Bristol Cars goes into administration

[anonymous-user]

That might have been the ugly 412, but 410s and 411s are handsome cars. Two are used as daily drivers in my area of north London, and I see a lot of them at the garage which looks after my Jensen.

[tog]

Apparently the showroom and the service centre are operating as normal, selling and servicing cars, under the control of the administrator. I think the service operation in Chiswick is run as a separate company.

[Balmoral Green]

[GregE240]

Sad but not surprising. Frankly I'm staggered it hasn't gone under years ago. Eccentric to the point of almost not being relevant. How many of us have a Bristol as the car we'd buy with our lottery winnings? No enthusiast I know.

[Debaser]

Sad news. Fingers crossed they don't disappear.

[H_Kan]

Can't say I'm at all saddened by this.

Their cars quite frankly look ugly and look totally out of date.

Their business practices and 'quirks' also strike me as silly and not at all business orientated.

[tog]

GregE240 said:

Sad but not surprising. Frankly I'm staggered it hasn't gone under years ago. Eccentric to the point of almost not being relevant. How many of us have a Bristol as the car we'd buy with our lottery winnings? No enthusiast I know.

I would have

[Harry Monk]

BISTO ARS is no more?

[blueg33]

JonRB said:

Oh no. That's dreadful news. Bristol and Morgan are the last bastions of the tradition of hand-built British car industry.

Don't forget the company that make Taxi's!

[RJDM3]

Hardly surprising they built horrible looking cars that just did not sell.

How they lasted this long is anyones guess

[shovelheadrob]

I remember being told years ago that anyone could buy a Rolls Royce, but to buy a new Bristol you had to be vetted by them, I've always hoped it was true but not if that's what has brought them down. I've always had a soft spot for most big block Chrysler powered stuff.

[anonymous-user]

GregE240 said:

Sad but not surprising. Frankly I'm staggered it hasn't gone under years ago. Eccentric to the point of almost not being relevant. How many of us have a Bristol as the car we'd buy with our lottery winnings? No enthusiast I know.

I'd buy one now just to prove you wrong.

[JulesV]

What awful news. Hugely charismatic old school cars. I do hope they survive, particularly for the sake of the staff some of whom I read have worked for the company for many decades. It seems that whenever these old British car companies pass into new hands they become doomed.

I, for one, would love a Fighter if ever my numbers came up.

[Risotto]

shovelheadrob said:

I remember being told years ago that anyone could buy a Rolls Royce, but to buy a new Bristol you had to be vetted by them, I've always hoped it was true but not if that's what has brought them down. I've always had a soft spot for most big block Chrysler powered stuff.

If anything, I would think their reputation would be improved if they refused to deal with the sort of boorish arses who have done Bentley's image no favours. Having said that, I don't think Bristol vet their customers particularly - the old story of the scruffy looking bloke shambling in asking for one the same colour as a saucepan he had with him springs to mind. Apparently he called back later to put his deposit down.

Besides which, even if they did vet customers, they would hardly be unique - Ferrari regularly sell new models by invitation only and it doesn't seem to have done their profits any harm.

Incidentally, I can't see the harm in a foreign owner - if the British owners of such companies can't make a going concern of them, where's the harm in someone else having a go? If the cars are still made here and jobs are retained then why not? Didn't seem to do Lotus any harm in the heyday of the Elise/ Exige.

Edited by Risotto on Thursday 3rd March 20:35

[Trommel]

A real shame given recent developments.

[BlueMR2]

Risotto said:

Incidentally, I can't see the harm in a foreign owner - if British owners of similar countries can't make a going concern of it, where's the harm in someone else having a go. If the cars are still made here and jobs are retained then why not? Didn't seem to do Lotus any harm in the heyday of the Elise/ Exige.

Didn't do wonders for TVR though.

[Baryonyx]

I think Bristol could go the way of TVR if they get a foreign buyer; up for a little while and then down a bottomless pit.

[Trommel]

I wonder what they want for it?

[AndrewIC]

They averaged roughly 150 cars a year over the past ten years apparently.

[yorkieboy]

A pity really, I'll never forget years ago I made a delivery to the factory. I just walked in and found someone who said that I shouldn't be in this area!! oops Just wanted a signature guv . Anyway lying inbetween two cars was a clay model of the fighter :-D!! I thought to myself that looks rather tasty. Got told it was having a tuned viper engine!!. I definately wasn't ment to see it! Never forget that day!