Once upon a time we featured the
first Bristol Fighter
, the 2006 Goodwood FoS show car, as a YKYWT. And now, rather fortuitously for a feature, we have the last registered car for sale, just two years and 1,100 miles old.
The Fighter was a curio in best Bristol fashion; the gullwing doors making it a unique prospect until the Mercedes SLS came along and that V10 offered a driving experience unlike anything else (the Dodge lump was overhauled by Bristol before going into the Fighter). The USP of the huge engine was that it produced 350lb ft of its torque peak from idle, making it effortless to clock up some numbers on the engine hours dial.
Bristol never aimed its cars at the mainstream, producing cars firmly entrenched in the left field. That the cars didn't appeal to the conventional supercar buyer undoubtedly contributed to its downfall, but makes it rather beguiling as a secondhand oddball. It's a horrible cliche, but to answer the 'So what are you driving then?' question with 'A Bristol Fighter' would surely be very cool indeed.
It's just full of intriguing little details. In a Bristol, dials in the roof are legitimate nod to an aviation past because the same techniques were used in building its cars. The switchgear was made to military-grade standard to last the lifetime of the car. So much money was spent doing so that Bristol could only afford a cheap, off-the-shelf stereo (that may not be true). And those seats must have their origins in planes, as we've never seen anything like that in a road car.
It's a 210mph car apparently
Thanks to its 0.28Cd and (relatively) light 1,500kg kerbweight, the Fighter is a 200mph car. 210mph in fact, putting it right up with the supercar elite. We're not sure that figure has ever been independently verified though, but it would surely be an experience to find out...
It came as a surprise to discover that this Fighter, one of only six in Britain, barely run-in and an integral part of Bristol's history, has fallen in value. What was a £230,000 car new is now for sale at £160K, so the fear would be that figure would only fall further.
But really, if a Bristol is for you, such trivial concerns as depreciation don't matter. Its appeal is in its eccentricity, something that none of its contemporary or current rivals could ever match. For some, that may just be enough.
BRISTOL FIGHTER
Engine: 7,990cc V10
Transmission: Six-speed manual, rear-wheel drive, limited-slip differential
Power (hp): 532@5,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 525@4,200rpm
MPG: Not many
CO2: Rather a lot, probably
Recorded mileage: 1,100
First registered: 2011
Price new: £235,000
Yours for: £159,950
See the original advert here.
