Bristol Blenheim History

Grand tourer · 1993–2011

History

The Blenheim, unveiled in September 1993, was the last evolution of the 603-derived two-door saloon and the final Bristol built on the separate chassis architecture that dated back to 1946. It was named, like the Brigand and Britannia before it, after a Bristol Aeroplane Company aircraft — in this case the Blenheim twin-engine light bomber that served with the RAF in the early years of the Second World War. Power came from a turbocharged 5.9-litre Chrysler V8, with 0–60 mph claimed at approximately 5.7 seconds and top speed electronically limited to 150 mph.

The Blenheim remained in production for an extraordinary 18 years, evolving through several series with detail interior and exterior updates. The Blenheim 3 and its 3S and 3G sub-variants brought the most notable revisions. Bristol also produced a handful of open Blenheim Speedster (and/or Roadster) variants. The company's website still listed the Blenheim as available in early 2011, shortly before Bristol was placed into administration in March 2011 — making it, in effect, the last production Bristol saloon.

Generations

Blenheim / Blenheim 2 · Original and second series (1993–1999)

Turbocharged 5.9-litre Chrysler V8; 0–60 mph ~5.7 s; 150 mph limited. The Blenheim 2 ran 1998–1999 before the Blenheim 3 took over.
Blenheim 3 / 3S / 3G · Third-series variants (1999–2011)

Photo: “Bristol Blenheim (54131967551)” by Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK / Wikimedia Commons , licensed under CC BY 2.0

Revised interior and exterior; 3S and 3G denote specification levels. The long-running Blenheim 3 was offered from 1999 right through to the company's 2011 administration.
- 2001
  Photo: “2001 Bristol Blenheim 5.9 V8” by Kieran White from Manchester, England / Wikimedia Commons , licensed under CC BY 2.0
Blenheim 4 · Final one-off saloon (2009–2009)

Photo: “Bristol-Blenheim-4” by Matthias v.d. Elbe / Wikimedia Commons , licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0

A single Blenheim 4 (referred to as the 4S/G) was built to a customer's order in spring 2009 — the last new Blenheim before Bristol entered administration in March 2011.