Luxury coachbuilder Bristol Cars is set to re-enter the automotive market by completing a sports car project that was halted when the company entered administration over ten years ago. The brand plans to mark its return during its 80th anniversary year by producing five units of the Fighter, a gullwing-doored grand tourer powered by a V10 engine.
The Bristol Fighter was originally launched in 2004, featuring a naturally aspirated Dodge Viper-sourced V10 engine producing 600 horsepower. After the company faced financial difficulties, only 13 of the 210 mph supercars were delivered before Bristol entered administration in 2011.
Under new ownership and with support from an unnamed UK manufacturer, Bristol Cars will complete five of the original chassis that remained from the initial production run, bringing the total number of Fighters to 18. Each vehicle will be built to its original specifications, utilizing drawings that are over two decades old.
Paul King, owner and director of Bristol Cars, stated that completing the Fighter program is the first step in the company's rejuvenation. One completed Fighter, finished in black with a tan leather interior, recently debuted at the Salon Privé event at Blenheim Palace. Four chassis remain available for customers to commission to their preferred specifications.
Originally conceived in the early 2000s, the two-seat Fighter was Bristol's final production model before manufacturing ceased in 2011. Its design was influenced by Bristol's aviation heritage, emphasizing engineering detail and function. The five completed cars will not be sold as new registrations but will undergo Individual Vehicle Approval and receive period-correct 2008 registration plates.
Bristol's new owners indicated that finishing the unfinished program will "reconnect Bristol Cars with a tangible part of its history and establish the first chapter in the marque's return." The remaining four Fighters will be offered for sale in the coming months, each handcrafted on an original, unused chassis.
While pricing is available upon application, the Fighter originally cost around £230,000, with higher-performance S versions ranging from £250,000 to £300,000. Richard Hackett, who advised former Bristol boss Tony Crook, has been appointed chairman to help bridge the gap between the company's past and future.
Founded in 1945 as a division of the Bristol Aeroplane Company, Bristol produced its first model, the Bristol 400, in 1946. The company built a reputation for creating distinctive, limited-production vehicles. Bristol's previous operational period concluded in 2011. Kamkorp Autokraft Ltd acquired the company's intellectual property and goodwill in 2011 and licensed them to Bristol Cars. A subsequent project, the Bristol Bullet, unveiled in 2016, did not enter series production. Kamkorp Autokraft operated until 2022, leading to the current revival which focuses on completing the unfinished Fighter project.