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| foundation = {{Start date and age|1945}} in [[Bristol]], [[United Kingdom]]
| defunct = 2020
| fate =
| location =
| location_city = Brabazon, Filton, [[Bristol]]
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}}
'''Bristol Cars''' was a British
Bristol was always a low-volume manufacturer; the most recent published official production figures were for 1982, which stated that 104 cars were produced in that year.{{sfnp|Lösch|1984|p=402}} The company also had only one sales showroom, on the corner of [[Kensington High Street]] and [[Holland Road, London|Holland Road]] in London.<ref name="Bild">{{cite journal |title=Die wundersame Welt von Bristol |journal=[[Auto Bild]] |language=de |url= http://www.autobild.de/artikel/eine-autofabrik-vom-anderen-stern_60293.html |date=6 January 2008 |access-date=16 May 2008}}</ref>
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==History==
[[File:Bristol Cars showroom Kensington High Street (2).jpg|thumb|The former Bristol Cars showroom on [[Kensington High Street]]]]
The British aircraft industry suffered a dramatic loss of orders and great financial difficulties following the Armistice of 1918. To provide immediate employment for its considerable workforce, the Bristol Aeroplane Company undertook the manufacture of a [[light car]] (the single-seat Bristol Monocar, powered by a motorcycle engine)<ref>
On the outbreak of [[World War II]], [[Sir Stanley White, 2nd Baronet|Sir Stanley White]], managing director of the [[Bristol Aeroplane Company]] from 1911 to 1954, was determined not to suffer the same difficulties a second time. The company now employed 70,000 and he knew he must plan for the time when the wartime demand for Bristol aircraft and aircraft engines would suddenly end. The company began working with AFN Ltd, manufacturers of [[Frazer Nash]] cars and British importer of [[BMW]]s before the war, on plans for a joint venture in automotive manufacture.{{sfnp|Lawrence|1991|p=58}}
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By July 1945, BAC had created a car division and bought a controlling stake in AFN.<ref name=book>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uAm-H04hAGQC&q=HJ%20Aldington%20Bristol%20cars&pg=PA64 |title=Encyclopaedia of Classic Cars: Sports Cars 1945-1975 | first = Rob | last = de la Rive Box |year=1998 |page=64 |isbn=9781579581183 | publisher = Routledge }}</ref> A factory was established at [[Bristol Filton Airport|Filton Aerodrome]], near Bristol.{{sfnp|Setright|1978|p=233}} [[File:1952 Bristol 401 in Holland Park, Kensington, London.JPG|thumb|1952 [[Bristol 401]]]]
[[File:Bristol Britannia car at Filton, England 18July2010 arp.jpg|left|thumb|The Bristol Britannia
George White and Reginald Verdon-Smith of the aeroplane company joined the new Frazer Nash Board, but in January 1947, soon after the first cars had been produced, differences between the Aldingtons and Bristol led to the resale of Frazer Nash. The Bristol car division became an independent entity.
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On 3 March 2011 it was announced that Bristol Cars had gone into [[Administration (law)|administration]], with the loss of 22 jobs when the factory at Filton, Bristol was shut down.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-12641665 |title=Bristol Cars goes into administration |access-date=3 March 2011 |work=BBC News |date=3 March 2011}}</ref> On 21 April 2011 another new company was formed to sell the assets of the former dissolved company; that company was purchased by [[Kamkorp]], which also owned Frazer-Nash Research, a technology manufacturer of electric power systems. During this era, the company focused on restoring and selling all models of the marque while a new model was being developed.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bristol Cars |url=http://www.bristolcars.co.uk/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180130080143/http://www.bristolcars.co.uk/ |archive-date=30 January 2018 |access-date=8 October 2013 |publisher=Bristol Cars}}</ref>
In 2015 Bristol Cars announced the development of a new model codenamed "Project Pinnacle". Initial reports indicated it would be a petrol-electric hybrid with a petrol engine from BMW.<ref>{{cite web|last=Pollard |first=Tim |url=http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-news/first-official-pictures/bristol/bristol-cars-is-back-with-new-2015-pinnacle-model/ |title=Bristol Cars is back with new 2015 Pinnacle model by CAR Magazine |website=Carmagazine.co.uk |date=2015-06-02 |access-date=2016-08-17}}</ref> However a later media report and a May 2015 press release, indicated that the car would have non-hybrid V8 power.<ref>{{cite web |last=Moss |first=Darren |date=2 June 2015 |title=Bristol previews new Project Pinnacle anniversary car |url=http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/bristol-project-pinnacle-get-bmw-powerplant |
On 5 March 2020 it was reported that Bristol cars had been officially wound up in order to pay creditors, with court-ordered liquidation under way.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/bristol-cars-loses-appeal-against-liquidation |title=Bristol cars loses appeal against liquidation | first = Lawrence | last = Allan | website=Autocar.co.uk |access-date=2020-04-19 | date=2020-03-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2020/03/05/bristol-cars-comes-end-road-73-years/|title=Bristol Cars comes to end of the road after 73 years|newspaper=The Telegraph |date=5 March 2020 |access-date=2020-03-06|last1=English |first1=Andrew }}</ref> The Bristol Owners Club working together with the Bristol Owners and Drivers Association and the Bristol Owners Heritage Trust is reported to be actively engaged in order to preserve the heritage and associated spares for the marque.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/bristol-cars-loses-appeal-against-liquidation|title=Bristol Cars loses appeal against liquidation|website=Autocar}}</ref>
=== Post
In 2021, [[Intellectual property|intellectual property rights]] to Bristol Cars were registered by Bristol Fighter Limited, a subsidiary of Bristol Manufacturing Limited, owned by Essex based investor and property developer Jason Wharton, with revocation of 297 defunct trademarks.{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}} Wharton plans to transform the company into a "leading British [[electric vehicle]] company" by 2026, the brand's 80th anniversary. The new Bristol Cars would firstly launch "remastered" versions of historic cars with modernised mechanicals on a built to order basis. It was also reported that the new company will subsequently revive the Buccaneer nameplate for an all new electric vehicle.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Page |first=Felix |date=7 May 2021 |title=Official: Bristol Cars revival to be led by new Buccaneer EV |url=https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/official-bristol-cars-revival-be-led-new-buccaneer-ev |access-date=2023-06-10 |website=Autocar |language=en}}</ref> Shortly after this announcement, however, controversy erupted between Wharton and Bristol's [[insolvency practitioner]] Frost Group. The practitioner stated that Wharton had in fact not purchased any intellectual property rights, but had merely purchased certain tooling and spares at the auction of the company's assets.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bowman |first=John |date=2021-05-18 |title=Bristol Cars row erupts as joint liquidator says intellectual property rights haven't been bought |url=https://cardealermagazine.co.uk/publish/bristol-cars-row-erupts-as-joint-liquidator-says-intellectual-property-rights-havent-been-bought/223558 |access-date=2023-06-10 |website=Car Dealer Magazine |language=en}}</ref>
==Pre-war BMW designs, Aldington brothers and early cars==
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[[Category:British brands]]
[[Category:British companies established in 1945]]▼
[[Category:Car brands]]▼
[[Category:Formula One engine manufacturers]]
[[Category:Kensington]]
[[Category:Luxury motor vehicle manufacturers]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies based in Bristol]]
[[Category:1945 establishments in England]]
▲[[Category:British companies established in 1945]]
[[Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1945]]▼
▲[[Category:Car brands]]
▲[[Category:Formula One engine manufacturers]]
[[Category:Sports car manufacturers]]
▲[[Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1945]]
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