And turbocharging. I suspect that blown Viper lump should be quite reliable.
As usual with the small volume Brit manufacturers it will be assembly and trim quality that will be the main concern, especially on a car costing the wrong side of £300k
Cheers
DP
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Think that Gordan M has just about got it right.
i bet its about as reliable as Clarksons gt40,350 to buy and another 350 to keep putting it right.
If i had that stupid amount of money for a car though and had to choose between the two i would take the bugatti as its just looks far superior.
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between the two i would takethe bugatti as its just looks far superior.
??? The Bugatti looks utterly gross actually and would stick out a mile in any surroundings. May well be a worrying drive in heavy traffic too.
I hate the name Fighter but the Bristol is a very handsome machine to my eye without being remotely flash. A non car person wouldn't give it a second glance. And it doesn't have a lot of visible aerodynamic add-ons. Those are the sort of looks I like. And I agree by the way that the engine is likely to be quite reliable. Imagine the rest of the car would be too. Why shouldn't it?
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For £350k I'd track down a nice Ferrari F40, and buy a holiday home somewhere picturesque and hot with the change. Only 4 tenths slower to 60, still cracks 200 mph and weighs less than a Fiesta. And no comparison on the styling front.
I find the idea of a useable, driveable supercar a bit odd. To my mind it should be a total pig to drive around town, and not something you'd even consider using every day. An 80's Ferrari is the ultimate.
I'll get me coat..
Cheers
DP
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No question if i had lots of wonga it would be a ferrari 1st 2nd and 3rd.
And you dont worry about buying a house with the change as if you can afford these type of cars you already have the house.
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For £350k I'd track down a nice Ferrari F40, and buy a holiday home somewhere picturesque .................... An 80's Ferrari is the ultimate.
I once followed an F40 south down the A30 from Maranello at Egham on an FZR600, it was around 1992, the F40 was contemporary then as was the Yamaha, we got to the lights by Wentworth Golf course and the Ferrari driver floored it, I stayed with it to 70/80 before we both eased off, even through my helmet the sound was fantastic and I could hear a "chirp" from the rear wheel as he went from first to second.
A fantasic car though me and the 600cc bhp bike had a power to weight ratio of around 350bhp / ton probably comparable with the F40.
A 288 GTO would be fantastic.
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Having just read a roadtest of the normal Fighter model, it would appear its a reasonable car, if an aquired taste. It certainly doesnt get slated, more that its a 'marmite' kind of car - you either want one or you dont.
I for instance would never in my life covet a Ferrari or Porsche - not because they are bad cars - just they are so the default choice of any idiot who wins the lottery. Who on earth wants to have all the money to spend in the world and STILL buy a car that everyone else would buy?
Then again, good taste usually does have to be aquired, which explains why Ford still sells so many cars.
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Incidentally, my current lottery car is a Morgan Aeromax that I saw in EVO mag. Id buy it for the looks alone, esp the interior. But then, if like me, you never exceed 60mph, that kind of thing is more important than speed or handling :-)
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350lb/ft at tickover according to the web-site! LJK liked Bristols I believe; so when the lottery comes in I'll debase the customer profile:) BTW, Stunorthants, where did you see the test?
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> LJK liked Bristols I believe
He liked only three cars. Sirroco Storm, Honda Prelude (with rws) and a bristol (beufighter I believe)
Anything else was flawed.
I shall say no more, that says it all really.
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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I shall say no more, that says it all really. ------------------------------
Incorrectly though TVM.... probably liked all or most of them like some here. Setright was certainly informed enough and an enthusiastic enough driver to recognise that they are all flawed too without exception, although some have more glaring flaws than others, and some flaws are part of the 'character' that enthusiasts enjoy in cars and that ignorant or insensitive car users deplore as infuriating faults...
I think you read a few things by Setright and got so annoyed you never looked at anything else by him, hence your very narrow view of his, er, views. He could be just a tiny bit annoying sometimes. But it was a flaw that was part of his very entertaining character, as a car hack I mean, not as a human being.... Really my only serious criticism is the beard.
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Bristol have a long and distinguished history of building luxury gentleman's cars. They have, I believe, only ever built 3 cars a week - the only exception being is they had build one for destructive testing - there is a long waiting list and they do not advertise.
This must say something about their build quality etc.
There was a story many years ago about the flash gent who goes into the Bristol showroom in Chiswick ( are they still there?) and says he wants to buy the car on display.
The salesman advises him there is a long waiting list, gent ffers a grand or two over the top for immediate delivery. salesman.
"I think you are in the wrong showroom sir! I suggest you try Jaguar down the road! "
LJK owned several of the earlier models, and was a fan. He wrote the definitive history of the marque.
"Bristol Cars and Engines"
I personally think they lost the plot stylewise after the 411, although the picture I have seen of the new Fighter T looks reasonable.
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tinyurl.com/y6q9u8
Above links to a photo - they don't float my boat !
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Lots of info and pics of the slower version.
www.bristolcars.co.uk/BristolFighter.htm
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Oh the cooking version... hardly reach 2 ton in that one... a girl's supercar.
I meant to say they look a lot better in silver than the kingfisher blue metallic paint on the one in the Kensington High St showroom, just opposite the Inland Revenue conveniently enough for those who have just been given gigantic tax rebates....
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Thanks! Now, for me that is nice (must renew Littlewoods subscription :-) )
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Gorgeous to my eye PU although of course a bit OTT and obviously expensive to a discerning eye, which is bad... That's why I really fancy one of those Holden thingies. But the Bristol: that shape is efficient and slippery and has (so Bristol imply) ground effect aerodynamics, therefore none of those huge wings that look so garish and boy racer on other cars.
Of course it's still a massive brute of a thing, but I would not expect it to feel as massive-brutish around town as one of these aforesaid bespoilered cars-everyone-thinks-are-the-best, even if you don't have the one that gets through a clutch in 3,000 miles and will certainly charge a healthy amount for a new one.... You would have to be born very very rich or think you had made a major contribution to the betterment of humanity to feel you deserved such a thing. Cars over about 50 grand new now bring out a Puritan side I never used to suspect I had. However I can easily put that on the back burner when the occasion arises... :o)
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He liked only three cars. Sirroco Storm, Honda Prelude (with rws) and a bristol (beufighter I believe)
He loved the Citroen CX turbo as well.
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Ah yes I forgot that, a glimer of hope then.
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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>> He liked only three cars. Sirroco Storm, Honda Prelude (with rws) >> and a bristol (beufighter I believe) He loved the Citroen CX turbo as well.
Really, Setright liked cars. Just because he went on positively or negatively about one or another you shouldn't think the man was a bigot like some of - I was going to say you, but I will say us. But honestly I'm tired of trying to set the record straight here. Read the goddam texts before you sound off, if you can find them and if you can be bothered after all this time.
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Dot you sound of at me Lud. I read the "damn" articles as they were published in car in the 80's. Each and every one of them. For FOUR years.
That i think gives me the right to pass judgment on the man, Plus the fact I met him in the "bun shop" in Surbiton ( he was living near by)
I reserve the right to sound off, I read the stuff.
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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Sound off all you like, you're often funny and often informative... But I still don't agree about the beardie. I too reserve the right to sound off.
We must agree to differ on this one TVM. But I will tease you again if you do any more Setright bashing.
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nortones2 - I saw that test in the 'Best of British Supercars' mag that I bought last month.
I think its a special edition kind of thing. Pictures are superb quality.
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stunorthants: thanks for that: I'll have a look out for it.
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Try WH Smiths for the mag, thats where I got it from.
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