Bristol Blenheim 3
Authoritative Performance • Time-honoured Craftsmanship • Elegant Understatement • Exclusive Luxury
It is not by chance that Bristol enjoys a reputation as a marque favoured by skilled and enthusiastic drivers. The Blenheim is unique among passenger cars in locating the entire engine and all major masses including spare wheel and battery within the wheelbase. This is essential, as it allows us to achieve not only the ideal front to rear weight balance but also the lowest possible centre of gravity and polar moment of inertia. The results may be felt every minute you drive - exceptional agility combined with imperturbable stability at speed and remarkable roadholding under all conditions. Bristol's power steering system, unlike most others, has been developed to provide a true feel of the road, varying its feedback faithfully according to the amount of road grip that is available. Whether it is being used as a luxury town car or high speed continental express, Bristol's painstaking engineering excellence puts the driver confidently in control and his passengers totally at ease.
Powering the Blenheim is a large displacement naturally aspirated engine which has been optimised to perform economically and with exceptional responsiveness at low revs and light throttle openings. Indeed very few cars of any type offer more torque in relation to vehicle weight. You will notice this in the way that the car moves swiftly away from rest as if it weighs very little. Every throttle movement is answered with swift, obedient authority while a 70mph cruise requires an engine speed of barely 1,700 r.p.m. Should your mood or road conditions require it, the smooth yet responsive automatic transmission will immediately change down giving you access to a level of performance normally reserved for serious sporting machines.
Today's traffic conditions require a vehicle with compact overall dimensions to provide enjoyable, stress-free motoring. The Blenheim's major mechanical components are carefully laid out to avoid the usual massive centre console stealing interior room so that we may provide the interior width of a formal luxury car within the exterior width of a medium sized saloon. A rare feature these days is a generous area of glass (of exceptional optical quality) and slim pillars which give unrivalled outward vision. Combined with an unexpectedly tight turning circle the Blenheim allows brisk and enjoyable progress in tiresome traffic conditions and slips through gaps where traditional luxury saloons are often brought to a frustrating standstill.
Bristol is the only remaining luxury car manufacturer under British control. It is also the last company that still creates its cars entirely by hand in the time-honoured manner benefiting from the exacting skill, precision and care of individual craftsmen. By deliberately restricting production to a handful of cars per week we ensure exclusivity and excellence of manufacture. The labour hours to build the Blenheim are three to four times more than those of any other specialist luxury cars. This we happily accept as the cost of real, lasting quality.
Externally, a Bristol's appearance is carefully tailored to achieve quiet understatement yet maintain an elegant, timeless line. The latest Blenheim 3 benefits from a sleeker, more rounded aluminium body whose softly sculptured nose conceals more efficient cooling ducts and a subtle 'splitter', which eliminates residual lift without any drag penalty. By blending modern elements with traditional Bristol proportions we have achieved an elegant Grand Tourer which looks distinguished in any surroundings.
Despite its compact exterior dimensions, the Blenheim draws on our logical Aviation heritage to maximise space within. The normally wasted area behind the front wheels is used for lockable compartments which house the spare wheel, battery and electrical components. The fuel tank is located above the rear axle line (the safest place imaginable) thus ensuring that the boot is deep and regularly spaced. Four six foot tall adults can settle comfortably into amply sized leather armchairs with generous leg, head and shoulder room. These high backed seats with integral headrests support you softly but fully while one of the strongest road car structures yet devised insulates you from unwanted harshness and vibration. The interior is trimmed by hand in a special flawless grade of hide created for Bristol, complemented by matched walnut veneer and Wilton carpet edge-bound in leather. Many hours are spent covering by hand the areas beneath with sound proofed multi-layered cushioned underlays to give that solid cosseted feel that is one of the great delights of a traditional coachbuilt body. In a Bristol, every journey becomes an occasion, a relaxing and satisfying place from which to observe the hectic world without.
By painstaking engineering and innovative design, Bristol have achieved what our owners most desire. A car sized to make the best use of today's roads yet with the full accommodation of a formal saloon and the presence of a true gentleman's Grand Touring coupé
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Blenheim 3G
- New dual fuel luxury car running on petrol and Liquefied Petroleum Gas.
- Bristol draws on its experience from 1977 when they marketed the 412 petrol/LPG car. The first UK manufacturer then to do it in original equipment sale.
- Reduced emmissions.
- Fuel cost equivalent to a diesel.
- Extended range.
- Like all current Bristols the car has a huge luggage boot in spite of one petrol tank and two LPG tanks as the full size spare wheel is mounted under one front wing.
Bristol Cars have always been designed and built without reference to normal cost constraints, yet few people realise that they are also notably inexpensive to operate, this characteristic undoubtedly being a part of the remarkable customer loyalty that our cars engender. In particular, depreciation on resale is kept low due to our vehicles' exclusivity and unique long life design. Out of pocket expenses have been minimised by our designers' obsessive attention to real economy of operation. For these reasons, a Bristol is a most attractive economic proposition compared to any other car of similar first cost.
Bristol first made available an LPG option on new cars 30 years ago, so we possess a great deal of multi-fuel experience. The latest installation is a highly sophisticated one with a stand-alone computer and eight additional injectors for gas operation. By taking advantage of the superior anti-knock qualities of LPG, performance has been optimised to the point where no power loss can be discerned.
Experienced drivers may notice even greater smoothness of operation when running on gas. Since many owners already report a petrol consumption of 30 mpg at legal steady cruising speeds, LPG operation can provide the cost equivalent of around 50 mpg in the same condition which is startling for such a roomy, powerful car. Initial starting from cold utilises petrol, the system switching seamlessly to gas within the first mile of operation. Similarly, if the gas supply becomes exhausted while the driver forgets to switch to petrol the system automatically reverts to petrol and posts an audible warning. Thoughtful positioning of the twin LPG tanks ensures a 65 litre useable gas capacity yet the boot still easily accommodates oversized suitcases or golf clubs. By combining petrol and LPG operation, a range of up to 600 miles can be achieved.
Bristol's tradition of maintaining low emission of pollutants is further enhanced with this new model. The Blenheim 3G has all the qualities for which the marque is famous, yet offers improved emissions, economy of operation, longer range and even greater engine smoothness. Existing Blenheim cars may be converted to bi-fuel capability and as with all the many factory developed upgrades pertaining to used Bristols, finance or lease terms can be made available should this offer a convenience.
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