Bristol Announces First Sports Car In 5 Years

It’s a good day for the auto industry. Renowned British manufacturer Bristol Cars has skidded back into the spotlight after a five-year absence with the introduction of a new sports car. The luxurious new vehicle made its first public appearance in disguise at last week’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, and today Bristol announced its official name — the Bullet.

Bristol hasn’t announced the new vehicle’s horsepower and other numbers, but they did say it will feature a 4.8-liter BMW V8 engine, according to Autoblog. The car’s concept is called “Project Pinnacle,” and is set for unveiling at the end of this month. The Bullet is the first vehicle Bristol has announced since the Fighter, which ceased production in 2011.

The BMW V8 engine in the upcoming Bullet is naturally aspirated, which means the unit breathes on its own without being fed air from a power adder, like a turbocharger. Bristol has previously hinted at its intentions to make the transition to turbocharged engines, and the announcement that the Bullet will be the last Bristol car to feature a non-turbo engine seems to confirm that. The Bullet, then, is sort of like a farewell to some of the historic models in Bristol’s catalogue, including the manufacturer’s first model, the 1947 Bristol 400, which was propelled by a BMW engine.

The Bristol 400 was one of several early models produced between 1947 and 1955 that helped Bristol garner its reputation as one of the finest car manufacturers in the world. The models were lauded for their adherence to aircraft standards and showcased Bristol’s dedication to high quality, carefully-crafted vehicles. With the Bullet, Bristol appears to be moving in a new direction with a carbon fiber chassis — most of the earlier models were made from aluminum — while paying respect to its beginnings with the BMW engine.