A company out of time: Bristol

When it comes to British cars from independent manufacturers, the first things that come to mind are the sports cars they used to make in the sixties (and still make today), the strangely famous Peel, the Reliant Robin, or the lucky break the obscure AC Ace had in becoming the basis of the AC Cobra. I know I’ve left many out, but to sum up, apart from the most prestigious brands, it cannot be said that English independent manufacturers innovated very much.

All of this comes to mind because of the excellent article I came across in the NY Times, which analyses the Bristol case, an English firm that carries on against wind and tide and against itself, with cars rated as some of the ugliest in the industry, but as the only firm that builds high-end cars (and handmade to this day) and that is still entirely British. Bristol Cars is turning 64, its history beginning as an aircraft builder and diversifying into cars at the end of the Second World War.

Bristol’s current production is split between its entry model, the Bristol Blenheim 3 (a car with a design that is thirty years old), and the exclusive Speedster, which, by the way, is more attractive than the former. At the top of the range sits the Fighter, a sports car with a V10 engine and a questionable design, priced at around half a million euros.

Astonishingly, Bristol has not experienced the crisis of recent years. Its sales have grown 25% since 2008, against a general decline among other brands. Its cars, expensive but highly valued by those who can afford them, are sold in small series of about 150 cars a year. For more curiosities about this brand, Bristol has only one dealership in London, decorated the same way as in the sixties and which does not use computers; everything is done by hand, as was done years ago.

Despite everything that can be said mockingly about Bristol, the company carries on, even with purchase offers that, year after year, reach its head offices. Toby Silverton, the company’s owner, says the company is not for sale, nor will it be. And it will continue under the same philosophy as long as there are people who find a special appeal in its cars and recognise their handcrafted qualities.

Amid so many models that delight us with their technology and design, amid hybrid or electric cars that threaten to overwhelm us, the case of Bristol is that of a company frozen in time, yet one that still has satisfied wealthy customers who see a synonym for quality in its name.

Via | NY Times

More information | Bristol Cars