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2010 marked the centenary of the founding by Sir George White of the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company - later better known as Bristol Aircraft - as well as the 50th anniversary of the founding of Bristol Cars as a separate company unconnected with the British Aircraft Corporation.

The first new Bristol Car design in almost five decades was the gull wing door Bristol Fighter (pictured above) of which only 47 were made - each for £ 234 982. Features included a full sized spare wheel, petrol tank fillers on both sides, a six speed manual gearbox and V-10 Chrysler engine from a Dodge Viper.

I did not buy one as there was no room for my layouts in the back and perhaps this decision tipped Bristol Cars over the edge as on 5 March 2011 an article in the Daily Star reported:

Luxury sports marque Bristol Cars have gone into administration. U2's Bono, Tina Turner, Liam Gallagher and Sir Richard Branson have all owned hand-crafted Bristol models, which include the Blenheim and the Figher. Several workers have already lost their jobs at the 60 year old firm's factory in Filton, Bristol. Administrators at RSM Tenon say they are seeking a rescue package for the "iconic British brand."

Bristol Cars, favoured manufacturer of LJK Setright, and creator of the singularly high quality Blenheim, Blenheim Speedster and Series 6, as well as the amazing V10-powered Fighter, is fighting for survival after the administrators were called in. The company, now led by Toby Silverton, had been struggling to sell new cars in an increasingly hostile market, through its Kensington showroom.

Tom MacLennan and Trevor Binyon of the administrators RSM Tenon have been appointed to handle Bristol, and is hoping to find a new owner for the company, and continue running it as a going concern. According to the BBC, 22 redundancies have been made in the aftermath of the announcement.

Mr MacLennan assured owners that sales and service operations would be maintained while new owners were sought. 'We would urge any interested parties to make contact with us as quickly as possible and are confident that we can secure the future of this iconic British brand,' he said.

The company was formed immediately after World War Two when the Bristol Aeroplane Company Limited decided to enter the car-making business and acquired the rights to the various pre-war BMW models. By 1948, it was building the streamlined, fast and luxurious 403 using aviation principles of construction.

The prestige machines continued thereafter, being expensively handmade in small numbers for well-heeled customers. Chrysler V8 engines were introduced with the 407 of 1961. All Bristols are known for being somewhat eccentric, and have a similarly single-minded following.

Home	BRISTOL CARS RUN OUT OF ROAD? 5 MARCH 2011



	2010 marked the centenary of the founding by Sir George White of the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company - later better known as Bristol Aircraft - as well as the 50th anniversary of the founding of Bristol Cars as a separate company unconnected with the British Aircraft Corporation. The first new Bristol Car design in almost five decades was the gull wing door Bristol Fighter (pictured above) of which only 47 were made - each for £ 234 982. Features included a full sized spare wheel, petrol tank fillers on both sides, a six speed manual gearbox and V-10 Chrysler engine from a Dodge Viper. I did not buy one as there was no room for my layouts in the back and perhaps this decision tipped Bristol Cars over the edge as on 5 March 2011 an article in the Daily Star reported: Bristols go bust Luxury sports marque Bristol Cars have gone into administration. U2's Bono, Tina Turner, Liam Gallagher and Sir Richard Branson have all owned hand-crafted Bristol models, which include the Blenheim and the Figher. Several workers have already lost their jobs at the 60 year old firm's factory in Filton, Bristol. Administrators at RSM Tenon say they are seeking a rescue package for the "iconic British brand." Further research on the internet that day revealed the following: Bristol Cars, favoured manufacturer of LJK Setright, and creator of the singularly high quality Blenheim, Blenheim Speedster and Series 6, as well as the amazing V10-powered Fighter, is fighting for survival after the administrators were called in. The company, now led by Toby Silverton, had been struggling to sell new cars in an increasingly hostile market, through its Kensington showroom. Tom MacLennan and Trevor Binyon of the administrators RSM Tenon have been appointed to handle Bristol, and is hoping to find a new owner for the company, and continue running it as a going concern. According to the BBC, 22 redundancies have been made in the aftermath of the announcement. Mr MacLennan assured owners that sales and service operations would be maintained while new owners were sought. 'We would urge any interested parties to make contact with us as quickly as possible and are confident that we can secure the future of this iconic British brand,' he said. The company was formed immediately after World War Two when the Bristol Aeroplane Company Limited decided to enter the car-making business and acquired the rights to the various pre-war BMW models. By 1948, it was building the streamlined, fast and luxurious 403 using aviation principles of construction. The prestige machines continued thereafter, being expensively handmade in small numbers for well-heeled customers. Chrysler V8 engines were introduced with the 407 of 1961. All Bristols are known for being somewhat eccentric, and have a similarly single-minded following.