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1993 Bristol Blenheim Speedster news, pictures, and information | ||
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Most car manufacturers build and test secret prototypes that never reach the production stage. When each project ends they are scrapped which ensures they remain a secret indefinitely.A rare exception occurred when a senior member of staff at Bristol's Filton factory suggested we take a look at an abandoned car in a back room. Layers of dust and blankets hid an extraordinary streamlined 2-seater wîth prominent aerodynamic fins. Believed to have originated as a proposed replacement for the early 1950's Arnolt-Bristol wîth a Bristol 2-litre engine it was later tested wîth a Chrysler V-8 wîth an experimental fuel injection system. It appears that Bristol hit on much the same formula as the later AC Cobra but considered it too 'raw' for their gentleman clientele and instead concentrated on introducing the fast, yet dignified V-8 407 saloon series which created the foundation for a whole new generation of Bristols.
The prototype 2-seater survived as a mobile Factory testbed for rebuilt engines and transmissions until being parked up some time in the 70's and forgotten. In the late 1990's it was fully restored by Bristol personnel who revealed it was originally known as 'The Bullet', on account of its generous performance. The car has since delighted all who have driven it due to its combination of rousing performance, exotic appearance, balanced handling and surprising creature comforts.
With the arrival of the Queen's Jubilee year and a general nostalgia for the 1950's, the factory decided to create an updated interpretation using modern
Blenheim components just for the fun of it. The resulting vehicle surpassed all our expectations. We have therefore agreed to build a short run of 12-15 cars to be known as the Blenheim Speedster using the modern Blenheim chassis and drivetrain. Styling is a subtly enhanced version of the original while the interior is all new and conforms to usual sumptuous Bristol standards. ( posted on conceptcarz.com) The speedster benefits from weighing some 350kg less than a Bristol Saloon and has a special 30 gallon fuel tank wîth twin race type fillers. This gives an Intercontinental range to complement its huge and impeccably trimmed luggage boot (just the thing for a weekend trip to Italy!). Performance is fully contemporary wîth 0-60mph in around 5 secs and a top speed approaching 160mph. Generously shod wîth 255 section tyres front and rear on 17' 5-spoke rims, the Speedster offers impressive grip and agility thanks to firmer (but still comfortable) suspension settings.
The Speedster is not intended to form a part of Bristol's long term production plan which is to continue concentrating their efforts on exceptionally well engineered and characterful four-seaters along wîth a very small number of ultra-modern high performance 2-seaters (i.e. Fighter). It does however fill a temporary place in their range as it makes a stunning tribute to Bristol's early aircraft based style combined wîth today's comforts, convenience and performance.Source - Bristol
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| BIFFLE, KESELOWSKI PACE FORD QUALIFIERS AT CALIFORNIA | |
| BRAD KESELOWSKI, No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion (Qualified 3rd) – 'The Miller Lite Ford is pretty fast. I am not a really good qualifier so you know if we qualify well we are going to be a threat. It is a good sign.' WHAT DID YOU FEEL OUT THERE AND WHAT CAN WE EXPECT SUNDAY? 'My car was really good and it has a lot of grip in qualifying mode. In the race they tend to have a lot less grip and I would expect that to be the case this weekend. The Gen 6 cars go through the corner really well when th...[Read more...] | |
| BAYNE COMES HOME TO BRISTOL WHILE ANNETT CONTINUES RECOVERY FROM DAYTONA CRASH | |
| Trevor Bayne, driver of the No. 6 Ford EcoBoost Mustang, is coming off back-to-back fourth-place finishes in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and has moved from 26th to eighth in the point standings. Bayne hosted a Q&A session Friday morning in the Bristol Motor Speedway infield media center to discuss the start to his season and hopes for this weekend. TREVOR BAYNE – No. 6 Ford EcoBoost Mustang – HOW EXCITED ARE YOU TO BE HERE AT BRISTOL? 'I'm excited. I've got my big puffy jacket on right ...[Read more...] | |
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