1981 Bristol Beaufighter

Bristol Beaufighter (Saloon), 1982-1994

The Bristol Beaufighter was in production from 1982 until 2004. A development of the 412 styled by Zagato, it is a front engined, rear wheel drive saloon seating four adults.

The Beaufighter was a development of the 412, Bristol's 1970s open tourer targeted at a slightly different buyer to Bristols of old. It followed in the footsteps of the 406 Zagato, cementing the working relationship between the marquee and the styling house, and while some found it a little square edged, many find it the best-proportioned of all classic Bristol models. It carried over the 412's 5.9 litre Chrysler V8, but added a turbocharger in the same style as the later Brigand model. Understressed in its initial application, it was more than capable of handling the extra power brought by forced induction. All Beaufighters were automatic - a three speed Torqueflite box, and had the sort of performance you needed an Aston Martin Vantage or a Bentley Mulsanne Turbo to equal.

Don't expect a modern car to drive, even by 1980s standards. Bristols, while motor cars for gentlemen, were built to a largely outdated formula - the suspension will be firmer than you'd expect, and the general drivetrain less fluid. That's not to say it's a bad car by any stretch, just don't expect the refinement you might get from a contemporary XJ-S for instance. With that said, the turbo adds a lot of shove, giving a car which evokes the spirit of the old 4.5 litre supercharged Bentleys but for a more modern age.

White smoke means a blown turbo, so beware any car which presents this under hard acceleration or revving. Also check that the hood is in good condition and seals well, as these aren't available off the shelf and replacement could get costly. Electrics can be suspect, given these are now forty year old handmade cars and the proprietary motors and switches will be long past their best. Check too if the air con works; it's not necessarily a problem if not, but if it does the odds are it's been converted to use the more modern R134a gas, and will be easier to have maintained in the future. Panel gaps were never brilliant, but if they're a mile out beware that you could be looking at accident damage, Don't bother with a magnet, Bristols are aluminium bodied so this quick test for filler will tell you nothing here.

Beaufighters aren't common cars, though more easily sourced than its sister the Brigand. While they're rare enough to give serious consideration to buying the first example you see, we'd not advise doing so without the expert testimony of a specialist. An assessment could save you big bills further down the line, by picking up potential issues before they present. In an ideal world you'd buy from a specialist as these issues would likely have been rectified already.

Only one car was a real rival to the Beaufighter in period; the Bentley Continental Turbo - a Rolls Royce Corniche drophead with a Bentley turbocharged heart. These days, the Jaguar XJ-S convertible or the Jensen Interceptor S4 cabriolet might also be considered as viable alternatives - the Mercedes SL would no doubt be seen as too flash by the average Bristol owner. If you can live without the shove, a Rolls-Royce Corniche might do, albeit a shade on the nouveau side. Perhaps a Range Rover conversion such as the Rapport Starlight or something by Robert Jankel would satisfy the open air, tailored, British angle without appearing overly indiscreet.