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| Bristol News & Other Bristol Discussion About the company, clubs, car owners, and Bristol discussion not specific to the 6,8 or 10 cyl cars. |
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13-05-11, 03:27 AM
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If the test was done today with equivalent current model cars, the outcome may be far worse for Bristol. What would today's comparative cars be from Mercedes, Rolls Royce, Aston Martin and Porsche? (in the same price range as the current Blenheim), .... although why the 603 was compared with a Porsche 911 and a V8 Aston is a mystery. Quote:
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13-05-11, 05:54 AM
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But seriously , I have been in the Blenheim 4 quite a bit and it does stand up to modern stuff, especialy with the LPG economy and less gadgets to go wrong. Not sure about the fighter as I haven't been in many super cars. Looking forward to electric offerings..
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13-05-11, 07:03 AM
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I thought it might be interesting addition to the discussion to revise and resubmit much of the content of an older posting of mine (originally on a different topic).
My views on the historical management of BCL are mixed. No one can fail to admire Mr Crook's firmness of purpose which allowed BCL to survive, almost uniquely in this day and age, as a small manufacturer of cars for so many years. The essence of that survival seems to have been a lack of hubris and determination to stick to what one did well, despite what others did or aspired to do, coupled with a realistic assessment of what was in fact possible and what I suspect was a real pride in, and affection and sense of responsibility for, the company, its history, its products and its employees. There is another side however. As the car division, the marque had a distinctive approach to the design and manufacture of cars and stood for unique values of innovation, performance, design and quality. The division appears to have had a confidence about its products and its unique design focus that contrasts strongly with the subsequent period of operation under Mr Crook. From about the 411 onwards, the company became increasingly less open about its products, their design and their performance. The marketing message shifted from a distinctive design and quality focus to notions of exclusivity and undifferentiated "differentness". One suspects that, lacking the ability and funding to innovate and to carry the torch for the original Bristol values, new values were invented which lay within the company's more limited abilities. The Crook years represented the creation and building of a new Bristol image. The "exclusive and different" image was cultivated by secrecy about the cars and the company. Development and modification was hinted at but the details never disclosed (and the claims therefore could neither be verified nor disproved). The motoring press were increasingly kept away from the products. Historical mythology regarding Mr Crook's role in the initial creation of the marque in 1946 was created and fostered. Withdrawal of the cars from the motoring press and the cultivation of a press reputation for avoiding press exposure was arguably a masterstroke of marketing - the cars were no longer portrayed as advanced designs of distinctive quality and were instead talked about with reference to having a "Saville Row" image. The strategy minimised the "Emperor's New Clothes" risk of exposing the cars to outside scrutiny and the adverse conclusions which might have been drawn from revealing the actual production activity (or lack thereof) over many years. The same sensitivity may also account for the strange treatment of potential customers who were refused test drives until after purchase. It may well be the case that BCL's survival required this form of rebranding and secrecy but it was certainly not a message that those of us who admired the original Bristol values could relate to with pride. Against that background, the activities of BOC were inevitably counter-productive and de-mystifying (as the activities of any owners' club acting in the interests of its membership would be) and the rather strange historical tension between BOC and BCL is understandable for that reason alone. The subsequent change of ownership and management had seen the marque undergoing another, and, for me, very welcome, change in image and projected values. BCL seemed to realise that it actually represented the overlooked benefits of traditional values and methodologies brought up to date, in the same way that current manufacturers of valve (or, for North American readers, tube) amplifiers, full-range single driver speakers, vinyl LPs and turntables represent those values so successfully in high end audio today. That is what makes my 411 so special to me and why I enjoy owning it alongside a Nissan GTR. Under the Silverton ownership, the differentness started to be revealed as having substance and tangible benefit (other than merely in vague allusions to snobbish exclusivity) and the new values were demonstrated and advocated by BCL in products (Speedster, Series 6, Fighter) which it was not afraid to show off. BCL had started to manifest confidence in what it did and was not afraid to show how it was different rather than just behaving unconventionally and secretively and claiming to be different. It will be interesting to see what values are adopted in the future.
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13-05-11, 08:08 AM
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A Bristol is completely different from all of them. Regards, Markus
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13-05-11, 02:35 PM
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if we don't limit ourselves to 2 doors as indeed the testers didn't then we have: Mercedes-Benz CL Rolls-Royce Ghost Aston Martin Rapide Porsche Panamera then there is the: Bentley Mulsanne Ferrari 612/FF Jensen Interceptor R Jaguar XKR Maserati GranTurismo the above list might also include the new Morgan Eva GT (not sure of the interior space) and, if Audi give the go ahead, the Lamborghini Estoque. Not the shortest list in the world, and had BCL updated the Blenheim, I seem to recall someone mentioning plans for a new 4-seater with irs, then all could be considered competition, albeit across a fairly wide price spectrum.
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14-05-11, 05:32 AM
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While it might be said that some of the cars in that particular road test should not have been compared with one another, it should be pointed out that it was not a typical technical road test but more a gathering of impressions from possible potential customers - that is five people who could very likely afford to buy one. The testers were the Marquis of Ailesbury, the Earl of Denbigh, the Earl of Cardigan, Lady Jane Hudson & Lady Bean, chosen because they were "used to such sybaritic pleasures". It could be argued that such a test is more meaningful than a typical technical test because at the end of the day people usually buy cars like this based on their overall impression. The best ranking the Bristol received was 3rd from Lady Bean the other results were two 4th places and two 5th places (bottom). From the tester's comments it was clear that Bristol was already falling behind the times compared to the other manufacturers represented, and that was in 1979!
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14-05-11, 06:55 AM
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Keep in mind that Lady Bean must have been married to Mr Bean ! :-) Bristol Rolls Royce Bentley Jensen Aston Martin Which of the above went bust or taken over ? Bristol have never had government financial support / grants, unlike many other British and German manufacturers. We all know that a Mercedes S class and similar are probably better in every way than a Bristol, but I thought this site was about shared rose tinted glasses and supporting a manufacturer we are all fans of ? Plenty of other sites slag them off ! Was Kevin Clarkson refused a test drive ?
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14-05-11, 08:17 AM
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As for supporting the manufacturer, you can do that by either buying new cars, having your old car serviced or restored by Bristol or by buying parts from them, rather than going to great lengths to find out where the part came from originally so you can buy it elsewhere and save a few quid. There are a lot of people who take great pleasure in doing the latter, including yourself if I'm not mistaken! Quote:
Why not take a Blenheim 4, or better still a Fighter T, make absolutely sure it is perfect in every way and let Clarkson play with it. What could possibly go wrong? 
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14-05-11, 08:43 AM
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But to be honest in Bristol's case bad press or good press has been irrelevant for years. The (few) people who bought them knew why they bought them and cared not for the press views. They just wanted something that did the job unobtrusively and was comfortable without being flash. The same people who have ancient Roberts radios in the kitchen. Unfortunately these customers have been dwindling without new blood replacing them.
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14-05-11, 11:28 AM
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Regards, Markus
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14-05-11, 12:25 PM
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14-05-11, 06:47 PM
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(For the record, my excuses would be that there is not digital radio in Orkney and the only gas passes by in a huge pipe on its way doon sooth!) Geo
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14-05-11, 08:11 PM
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Supporting FNBCLTD
[quote=Kevin H;5149]
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Never assume ! Quote:
Last edited by Kevin H; 14-05-11 at 11:08 PM. Reason: fix up Greg's mis-use of quoting
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15-05-11, 03:41 AM
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Top Gear, the TV show as opposed to the magazine, have been known to ignore or turn down manufacturers in the past who have offered their products to be tested; not sure whether BCL fall into that category?
Ultima certainly claim to have been snubbed in the past.
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15-05-11, 08:51 AM
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That's why every notable car manufacturer have their cars on the show, including cars that cost a lot more than Bristols! There is no way they would risk doing that unless they thought it was worthwhile. Quote:
*referred to in an Evo article Quote:
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