Description
The Bristol 401-403 was outrageously expensive for a 2-litre saloon at the time – only Bentleys, Rolls-Royces and Lagonda were more costly in 1949 – but it looked like a spaceship compared with most of its contemporaries.
A rigid chassis, efficient suspension, a smooth and powerful engine, along with a light yet well-insulated bodyshell, combine to give the car an impression of tautness, verve and sophistication.
Some will say Bristols merely declined from there, losing their aerodynamic styling, gaining weight and keeping an engineering “advanced” until it became archaic.
The heart of the car’s success was its hemispherical-head inline-six derived from pre-war BMWs, a superb unit, cleverly developed by Bristol, which was sought after for sports and racing cars of the era.
But Bristol made the most of it in the 401. The first 2-litre production saloon to reach 100 mph, its all-aluminium body was exceptionally aerodynamic, aided by push-button door openings and the interior opening of the bonnet and boot.
Bristol adopted Carrozzeria Touring’s Superleggera construction well before Aston Martin. Even the aluminium gauge varied: 16 for the tops of the front wings and the bonnet, where pressure could cause dings in a thinner gauge, and 18 elsewhere.
The streamlined, body-colour bumpers with chrome inserts, mounted to the chassis via rubber blocks, were decades ahead of their time.
Other clever details include a bonnet that opens sideways (safer in both directions) or can be removed by undoing a bolt, and a boot lid with a spring-assisted stay.
A total of 618 Bristol 401s were built.
This example is from the 3rd and final series. It is in very good mechanical and cosmetic condition. It is accompanied by a substantial service and history file.
Last works carried out:
- New Vredestein Classic tyres
- Dashboard buffed to the polish
- Electric fuel pump (mechanical pump still in place)
- Full service
