Bristol Cars goes into administration

[Trommel]

The numbers are tiny, but the DVLA figures obviously don't include exported cars (and I think there are more Fighters than that over here, if not all registered).

[skwdenyer]

Interestingly, this article, in concert with others, says that Bristol is very much open-for-business in High Street Kensington, whilst Toby Silverton has been appointed MD by the new owners. The Bristol (as in City) facility is no more, but the spares and servicing business continues, as does "Series 6" work. Pronouncements are being made about new Bristols to be made.

[RoverP6B]

This just popped up at the bottom of the screen, hence the thread resurrection...

I wonder WHY the Fighter failed? It strikes me as being the model for the Merc SLS, only with an even bigger up-yours-greenies monster of an engine. To my eyes, it's more handsome than the SLS too, and they were supposed to be mind-blowingly fast.

[NomduJour]

Too left field, not flash enough, wrong badge, wrong image and so on for the people who spend that much on Ferraris and the like.

[DonkeyApple]

NomduJour said:

Too left field, not flash enough, wrong badge, wrong image and so on for the people who spend that much on Ferraris and the like.

And the owner wouldn't sell them to certain demographics.

[BarbaricAvatar]

I'm frankly amazed that Bristol has lasted as long as it has.

I liked the Fighter, it was an attempt to be up-to-date from the company and didn't look like a hormone-imbalanced mk2 Escort. Those other cars though were just horrendous to my eyes and i don't understand how anyone with the money chose the cars over other high/low volume options.

Discounting comparative German cars which were likely better and Italians which while flakey were likely far more exciting, here's two cars from 1977:

and


One could claim eccentricity or trying to be a different, but there are no excuses for being a bit thick.

[Johnnytheboy]

RoverP6B said:

This just popped up at the bottom of the screen, hence the thread resurrection...

I wonder WHY the Fighter failed? It strikes me as being the model for the Merc SLS, only with an even bigger up-yours-greenies monster of an engine. To my eyes, it's more handsome than the SLS too, and they were supposed to be mind-blowingly fast.

Mind-blowingly expensive as well.

[Dr Jekyll]

NomduJour said:

Too left field, not flash enough, wrong badge, wrong image and so on for the people who spend that much on Ferraris and the like.

I think it was more that meaningful development stopped round about 1970 so they fell further and further behind. There was and still is a small market for a non flash luxury performance car, think how many people would like a Bentley if only it didn't make you look like a footballers wife's husband.

But the advantages of not being flash and so on just didn't make up for it being old fashioned.

[RoverP6B]

Right.

Incidentally, to the PHer joking about Frazer-Nash sales, I assure you that F-N DO sell PLENTY of cars... they became the UK's official Porsche agent in 1956 and sold a lot of them from several sites, but the name has disappeared as they got taken over by Porsche UK.

[DanielSan]

If the name disappeared and they were taken over then surely they DID sell a lot of cars?

[NomduJour]

Dr Jekyll said:

But the advantages of not being flash and so on just didn't make up for it being old fashioned.

How is a Fighter any more old-fashioned than, say, a Zonda?

BarbaricAvatar said:

there are no excuses for being a bit thick.

Wow, I'm a bit thick! I never knew. Thanks. (And that 603-turned-into-a-Brigand looks great to me, although it didn't look like that in 1977).

[Dr Jekyll]

NomduJour said:

Dr Jekyll said:

But the advantages of not being flash and so on just didn't make up for it being old fashioned.

How is a Fighter any more old-fashioned than, say, a Zonda?

BarbaricAvatar said:

there are no excuses for being a bit thick.

Wow, I'm a bit thick! I never knew. Thanks. (And that 603-turned-into-a-Brigand looks great to me, although it didn't look like that in 1977).

The Fighter isn't old fashioned I agree, it's the saloon cars that were falling behind. And I also agree about the 603/Brigand, makes the XJS look like a hairdressers car. There was a proposal from Tony Crook for a revised saloon (to be called the Buccaneer I think) but Silverton decided to spend the development cash on the fighter instead. Apparently the proposed saloon would have cost even more to make than the Brigand.

[RoverP6B]

Was the Fighter made from titanium-impregnated carbonfibre? Did it employ pushrod suspension? It struck me as being a very simple, straightforward FR GT with a bought-in Viper/Ram engine. Not that it wasn't a good car, but nowhere near in the same league as the Zonda.

[Johnnytheboy]

RoverP6B said:

Right.

Incidentally, to the PHer joking about Frazer-Nash sales, I assure you that F-N DO sell PLENTY of cars... they became the UK's official Porsche agent in 1956 and sold a lot of them from several sites, but the name has disappeared as they got taken over by Porsche UK.

The pher in question referred to them making cars, not selling them.

[RobbyJ]

There's a nice little FN exhibit at the River and Rowing Museum in Henley on Thames at the moment. I have to confess I'd never heard of them before stumbling upon the exhibit.

http://rrm.co.uk/events/frazer-nash

Back to the original topic I'll join the other PH'ers who couldn't care less this brand has gone. Another dated UK brand like MG making rubbish cars from another generation, good riddance!

[Pothole]

Gingerbread Man said:

BlueMR2 said:

Gingerbread Man said:

How many cars did they make and sell each year?
Not a common car to ever see.

I don't believe they have ever given out numbers, preferring to keep it undercover.

So does that mean not many then!? Shame to see a UK car manufacture go under, but if you don't sell many cars, you don't make much money and then the inevitable happens.

The ones for sale in the PH classifieds are 1977, 1954, 1975. All locked away in private collections since then, or is PH not the place to sell them?

20 on classic cars for sale over a 50 years spread from 1948 - 1998...why would the three on here necessarily have been in collections, they might have been daily drivers?

[wildcat45]

If it was 1977 I'd have that XJ-S please. Is that Inca Yellow?

It's a bit of a "what if?" but Bristol survived for so long, what if it had been nationalised and taken into BMC/Leyland in the 1960s. Undoubtedly it would have made for some dark days, but newer designs may have emerged as the result of being part of a bigger organisation.

Perhaps Bristol could have emerged like Jaguar did from nationalisation and be a thriving brand today.

[anonymous-user]

I'm confused has the company been restarted?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/393424238165?hash=item5...

''before we transition to the new Bristol Buccaneer Electric Vehicle (EV).''

''Bristol Manufacturing Limited (08164632 - Group) - Registered Office - The Clubhouse, 8 St James's Square, London, SW1Y 4JU.''

[Sebring440]

The Spruce Goose said:

I'm confused has the company been restarted?

Don't be confused, most of the relevant info is in the link helpfully included in the post before this one.

Here's some more info:

https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-britishcars/br...

[PAUL500]

Very interesting explorer vid of when all the assets were stored at the old BOC headquarters prior to auction, which is now to become Gordon Murrays new facility.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-23PF5QmE8&ab...