Classic British marque Bristol Cars has just unveiled the Bristol Bullet – its first vehicle in more than a decade
Bristol Cars may be best known for its sleek classic numbers, but the iconic British car marque has just unveiled its latest sporty little runaround – and it's bang up to date.
The £250,000 Bristol Bullet, the 70-year-old brand's first car since it was rescued from insolvency five years ago, was inspired by a speedster which had lain neglected under a tapaulin in its factory.
The design draws its wings, front grill and bonnet from the company's roots as an aeroplane manufacturer – while the dashboard includes wood panelling.
But despite its vintage styling, the Bristol Bullet features a powerful V8 Hercules engine manufactured by BMW, does 0-62pmh in 3.8 seconds, and can hit top speeds of 155mph. It also includes wifi and Bluetooth connections, screen mirroring and smartphone connectivity.
.
It's Bristol's first new motor since it was rescued from insolvency five years ago, and the first car launched by the brand since the less-than-pretty Fighter, in 2004.
The company, which was originally spun-out of the Bristol Aeroplane Company in 1947, was bought out of administration in 2011 – it's now headquartered in Surrey as part of Kamkorp Group, which also owns Metrocab, the engineering company which has produced an eco-friendly electric Black Cab.
"The Bullet celebrates 70 years of design and innovation at Bristol Cars. This unique speedster sets the tone for the future of Bristol Cars – with a focus on luxury, performance and elegance," said Julian Ramshaw, general manager at Bristol Cars.