Bristol Cars has returned from another long absence, and its first move is wonderfully out of step with the modern auto industry. Instead of launching an EV or compact crossover, the revived British marque is finishing a handful of gullwing supercars powered by an 8.0-liter Dodge Viper-derived V10.
The car in question is the Bristol Fighter, an eccentric grand tourer originally introduced in the early 2000s. Production ended when Bristol collapsed in 2011, leaving behind several unused chassis that have now become the foundation of the company’s latest revival.
According to Bristol Cars, the first newly completed Fighter made its debut at Salon Privé as the company celebrates its 80th anniversary. It is finished in black over tan, while another four unused original chassis are waiting to become customer cars.
That makes this an unusual kind of comeback because Bristol isn’t recreating the Fighter from scratch but is effectively picking up a production program abandoned 15 years ago and finishing the cars that were left behind back then.
The Viper V10 Is Back
Beneath the Fighter’s long hood is an 8.0-liter V10 derived from the engine used by the Dodge Viper. Bristol originally offered the engine with 525 horsepower, while the more powerful specification produced around 600 hp.
The revived company says the remaining cars can be built to those original specifications. Bristol also claims the Fighter is capable of reaching 210 mph, putting it firmly into supercar territory despite its decidedly unconventional appearance.
Pairing American muscle with a low-volume British grand tourer was unusual when the Fighter first appeared, and it feels even stranger today. The Dodge Viper itself disappeared after 2017, meaning Bristol is now one of the few places where the V10’s legacy is unexpectedly continuing.
Only Five Chassis Were Left
The original Fighter was exceptionally rare, with only around 15 examples believed to have been completed before Bristol ran into financial trouble. Five unused chassis survived the shutdown, and the company plans to complete them all.
The first car shown at Salon Privé is right-hand drive, but customers ordering the remaining four will be able to choose right- or left-hand drive. Bristol says each will be hand-built in Britain with assistance from an unnamed specialist manufacturing partner.
Pricing hasn’t been announced publicly and will be supplied on request. Given the rarity of the Fighter and the amount of specialist work involved in completing cars from original unused chassis, these are likely to be expensive additions to anyone’s garage.
Bristol Has Tried To Come Back Before
Bristol traces its automotive history to 1946, when the Bristol Aeroplane Company moved into car production after World War II. The company eventually became known for expensive, highly exclusive grand tourers produced in exceptionally small numbers.
Its history since 2011 has been considerably less stable. A previous revival attempt produced the BMW V8-powered Bristol Bullet concept in 2016, although that project never progressed into regular production before the company changed hands again.
This latest comeback is being led by owner Paul King and chairman Richard Hackett, who has connections to the earlier Bristol era. Rather than immediately attempting another clean-sheet model, the company is beginning with unfinished business from its past.
The Fighter Is Only The Beginning
Bristol says completing the five Fighters represents the first stage of a greater return to automobile production in Britain. What follows is still unclear, and the company has yet to reveal what its next vehicle will be.
Still, the important part is that Bristol Cars is building cars again, even if those cars began their journey more than a decade ago. Bringing back a virtually extinct British supercar with gullwing doors and a Viper V10 is certainly one of the more memorable ways to announce that you’re back.