BRISTOL Blenheim Speedster 2004-2011 Photos, engines & full specs

The British carmaker Bristol unveiled an unusual-looking vehicle on the market in 2002: the Blenheim Speedster, but the sales started in 2004.

Bristol was still under complete UK ownership, unlike MINI, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Aston Martin, Jaguar, or Land Rover. That made them unique, even though their cars were not entirely British anymore. The Blenheim Speedster is one example of that. It combined old technologies and design with new drivetrains. It was built on the same platform as the Blenheim four-seater, which, in turn, relied on a modified version of the box-frame chassis from the 1938 BMW 328.

The design was inspired by the former Bristol Bullet prototype from the '50s and resembled the 404 model. It featured an open "mouth" that fed cold air to the radiator. On the front fascia, the rounded fenders comprised the round headlights and the blinkers underneath them, just like on the old 404 model. But despite that classic look, the bodywork was made from aluminum, and the flush fenders and doors confirmed the modern interpretation of the old design. Moreover, the car was an open-top construction, without a greenhouse. Thus the driver and the side passenger were protected only by a short windscreen. At the back, two fins were added to the rear quarter panels. The rear bumper was concealed behind the panel, while a two-exhaust system let the engine breathe.

Since Bristol tried to offer a luxurious feeling to its customers, it fitted the open-top roadster with leather-wrapped bucket seats, separated by a center console where the automatic-transmission gear selector took place.

Unlike the 404, which featured a six-mill powerplant, the Blenheim Speedster received a 5.9-liter, Chrysler-sourced V8 engine. It was mated with a five-speed automatic transmission that sent the power to the rear wheels.