Bristol Cars Is Back

Bristol Cars looks set to make a return to the roads in 2026, just in time to celebrate its 80th anniversary. The revival of the British car manufacturer is being led by Chairman and CEO Jason Wharton, who purchased the company’s assets in 2020 following its liquidation.

Founded in 1945 as an offshoot of the Bristol Aeroplane Company, Bristol Cars released its first model, the 400, in 1946, which was inspired by pre-war BMW designs like the 326, 327, and 328. The 1950s was the time period when Bristol Cars really stood on its own though thanks to its large coupes that combined luxury and speed.

Jason Wharton has hinted that the company’s revival will be led by a modern interpretation of the 1969 Bristol 411, which originally featured a 6.2-litre Chrysler V8 engine. While initial plans under his leadership aimed to position Bristol as a leader in electric vehicles, the strategy has since changed somewhat. The new plan now looks like a limited-edition new Bristol Fighter for 2025 followed by a limited-edition Bristol Speedster for 2026, and then new productions – the Bristol Buccaneer and Bristol Pullman between 2027 and 2030.

It will be exciting to see Bristol Cars back out on the road, so we wish Jason and his team all the best!

Update:

After reading this, John Bulmer (BAE Systems) very kindly got in touch and created a timeline showing the links between the various aerospace and defence companies and the motor industry in the UK. You can see this below.