Bristol Cars - in administration
Discussion
A sad day - BBC West has just announced that Bristol is no more. I hope that someone can save this proud, innovative and historic marque. It has roots in the pioneering days of aviation and was a fine artisan producer of grand tourers.
In the meantime, perhaps Pistonheads could come up with a suitable editorial/tribute?
In the meantime, perhaps Pistonheads could come up with a suitable editorial/tribute?
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I've always admired the way Bristol Cars, my local vehicle manufacturer, has ploughed it's own way almost regardless of what the rest of the motor industry does, this is sad news indeed especially for all those who have dedicated their working lives to the company and now find themselves without a place to work.
Lets hope this is only a temporary set back and that the only company to make a vehicle that can challenge Bugatti for the title fastest car on the road can find someone to take on the privilege of putting Bristol back on its financial feet.
A very sad day.
From a young age, specialist British cars were and still are my passion.
I am not a Bristol owner nor fanatic of them, but I truly admire them.
Bristol were not an exception, they are 'the' exception.
Tony Crook was an exception.
Let the motoring press 'test' his cars... not a chance... sod off, the lot of you!
An institution, alone, and unmatched.
I always smile at the effort 5 years ago by the late hack Robert Farago and his effort to test a Bristol and then do a hatchet job on it, totally missing the point of what Bristols are about.
Here it is, followed by one of the most superb and articulate replies I have ever read.
Great put-down on the condescending Farago piece (Crook didn't recognise Farago's voice on the phone... oh dear, but then notoriety was Farago's trait). Farago was correct in his assumption that Bristol would not survive (if they do indeed succumb), but that is all he was or may be correct about.
It's a longish read but imo worth reading again.
Bristol Blenheim Review
Robert Farago January 5, 2005
Bristol is one of Britain's most venerated carmakers. For over thirty-five years, Brits "in the know" have considered the obscure automaker's products to be the embodiment of English hand built quality and understated exclusivity. Unfortunately, motoring journalists need not apply. In fact, Bristol actively discourages any sort of publicity for its current cars. A test drive is "out of the question".
A few weeks before the end of my English adventure, I gave Bristol one last try. I immediately recognised the cut-glass accent on the other end of the phone: Tony Crook, former RAF pilot, racing driver and the undisputed Emperor of Bristol Motor Cars. Luckily, the octogenarian and self-professed "living legend" didn't recognise my voice. Mr. Crook agreed to a "five-minute chat".
Discretion being the better part of valour, when my turn to speak finally arrived, I tried to establish a few simple facts. How many cars does Bristol make? "We don't quote production figures," Mr. Crook replied. "We always build fewer cars than people want." How many craftsmen does Bristol employ to build this indeterminate number of cars? "Not stated." How much does a new Blenheim 3 cost? "One hundred and thirty nine thousand pounds." (Approximately $250,000) How much for the more "sporting" Blenheim 3S? "Considerably more." What sort of improvements does that include? "Bigger camshafts. That sort of thing."
And there you have it. A test drive was still impossible. Thank you and goodbye.
I would love to tell you how I got my hands on a Blenheim. It's a story that involves some truly Dickensian characters: quick-witted, long-suffering mechanics labouring in dark garages; a short-tempered multi-millionaire who believes that anyone who can't afford a Bristol is in no position to judge it; a motoring journalist whose florid prose poems to the marque are proof positive that love is blind. Suffice it to say, everyone I contacted in my quest for some Blenheim wheel time either refused to speak to me or laughed (guffawed?) at my request to drive their car.
Luckily, one brave Blenheim owner decided to step out from Tony Crook's long shadow. I eventually encountered a Bristol Blenheim in front of a sturdy brick manse in northern England, bathed in afternoon sun. Suffice it to say, the car's design did not complement it salubrious surrounds. It's angular aesthetics were a far cry from the organic, streamlined forms of Bristol's earlier models. As for the way the Blenheim was put together…
"What are the two things that can be seen from outer space?" the owner asked rhetorically. "The Great Wall of China and the panel gaps of a Bristol." True enough, despite the fact that this particular Blenheim had recently enjoyed a body-off restoration– to eliminate rot. Which was discovered after the car's paint had cracked (necessitating a total re-spray). Whereupon the owner's mechanics addressed a veritable laundry list of mechanical ailments: inoperative air conditioning, "inappropriate" shock absorbers, a failed exhaust system, two blown window motors, axle whine, insufficient engine cooling and more.
This tragic tale of mechanical malfeasance was easily eclipsed by the horror lurking inside the Blenheim's cabin. To call the combination of wood, cheap rocker switches, tiny mirror controls, gigantic air conditioner, fiddly Japanese stereo and seemingly random assortment of switches, buttons and knobs "unattractive" would be like calling a drag racer "quick off the mark". The Blenheim's interior is such a hideous concoction of styles and textures the snooty millionaire mentioned above felt compelled to redesign and rewire the entire dash.
Once underway, the much-repaired Blenheim handled better than you'd expect– for a car whose chassis dates back to 1946. At the time, it must have been a revelation. By today's standards, Group A rental cars offer better ride and road-holding. As for power, the 5.9-liter V8 felt decidedly reluctant. When I asked if the odd sound under throttle indicated some kind of problem, the owner told me to drop the subject.
All in all, as my father would say, "another myth exploded". The Bristol Blenheim offered insufferable build quality, questionable reliability and appalling aesthetics. Yet it cost twice as much as a top-of-the-line Mercedes, BMW or Porsche. Tony Crook will disagree to the point of apoplexy, but the only possible justification for buying a Blenheim lies in its rarity and its connection with Bristol's famous heritage. For some wealthy owners, a handful, it is enough.
But is it enough to keep the Bristol Car Company going? Probably not. Which is why, under new co-ownership, Bristol has produced a new car built around a Chrysler V10 engine. As test drives are still strictly verboten, one can only hope that the Bristol Fighter signals a return to the company's glory days of meticulous build and innovative engineering. If not, no amount of badge snobbery can sustain this manufacturer of overpriced, under-engineered automobiles.
Reply by a 'critic', un-named
November 25th, 2007
I respectfully disagree with the review.
For a start, to get price on the 3S going to the Bristol Car web site http://www.bristolcars.co.uk/Blenheim3S.htm will show the published price of Basic £134,750.00 VAT £23,581.25 Total £158,331.25. The reviewer is converting into US dollars, so Value Added Tax may not apply. The company web site will also explain in detail what extras the buyer gets.
To look at a Bristol, one need not skulk around North England associating with Dickinsonian characters, although it does make for writing in the “it was a dark and stormy night” genre. Presuming the reviewer went to England, the first stop would be a few miles down from Heathrow Airport where new Bristols are on display in the showroom. If you don’t like Mr. Crook, speak to Mr. Silverton, who owns the company (since 2001). By the way, as of this writing, Mr. Crook has retired at the merry old age of 87.
To look at used Bristols, go to http://www.boc.net the home page of the Bristol Owners Club, and learn about the club meetings or what car shows they will be visiting with displays. At those meets and meetings, you will find drivers and enthusiasts from the full range of Bristols… 1946 through current models. If you are friendly, owners may kindly volunteer a test drive – but be aware you may be driving a decade-old car or older.
The reviewer then goes on to evaluate a Bristol that is reputed to have undergone a body-off restoration due to rot. How old? The model began production in 1994 and could be 13 years old by now. We must assume the reviewer is suggesting (but does not state) that the restoration was done by the factory, and we must assume the owner instructed the factory that cost was no object in bringing the car back to factory new. We need to know if these two assumptions are correct or not.
A car that is so badly rotted as to require the body be removed is, with few exceptions, a candidate for the crusher. That a Bristol is even worth such rescue sets it apart from other cars.
But then, if it is so rescued, one has to ask who did the work, and what budget and time frame was provided? One also has to ask under what conditions the car was driven and for how many years to require such a restoration?
Bristol has a remarkably high survival rate, with the club registry showing cars on the road from every single production model starting with the 1946 ones. Some suffered from mid-life neglect when they were bought by posers who wanted the ego boost, but could not afford proper maintenance. Some are driven in salt without protection and cleaning, parked outdoors for years on end, and when something failed, parked in a field for more years. If it were a Ford, it would have been hauled away and crushed. But in the case of a Bristol, some bold enthusiast would recover and restore it.
A few of those cars get proper restorations, but the price of restoration exceeds market value, so this is the domain of the passionate and rich. Many get brought back to running status, but with details neglected. It will drive like a car, but not drive like a Bristol.
Bristols are not cars for the masses, thus to judge the car by mass production applies the wrong test. If one wants a top of the line mass-produced Mercedes, BMW or Porsche, one goes to one of hundreds of such dealers, plunks down the dosh and drives away.
Bristols are hand made, and hands are never so precise as computer driven machines and lasers. Even the relationship of buying is personal. The salesman owns the company… for 45 years it was Tony Crook, now it’s Toby Silverton. Send a car made in 1970 back to the factory, and the fellow who built it will remember it. Order a part not in stock for a 30-year-old car, and be told to come back on Tuesday. The factory made it on Monday; Tony Crook flew out from Heathrow to Bristol aerodrome and brought it back. You need a part for a 45-year-old car? They may still have it in stock, ex 1962 or even ex 1952 since they only change designs when engineering demands it.
“Another myth exploded” writes the reviewer. What myth? Bristol does not truck in myths. They make few claims. They mostly build to order, so the customer is already sold before they place their order. Customers for new cars are a different breed than the reviewer. They are rich. Seriously rich. Rich enough that they don’t really concern themselves with the fact that it is double the price of Germany’s finest. They also dress down. Sure they could afford a Rolls, but that calls too much attention. They want a Bristol, and they want it for reasons completely different than the standards the reviewer sets.
The reviewer contends the car performs badly based on a test drive in one that is not in factory condition, but an old rotted one brought back to life and owned by an unhappy owner. The reviewer criticises the engine performance. The engine is a Chrysler. If the performance of the test unit is weak, then maybe the engine has a problem. But the Chrysler V8 engine as a brand is as proven as one can ask.
As for handling, check the rubber bushes. After a decade or more of use and aging, the handling can begin to feel sloppy or worse. Tony Crook was a race driver, it took him a long time to even agree to provide power steering (midway through the 409 series) and when he did, drivers agree the ZF unit gave excellent road feel.
Interior aesthetics? No, it’s not a plastic fantastic where even the wood veneer looks as if it is coated in epoxy, like the Mercedes. It’s old school British. Flat panels of wood, real (and fine) leather and a grudging concession to safety that required Bristol give up the rocker switches and go to plastic flat ones. You do need to remember however, that with production in the dozens or hundreds per year, one does not place a bulk order for custom switches. One buys what the market supplies, and Tony Crook was never one for poofery. If it worked, if it switched on the lights, that was good enough for him. No Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton edition for him. And since it was his company, what was good enough for him is what he offered for sale… and when Aston Martin, Jensen, Rolls Royce and all those other marques got into trouble, he kept selling just enough cars to keep him enjoying his passion.
What Mr. Crook does not have any interest in is what the motoring press says. To the contrary, he wants to be left alone. Bristol shows little interest in the motoring press in part because unlike almost all other marques, it does not need them. The press writes for an audience unlikely to find themselves in 368 – 370, Kensington High Street, or if they did, unlikely willing to part with the admission price because they bring a different value set.
If one were to summarise Bristol, it is about authenticity in a world of mass production and franchises. A few human beings appreciate authenticity, and value the work of a man’s hand over the price-performance of the era of automation. Bristol has two audiences. For new cars, the buyers are rich yet have some discernment in what they buy.
For used (older) cars, the buyers tend to love engineering over image, and they get a bargain because the cars are not well known so underpriced relative to comparable British classic marques. Andrew Blow, who brokers many of the used Bristols lists them typically for £8000 for a decent one up to £25,000 for an excellent or properly restored one. See http://www.racecar.co.uk/andrewblow/contents.html He is most conversant with the lemons out there as well… the ones badly restored or tarted up.
It’s a small circle. One owner thought he was smart stuff by having his car repaired and then driving off without paying. Word gets around. He took it to another one of the repair shops, and when he went to pick it up, he was told to pay the other shop first. How many Mercedes or Porsche dealers would do that for one of their competitors?
I write this reply for the one in million drivers who would otherwise be misled by the above review. Driving and owning a Bristol is a path few take. It takes weeks of driving to begin to appreciate its qualities. There is something quiet and peaceful about it; it’s an absence that takes time to recognise. It’s like living in a city and walking out at three in the morning to notice something different… heavy snow fell and it stopped the traffic. The air is cleaner, quieter and something is missing… that buzz that is so familiar as to be accepted as normal.
Bristols have a different feeling to them, a feeling no Mercedes, BMW or Porsche can match. But it is a feeling that requires the car be ship-shape, not tired or abused, and it is a feeling that takes weeks to sense and a broader vocabulary than mine to articulate.
Disclosure: The author of this critique has no connections or affiliation with Bristol Cars or any other Bristol business. This author has owned five used Bristols over the years and currently owns one Bristol as well as a Mercedes and a Toyota. Over the years he has bought new Mercedes, and various BMWs including one H&B set up for racing. He is qualified to compare the difference.
Told you it was long! But what a wonderful reply.
From a young age, specialist British cars were and still are my passion.
I am not a Bristol owner nor fanatic of them, but I truly admire them.
Bristol were not an exception, they are 'the' exception.
Tony Crook was an exception.
Let the motoring press 'test' his cars... not a chance... sod off, the lot of you!
An institution, alone, and unmatched.
I always smile at the effort 5 years ago by the late hack Robert Farago and his effort to test a Bristol and then do a hatchet job on it, totally missing the point of what Bristols are about.
Here it is, followed by one of the most superb and articulate replies I have ever read.
Great put-down on the condescending Farago piece (Crook didn't recognise Farago's voice on the phone... oh dear, but then notoriety was Farago's trait). Farago was correct in his assumption that Bristol would not survive (if they do indeed succumb), but that is all he was or may be correct about.
It's a longish read but imo worth reading again.
Bristol Blenheim Review
Robert Farago January 5, 2005
Bristol is one of Britain's most venerated carmakers. For over thirty-five years, Brits "in the know" have considered the obscure automaker's products to be the embodiment of English hand built quality and understated exclusivity. Unfortunately, motoring journalists need not apply. In fact, Bristol actively discourages any sort of publicity for its current cars. A test drive is "out of the question".
A few weeks before the end of my English adventure, I gave Bristol one last try. I immediately recognised the cut-glass accent on the other end of the phone: Tony Crook, former RAF pilot, racing driver and the undisputed Emperor of Bristol Motor Cars. Luckily, the octogenarian and self-professed "living legend" didn't recognise my voice. Mr. Crook agreed to a "five-minute chat".
Discretion being the better part of valour, when my turn to speak finally arrived, I tried to establish a few simple facts. How many cars does Bristol make? "We don't quote production figures," Mr. Crook replied. "We always build fewer cars than people want." How many craftsmen does Bristol employ to build this indeterminate number of cars? "Not stated." How much does a new Blenheim 3 cost? "One hundred and thirty nine thousand pounds." (Approximately $250,000) How much for the more "sporting" Blenheim 3S? "Considerably more." What sort of improvements does that include? "Bigger camshafts. That sort of thing."
And there you have it. A test drive was still impossible. Thank you and goodbye.
I would love to tell you how I got my hands on a Blenheim. It's a story that involves some truly Dickensian characters: quick-witted, long-suffering mechanics labouring in dark garages; a short-tempered multi-millionaire who believes that anyone who can't afford a Bristol is in no position to judge it; a motoring journalist whose florid prose poems to the marque are proof positive that love is blind. Suffice it to say, everyone I contacted in my quest for some Blenheim wheel time either refused to speak to me or laughed (guffawed?) at my request to drive their car.
Luckily, one brave Blenheim owner decided to step out from Tony Crook's long shadow. I eventually encountered a Bristol Blenheim in front of a sturdy brick manse in northern England, bathed in afternoon sun. Suffice it to say, the car's design did not complement it salubrious surrounds. It's angular aesthetics were a far cry from the organic, streamlined forms of Bristol's earlier models. As for the way the Blenheim was put together…
"What are the two things that can be seen from outer space?" the owner asked rhetorically. "The Great Wall of China and the panel gaps of a Bristol." True enough, despite the fact that this particular Blenheim had recently enjoyed a body-off restoration– to eliminate rot. Which was discovered after the car's paint had cracked (necessitating a total re-spray). Whereupon the owner's mechanics addressed a veritable laundry list of mechanical ailments: inoperative air conditioning, "inappropriate" shock absorbers, a failed exhaust system, two blown window motors, axle whine, insufficient engine cooling and more.
This tragic tale of mechanical malfeasance was easily eclipsed by the horror lurking inside the Blenheim's cabin. To call the combination of wood, cheap rocker switches, tiny mirror controls, gigantic air conditioner, fiddly Japanese stereo and seemingly random assortment of switches, buttons and knobs "unattractive" would be like calling a drag racer "quick off the mark". The Blenheim's interior is such a hideous concoction of styles and textures the snooty millionaire mentioned above felt compelled to redesign and rewire the entire dash.
Once underway, the much-repaired Blenheim handled better than you'd expect– for a car whose chassis dates back to 1946. At the time, it must have been a revelation. By today's standards, Group A rental cars offer better ride and road-holding. As for power, the 5.9-liter V8 felt decidedly reluctant. When I asked if the odd sound under throttle indicated some kind of problem, the owner told me to drop the subject.
All in all, as my father would say, "another myth exploded". The Bristol Blenheim offered insufferable build quality, questionable reliability and appalling aesthetics. Yet it cost twice as much as a top-of-the-line Mercedes, BMW or Porsche. Tony Crook will disagree to the point of apoplexy, but the only possible justification for buying a Blenheim lies in its rarity and its connection with Bristol's famous heritage. For some wealthy owners, a handful, it is enough.
But is it enough to keep the Bristol Car Company going? Probably not. Which is why, under new co-ownership, Bristol has produced a new car built around a Chrysler V10 engine. As test drives are still strictly verboten, one can only hope that the Bristol Fighter signals a return to the company's glory days of meticulous build and innovative engineering. If not, no amount of badge snobbery can sustain this manufacturer of overpriced, under-engineered automobiles.
Reply by a 'critic', un-named
November 25th, 2007
I respectfully disagree with the review.
For a start, to get price on the 3S going to the Bristol Car web site http://www.bristolcars.co.uk/Blenheim3S.htm will show the published price of Basic £134,750.00 VAT £23,581.25 Total £158,331.25. The reviewer is converting into US dollars, so Value Added Tax may not apply. The company web site will also explain in detail what extras the buyer gets.
To look at a Bristol, one need not skulk around North England associating with Dickinsonian characters, although it does make for writing in the “it was a dark and stormy night” genre. Presuming the reviewer went to England, the first stop would be a few miles down from Heathrow Airport where new Bristols are on display in the showroom. If you don’t like Mr. Crook, speak to Mr. Silverton, who owns the company (since 2001). By the way, as of this writing, Mr. Crook has retired at the merry old age of 87.
To look at used Bristols, go to http://www.boc.net the home page of the Bristol Owners Club, and learn about the club meetings or what car shows they will be visiting with displays. At those meets and meetings, you will find drivers and enthusiasts from the full range of Bristols… 1946 through current models. If you are friendly, owners may kindly volunteer a test drive – but be aware you may be driving a decade-old car or older.
The reviewer then goes on to evaluate a Bristol that is reputed to have undergone a body-off restoration due to rot. How old? The model began production in 1994 and could be 13 years old by now. We must assume the reviewer is suggesting (but does not state) that the restoration was done by the factory, and we must assume the owner instructed the factory that cost was no object in bringing the car back to factory new. We need to know if these two assumptions are correct or not.
A car that is so badly rotted as to require the body be removed is, with few exceptions, a candidate for the crusher. That a Bristol is even worth such rescue sets it apart from other cars.
But then, if it is so rescued, one has to ask who did the work, and what budget and time frame was provided? One also has to ask under what conditions the car was driven and for how many years to require such a restoration?
Bristol has a remarkably high survival rate, with the club registry showing cars on the road from every single production model starting with the 1946 ones. Some suffered from mid-life neglect when they were bought by posers who wanted the ego boost, but could not afford proper maintenance. Some are driven in salt without protection and cleaning, parked outdoors for years on end, and when something failed, parked in a field for more years. If it were a Ford, it would have been hauled away and crushed. But in the case of a Bristol, some bold enthusiast would recover and restore it.
A few of those cars get proper restorations, but the price of restoration exceeds market value, so this is the domain of the passionate and rich. Many get brought back to running status, but with details neglected. It will drive like a car, but not drive like a Bristol.
Bristols are not cars for the masses, thus to judge the car by mass production applies the wrong test. If one wants a top of the line mass-produced Mercedes, BMW or Porsche, one goes to one of hundreds of such dealers, plunks down the dosh and drives away.
Bristols are hand made, and hands are never so precise as computer driven machines and lasers. Even the relationship of buying is personal. The salesman owns the company… for 45 years it was Tony Crook, now it’s Toby Silverton. Send a car made in 1970 back to the factory, and the fellow who built it will remember it. Order a part not in stock for a 30-year-old car, and be told to come back on Tuesday. The factory made it on Monday; Tony Crook flew out from Heathrow to Bristol aerodrome and brought it back. You need a part for a 45-year-old car? They may still have it in stock, ex 1962 or even ex 1952 since they only change designs when engineering demands it.
“Another myth exploded” writes the reviewer. What myth? Bristol does not truck in myths. They make few claims. They mostly build to order, so the customer is already sold before they place their order. Customers for new cars are a different breed than the reviewer. They are rich. Seriously rich. Rich enough that they don’t really concern themselves with the fact that it is double the price of Germany’s finest. They also dress down. Sure they could afford a Rolls, but that calls too much attention. They want a Bristol, and they want it for reasons completely different than the standards the reviewer sets.
The reviewer contends the car performs badly based on a test drive in one that is not in factory condition, but an old rotted one brought back to life and owned by an unhappy owner. The reviewer criticises the engine performance. The engine is a Chrysler. If the performance of the test unit is weak, then maybe the engine has a problem. But the Chrysler V8 engine as a brand is as proven as one can ask.
As for handling, check the rubber bushes. After a decade or more of use and aging, the handling can begin to feel sloppy or worse. Tony Crook was a race driver, it took him a long time to even agree to provide power steering (midway through the 409 series) and when he did, drivers agree the ZF unit gave excellent road feel.
Interior aesthetics? No, it’s not a plastic fantastic where even the wood veneer looks as if it is coated in epoxy, like the Mercedes. It’s old school British. Flat panels of wood, real (and fine) leather and a grudging concession to safety that required Bristol give up the rocker switches and go to plastic flat ones. You do need to remember however, that with production in the dozens or hundreds per year, one does not place a bulk order for custom switches. One buys what the market supplies, and Tony Crook was never one for poofery. If it worked, if it switched on the lights, that was good enough for him. No Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton edition for him. And since it was his company, what was good enough for him is what he offered for sale… and when Aston Martin, Jensen, Rolls Royce and all those other marques got into trouble, he kept selling just enough cars to keep him enjoying his passion.
What Mr. Crook does not have any interest in is what the motoring press says. To the contrary, he wants to be left alone. Bristol shows little interest in the motoring press in part because unlike almost all other marques, it does not need them. The press writes for an audience unlikely to find themselves in 368 – 370, Kensington High Street, or if they did, unlikely willing to part with the admission price because they bring a different value set.
If one were to summarise Bristol, it is about authenticity in a world of mass production and franchises. A few human beings appreciate authenticity, and value the work of a man’s hand over the price-performance of the era of automation. Bristol has two audiences. For new cars, the buyers are rich yet have some discernment in what they buy.
For used (older) cars, the buyers tend to love engineering over image, and they get a bargain because the cars are not well known so underpriced relative to comparable British classic marques. Andrew Blow, who brokers many of the used Bristols lists them typically for £8000 for a decent one up to £25,000 for an excellent or properly restored one. See http://www.racecar.co.uk/andrewblow/contents.html He is most conversant with the lemons out there as well… the ones badly restored or tarted up.
It’s a small circle. One owner thought he was smart stuff by having his car repaired and then driving off without paying. Word gets around. He took it to another one of the repair shops, and when he went to pick it up, he was told to pay the other shop first. How many Mercedes or Porsche dealers would do that for one of their competitors?
I write this reply for the one in million drivers who would otherwise be misled by the above review. Driving and owning a Bristol is a path few take. It takes weeks of driving to begin to appreciate its qualities. There is something quiet and peaceful about it; it’s an absence that takes time to recognise. It’s like living in a city and walking out at three in the morning to notice something different… heavy snow fell and it stopped the traffic. The air is cleaner, quieter and something is missing… that buzz that is so familiar as to be accepted as normal.
Bristols have a different feeling to them, a feeling no Mercedes, BMW or Porsche can match. But it is a feeling that requires the car be ship-shape, not tired or abused, and it is a feeling that takes weeks to sense and a broader vocabulary than mine to articulate.
Disclosure: The author of this critique has no connections or affiliation with Bristol Cars or any other Bristol business. This author has owned five used Bristols over the years and currently owns one Bristol as well as a Mercedes and a Toyota. Over the years he has bought new Mercedes, and various BMWs including one H&B set up for racing. He is qualified to compare the difference.
Told you it was long! But what a wonderful reply.
Edited by dandarez on Friday 4th March 00:35
Robert Farago is wrong I have just read Christopher Balfour's Bristol Cars a very British story in which there are several press reports, I notice his own career as a Gonzo Motoring Blogger was not particularly long lived apparently he is now a weapons journalist.
arttidesco said:
Lets hope this is only a temporary set back and that the only company to make a vehicle that can challenge Bugatti for the title fastest car on the road can find someone to take on the privilege of putting Bristol back on its financial feet.
This kind of hype, combined with a refusal to allow tests is a large part of the reason most of the motoring press ignores or shows disdain for Bristol. Have they sold any of the 1000 bhp+ Fighters?A bit more engagement would have been beneficial.
Very sad day. I have owned 2, having restored a 405 from "the barn" and buying the first production 412 from Mr Crook in Kensington about fifteen years ago. Wonderful service continued throughout my ownership.
It was disturbing on TV to see an employee, on leaving Filton, say "We have been well and truly stitched up". What did he mean -lets hope he can give us an answer ?. Toby Silverton with the backing of Dad at Overfinch looked to be on the right track but perhaps too many models and wasting time on the ridiculous Fighter T. At the prices charged and guessing Chryslers cost of power units there should have been plenty of margin even with small numbers of sales. Administrators report will be interesting. Hope they give directors remuneration figures...or am I being cynical ??
It was disturbing on TV to see an employee, on leaving Filton, say "We have been well and truly stitched up". What did he mean -lets hope he can give us an answer ?. Toby Silverton with the backing of Dad at Overfinch looked to be on the right track but perhaps too many models and wasting time on the ridiculous Fighter T. At the prices charged and guessing Chryslers cost of power units there should have been plenty of margin even with small numbers of sales. Administrators report will be interesting. Hope they give directors remuneration figures...or am I being cynical ??
t cars,never sold in big numbers coz they were ugly ,over priced and over here.what did people see in them?.
Hi,just like to add my bit.I've loved Bristols since i was 15,about 36 years ago.A neighbour owned a 401,in gold,and used it daily.It was beautiful and way ahead of it's time when it was produced.Twenty years before any other manufacturer produced a car more aerodynamic,and some very nice design features.The engine,derived from a pre war mille mille winning BMW design,was developed over the years to the point where it was used very successfully by other small volume specialist car manufacturers,and racing teams.During the late eighties these engines were selling for large sums of money,as were Ferraris ,Astons and E types.These Bristols were truly special,compare them to other cars of the same period.Of course,only very wealthy people could afford to commission special cars because special cars had to be handmade;most run of the mill cars at the time were obviously inferior,built down to a price that was affordable by the masses.Nowadays,there are plenty of affordable cars that are also desirable,you no longer need to be especially wealthy to buy a car that will make you feel good,take a look at the Fiat 500,the German Mini,the Citroen Ds3 and the Jag XF all able to be ordered to your spec,more or less.Thats the problem for bristol,the competition is so good,across the board,that you could buy 4 or 5 truly interesting cars for the same money. However,would I buy one if i was truly rich? Of course i would!The cost wouldnt matter if i was rich,truly rich.And i would have my shoes made and my shirts,because it would make me feel good.But its not just Bristol who are finding things tough,the London silver and gold trades are not what they were,and Purdy and Boss have introduced entry level guns to their ranges.Yet the market exists for 50k mobiles studded with diamonds;and sculptures costing millions,essentially useless items.I think the basic problem is one of changing values,a different mindset where conspicuous wealth is admired by shallow minds ,where purchases are made to impress others rather than to please yourself. So,to the staff at Bristol,you have produced,by hand,some wonderful cars,thoughtfully designed,usable,exciting,interesting and DIFFERENT!Good luck to you.
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