Bristol built the Beaufighter for 13 years straight — and by the factory's own account, made fewer than 20 of them in all that time.
Lead trim: Beaufighter Chrysler 5.9 L turbocharged V8
Bristol 412Beaufighter · 1980–1993
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Bristol 412 yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactBristol built the Beaufighter for 13 years straight — and by the factory's own account, made fewer than 20 of them in all that time.
The Bristol Beaufighter, named after the Second World War heavy fighter (Bristol Aeroplane having been the parent of Bristol cars until 1960), was still designed by Zagato but now fully factory-bodied at Filton, with very similar styling to the original 412 apart from a four-headlamp layout; the earliest cars had a fixed roof over the driver and passenger with a glass sunroof and a new dashboard, later cars reverting to the lift-out panel and the 412 dashboard. The 5.9-litre V8 was given a Rotomaster turbocharger that increased power and torque by approximately 30%, giving a maximum speed of over 241 km/h (150 mph), limited by gearing (and a 0-60 mph time of around 6 seconds), and to cope the Torqueflite automatic gained a stronger propeller shaft and the torque converter from the 7.2 L (440 cu in) RB engine. It was built from 1980 to 1993, "fewer than 20" according to Bristol Cars (the Owners Club lists 28).
Collectors Spotted in the Bristol 412 Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Bristol 412 yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
One published trim in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaufighter Chrysler 5.9 L turbocharged V8 | 1980–1993 | 5.9 L V8 | — | — | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
Bristol built the Beaufort for European touring and gave it a fuel tank nearly 70% bigger than other Bristols of the era, so it could cover real continental distances between fill-ups.
Bristol built the Beaufighter for 13 years straight — and by the factory's own account, made fewer than 20 of them in all that time.
The original 412 was built in two countries at once — its body was shaped by Zagato in Italy, then shipped to Bristol's own Filton factory in England to be mated to the chassis.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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