains unfixed for long periods of time.

That was Richard Porter in EVO. I liked that he prefered the Bristol Fighter to the Spyker.

I mean, how many cars have an engine hours meter like a plane?

or a tractor!

Well Porsche and Lambourghini have made tractors.

And Bristol have made aircraft.

[Bristol 412 S1]

[/quote] But you could achieve the same with a much cheaper car if you want to go incognito.
[/quote]

But your car would not go on for ever and would have no value at the end of a few years! Many Bristol owners have had their cars from new - I am forced to get a new company car every 3 years and that has to be environmentally unsound - I'd much rather have a Bristol for life.

We popped past the showroom tonight on our way out of London and there was a dark silver Fighter in there, plus a red 603 series 1, a Blenheim 3 and a gorgeous aquamarine Beaufighter.

It was nice to see that a chap sailed up on his Harley, parked outside the showroom and chatted about how he'd like a 603.

The main gist of this whole argument is that if you don't "get" the point of Bristol Cars and if you think a Veyron looks fine (as opposed to it looking like a 1970s hoover!) then you won't ever understand - I am therefore extremely sorry for you, you are missing out big time!

By the way, well done Desolate. The Fighter is fabulous and I loved it, if I had the cash I would have one. That looks like the one that was in the showroom recently? I'm deeply jealous!

[Lancs Jag Boy]

Please can we get away from any idea that Bristol cars are today in anyway linked to a modern aerospace build environment or design. New aeroplanes are very advanced things, with efficiency gains, safety and modern technology in bucket fulls. Not something one would say of Bristol motor cars.

If you like them, fine, no problem. But please don't tell me you are buying into some kind higher engineering aerospace club, because you ain't!

[skwdenyer]

Lancs Jag Boy said:

New aeroplanes are very advanced things, with efficiency gains, safety and modern technology in bucket fulls.

Yes, that's very true. But since most of the technology on a modern aeroplane would be, err, a touch superfluous on a road car (or most land vehicles), let's see where the common ground is. Basically it is a set of fundamentals - material efficiency, durability, reliability, aerodynamics (for safety and consistency as much as for speed), reliable service history of components, and so on.

In those regards, I can see merit to Bristol's claim. For reference, Boeing have only just recently launched their first composite airframe (and, frankly, it looks to me extremely compromised by huge conservatism); structurally, most commercial airframes are very, very conservative and "old-fashioned" in their engineering - but it works, is trustworthy and reliable, and light yet strong.

As for engines, the late LJK Setright summed it up very well (this is from memory; the exact quote may be different) when talking about (of all things) the engine from the Fiat 126 - "aircraft engine manufacturers are preoccupied with engines which keep on going, since keeping on going is synonymous with keeping up". It is no coincidence that aircraft piston engines are generally very long-lived designs, with extensive and long histories in service to satisfy even the most conservative of flyers!

I'm not suggesting that Bristols represent the pinnacle of automotive engineering, but equally I'm quite happy for them to suggest that they share quite a lot with the real world of aeronautical engineering!

[roscobbc]

Lancs Jag Boy said:

Please can we get away from any idea that Bristol cars are today in anyway linked to a modern aerospace build environment or design. New aeroplanes are very advanced things, with efficiency gains, safety and modern technology in bucket fulls. Not something one would say of Bristol motor cars.

If you like them, fine, no problem. But please don't tell me you are buying into some kind higher engineering aerospace club, because you ain't!

So compare them with the aircraft you see down at yur local private flying club (Cessna's, Pipers and bringing it up to current times Jabiru?)

[Funk]

If I were going to spaff £150-200k on an 'anonymous' high end car, it'd be one of these:



No non-petrolhead has any clue what they are.

[BlueCello]

roscobbc said:

desolate said:

roscobbc said:

glazbagun said:

desolate said:

roscobbc said:

Brave man - good on you (in these slightly uncertain times)

I'll bite

what's brave about it?

Recession? What recession? I've got loads of money!

For the time being! - hope you are 'protected' from the effects many people are feeling!

Don't worry about me! Lots of more worthy causes.

I've just bought a nuclear bunker and loads of guns from EBAY.
Also note the registration plate.

Go on! the registration plate (significance?)

I think he's referring to the fact that it is on an '05 plate, therefore it's not brand new and he didn't pay 250K for it

[williamp]

Funk said:

If I were going to spaff £150-200k on an 'anonymous' high end car, it'd be one of these:



No non-petrolhead has any clue what they are.

But look at those headlights! Ugly.

[Ron Burgundy]

As for the fighter



Twin turbocharged and intercooled 8 litre V10 engine
1012 bhp at 5600 rpm
1036 lb.ft of torque at 4500 rpm






Bugatti eat your heart out!






http://www.carpages.co.uk/bristol/bristol-fighter-...

[JonRB]

Funk said:

If I were going to spaff £150-200k on an 'anonymous' high end car, it'd be one of these

Ah! Ze German interpretation off ze Brtish sportz car! Ya! For you, Tommy, ze British car industry iz ovver!

Sorry, but I just don't 'get' Weismann.

Edit: Or spell it either.

Edited by JonRB on Thursday 1st January 16:13

[anonymous-user]

BlueCello said:

I think he's referring to the fact that it is on an '05 plate, therefore it's not brand new and he didn't pay 250K for it

Correct.

With regard to the wider debate - there's any number of cars that are demonstrably "better".

The thread was originally about the Blenheim and I've got to say I really enjoyed mine and thought it was a fine car - I would say it is one of the best cars out there for a long journey. There's lots of boring things about Bristols that make them very good cars to own.
They also look a lot better in real life than they do in the pictures, but there is no doubt that the rear of the Blenheim looks pretty horrible.

[Rich_W]

Bristol 412 S1 said:

The main gist of this whole argument is that if you don't "get" the point of Bristol Cars and if you think a Veyron looks fine (as opposed to it looking like a 1970s hoover!) then you won't ever understand - I am therefore extremely sorry for you, you are missing out big time!

And in 1 sentance there is the problem for most people. The owners are so pretentious as to assume if you don't like them you must be deficient!

I wonder if Porsche should use that as a marketting campaign...

[anonymous-user]

Bristol 412 S1 said:

The Fighter is fabulous and I loved it, if I had the cash I would have one. That looks like the one that was in the showroom recently? I'm deeply jealous!

I bought it about a month ago, it's been used as the development car so has probably been around the showroom alot. It's got the "S" spec suspension and wheels on now so rides a bit firmer than the standard Fighter and it goes very well, but I've not really had a proper chance to see how it handles. Hope to take it to Millbrook for the day soon to find out.

It does have most of the usual Bristol virtues though
Fantastic All round visibility
Amazing tight turning circle
compact size so it is good to drive around town
decent luggage space

These things seem to get forgotten in a lot of modern cars, (eg huge A posts that create blind spots) but they do make for a car that it a real pleasure to drive in most circumstances.

Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 1st January 16:30

[Funk]

williamp said:

Funk said:

If I were going to spaff £150-200k on an 'anonymous' high end car, it'd be one of these:



No non-petrolhead has any clue what they are.

But look at those headlights! Ugly.

The ones on the drop-top look best, although the hard-top ones have hints of TVR Speed 12 about them don't you think..?

JonRB said:

Ah! Ze German interpretation off ze Brtish sportz car! Ya! For you, Tommy, ze British car industry iz ovver!

Sorry, but I just don't 'get' Weismann.

Edit: Or spell it either.

BMW V8 from the M3 up front (and in this month's evo, they reveal the 5.0 V10 has been shoe-horned in as well now..!) and retro looks? Thanks, I'll take one of each!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xIEA3CkLu0I

Edited by Funk on Thursday 1st January 16:43

[Asterix]

williamp said:

roscobbc said:

iRoll said:

LHDisbest said:

It's like buying a Patek Phillipe rather than a Rolex, understated elegance, wealth and power.

I have a Patek Phillipe! My friends all call it a girl's watch.

Is it true that the gentleman that runs Bristol has to "approve" of you before he'll let you buy one from Kensington High Street?

Was rumoured to be the case some years ago with the then incumbent, Tony Crook

Was a rumour which was true, but now it doesnt happen.

For a lot of people, they have never seena Bristol and so wont have an opinion on one until Top Gear tell them what opinion to have (but then Bristol wont bother with Top gear- their cleitns know who Bristol are, and putting a Bristol around the track is pointless. Worse then pointless, in fact)

This really speaks to me:

http://www.racecar.co.uk/andrewblow/stockdetails.a...

£10K for a tatty looking but mechanically sound Bristol. I'd keep it that way a nd it would last my liftime. Park it anywhere, and no-one would bat an eyelid simply beause the great unwashed dont know what it is. I would keep it that way.

If I won the lottery, I certainly wouldn't shout about it

Love that to pieces and great value at the price.

[Dr Jekyll]

Funk said:

williamp said:

Funk said:

If I were going to spaff £150-200k on an 'anonymous' high end car, it'd be one of these:



No non-petrolhead has any clue what they are.

But look at those headlights! Ugly.

The ones on the drop-top look best, although the hard-top ones have hints of TVR Speed 12 about them don't you think..?

JonRB said:

Ah! Ze German interpretation off ze Brtish sportz car! Ya! For you, Tommy, ze British car industry iz ovver!

Sorry, but I just don't 'get' Weismann.

Edit: Or spell it either.

BMW V8 from the M3 up front (and in this month's evo, they reveal the 5.0 V10 has been shoe-horned in as well now..!) and retro looks? Thanks, I'll take one of each!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xIEA3CkLu0I

Edited by Funk on Thursday 1st January 16:43

Retro styled and based on BMW bits, that's just how Bristol started off.

[EDLT]

Funk said:

If I were going to spaff £150-200k on an 'anonymous' high end car, it'd be one of these:



No non-petrolhead has any clue what they are.

Except for the non-petrolheads that watch Top Gear.