User:Trekphiler/Brisfit

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The history of Bristol Cars began in 1945. Forecasting an excess labour capacity postwar,[

Filton Aerodrome, near Bristol.[1]


Munich was part of the

American Zone and the American military issued orders for the BMW plant to be dismantled for shipment to the U.S. These plans and engines were subsequently declared to be war reparations
.

In 1947, BAC registered the company Bristol Cars Ltd, but marketed its cars as made by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. By mid-1947, the different intentions of the Aldingtons and Bristol were becoming clear and Bristol severed its ties with AFN, returning control of AFN to the Aldington family.

Its first car was the

inline six engine. Bristol, however, did a thoroughgoing examination of the car's handling and ended up with performance "only matched by outright purpose-built competition cars".[3] 700 of the Bristol 400 were built, with 17 receiving "handsome" convertible bodywork from Pininfarina.[4]

In 1949, the 400 was joined by the five-place

402, of which just 24 examples were built.[5]

The 403 followed in 1953,[5] which featured improved brakes, gearbox, dampers, heater, and engine[5] (a detuned racing motor, in fact).[5] Bristol would use this same engine in the 450, entered at Le Mans in 1953; it broke its experimental crankshaft, but despite being less than aerodynamically ideal proved fully five seconds a lap quicker than the competition.[6] Bristol withdrew from racing two years later.[7]

Along with the 403 was the 404, on a shorter wheelbase, with more powerful engine and styling reminiscent of the 450. The 404 introduced a concealed front wing-mounted spare wheel and battery.[7] It was built to extremely exacting standards, and the price reflected it; this, plus newly-introduced "punative taxation", meant only 40 were produced.[7]


The

coupés produced in all.[7]


Bristol debuted the

Chrysler of Canada.[8]

It was followed in 1963 by the 408, with drastic restyling as well as improved suspension.[8] This was succeeded by the 409. Many buyers preferred the crisp steering and gearbox of the earlier six-cylinder cars.[8]


The 410, introduced in 1966, was a return to the high-performance touring tradition, offering the same top speed as the 409, and superior acceleration, with the same powerplant.[8] It also saw Bristol become a private company and marked a return to quality to the exclusion of output: no more than three cars a week were to be made.[8]

In 1969, the Bristol 411 appeared, with a new 6.2 litre Chrysler V8 (still rebuilt and modified by Bristol, as before) granting higher top speed and better acceleration still.[8]

From 1960 to 1973, former racing driver T.A.D. Crook and Sir George White owned Bristol Cars. In 1973, White sold his stake to Crook. In 1997, Toby Silverton came on board and there followed the greater level of development of cars seen in recent years (particularly, the new Bristol Fighter). Crook eventually sold the company to Silverton in 2001.


  1. ^ Setright, L. J. K. "Bristol: A Quiet Touch of Class", in Northey, Tom, ed. World of Automobiles (London: Phoebus, 1978), Volume 2, p.233.
  2. ^ a b c d e Setright, p.232
  3. ^ Setright, pp.232-3.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference A-Z was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b c d e f Setright, p.233
  6. ^ Setright, pp.233-4.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Setright, p.234
  8. ^ a b c d e f Setright, p.235
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