Intro: No dealers, no distributors, Bristol is the last truly British-owned luxury car manufacturer.
The origins of the company can be traced back to the early 1910s when the forefunner to Bristol Aeroplane Co was established. A series of successful aircraft designs saw rapid expansion, especially during the two World Wars. In the second, Bristol turned out an astonishing total of over 14,000 aircraft, including the Blenheim fighter bomber.
When war ended, the company decided to use some of its surplus engineering and production capacity for the
manufacture of motors cars. Naturally, something special was expected from the aviation giant, yet the car surpassed all
expectations. From the first, the standards of engineering, materials used and sheer quality of construction were second to
none and established an enviable reputation worldwide.
In 1960, political pressure persuaded the aircraft company to combine with other manufacturers and become the British
Aircraft Corporation, now British Aerospace. In order to ensure its autonomy, the car division, Bristol Cars Ltd., was
acquired by former Grand Prix racing driver Tony Crook with the grandson of the founder of the original 1910 company.
In 1973, Tony Crook became the sole owner and managing director. Since then he has fastidiously tailored the cars and
the company to satisfy the needs of its faithful and exacting customers.
In 1997, Mr Crook was joined by a new financial partner who is helping the company to meet the challenges of the next millennium.
The company makes less than 100 cars per year but exact figures are not disclosed. |
