Bristol Bullet Is a Swanky, Hand-Built, £250,000 V8 Speedster
Bristol Cars Limited recently unveiled their first new model since the company was rescued from bankruptcy in 2011, the Bristol Bullet. The Bullet began development in 2015 under the codename “Project Pinnacle” and made its first public appearance, although under camouflage, at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Officially revealed on July 28th, 2016, to commemorate the manufacturer’s 70th anniversary, the Bullet blends a modern chassis and engine with a striking, old-school British sports car body, replete with a number of subtle design touches harking back to the company’s roots as an aeroplane manufacturer. The Bullet is said to have been designed in conjunction with a currently unnamed Italian design house, with some rumors stating it to be Pininfarina.
A bonded aluminum chassis underpins the Bristol Bullet, which shares a similar footprint to the current Porsche 718. In a first for the manufacturer, bespoke carbon-fiber composites are used in the construction of the body, keeping the total weight of the vehicle at 2,750lb. – presumably with all fluids and a full tank of gas on board.
Powering the Bristol Bullet is a 4.8-liter “Hercules” V8 sourced from BMW, the same engine used in the previous generation BMW X5. Named after the famous radial Bristol Hercules aeroplane engine, the V8 in the Bullet produces 370-hp and 370-lb-ft., good for a top speed of 155mph and 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds. Transmission options are a ZF six-speed manual or an automatic. The Bullet also comes with Multimatic coilover suspension and brakes from AP Racing.
The use of a BMW engine in the Bullet rekindles a partnership with the German manufacturer that dates back to the earliest days of Bristol Cars, who used BMW engines until 1961.
As a two-seat, open-top speedster, the Bristol Bullet’s primary aim is to serve as a driver’s car, but that doesn’t mean it’s lacking in features found on more modern vehicles. Integrated into the dash paneling, which is offered in classic wood, herringbone carbon-fiber weave or hand-laid, unidirectional carbon-fiber weave, is a multi-touch screen offering smartphone connectivity and Bluetooth and WiFi connections.
Passengers are also treated to a simple, understated interior, which utilizes a blend of exposed metals and supple-looking British leather to create a cabin that looks both purposeful and comfortable, a trademark of the best British sports cars.
As a reflection of the manufacturer’s 70th anniversary, the first new Bristol model since the Bristol Fighter, which debuted in 2004, will be produced in a limited run of 70 units at an estimated price of just under £250,000 (~$323,955). A number of deposits have said to have already been placed for the Bullet, whose production will commence sometime in the first quarter of 2017. Each example will be hand-made over a period of two weeks at the company’s factory in Chichester, Hampshire.
