Bristol 405 was the answer to the British’s luxury grand tourer in 1954. This was launched as a sedan and convertible between 1954 to 1958. Built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company, it was a path-breaking vehicle. This came as a successor to the Bristol 403. Here is everything about the 1955 Bristol 405.
Engines
Bristol 405 was built around the inline-6 engines. Before the muscle car era, these engines were the best as they offered performance and endurance. This car was equipped with the triple solex carburetor which enhanced the horsepower and acceleration. The throttle and engine breathing were better with the feature. Bristol 405 offered a top speed of 112mph powered by the OHV engines. The entire engineering was based on Bristol’s pre-war vehicle, BMW 328.
Technology
The mechanical features for the 405 series cars were highly advanced. Bristol built it around rack and pinion steering which enhanced stability, traction, and handling. The vehicle’s engine was in the front and this gave a better driving experience. Bristol 405 featured a 4-speed manual transmission which came with the Laycock-de-Normanville overdrive. The independent front suspension featured torsion bars and the rear suspension came with leaf springs. The braking system was great which came with hydraulic drum brakes on all wheels.
Interior Features
The Bristol 405 had luxury features. As it was a Grand Tourer, the features were premium. Bristol designed it to meet the people’s expectations. High-quality leather upholstery and padded seats were added. There was a big opening door in the rear area. It had 4 doors with seating option upto 5 persons. 405 model featured thick carpeting, storage pockets, heater, coat hooks, and demister system. The dashboard featured oil pressure gauge, temperature gauge, wood veneer dashboard, tachometer, and water temperature gauge.
Bristol’s 4-door Car
This is still a fact as the Bristol 405 remains the only car of the brand to have featured 4 doors. Most of Bristol’s cars were 2-door coupes. Some were convertibles as well. Apart from 4 doors, the engineering of the vehicle was based on the BMW 328 which was another sports car before World War II. The family saloon was a luxury grand tourer which was considered a symbol of wealth and luxury.
Club Races
Though Bristol 405 didn’t participate in major motorsport events, it was part of other races. This was considered the king of club races during its time. As the vehicle shared its engineering with BMW, it was viable for Bristol to join local races. Bristol 405 was part of circuit racing events, rallies, endurance events, and street races. If this was a vehicle built in the USA, it would have been a revolution in NASCAR. The entire technology of the Bristol 405 shared its roots with European racing cars which arrived before war.
Not a Regular Vehicle
The production of Bristol 405 was limited to just 310 units. This included both 4-door sedans and convertibles. It was a successful sports car, but people would have loved it more if it was a regular mass-selling car. Bristol 405 was sold at $7,000 USD on average. Some models were higher than this. It is a vehicle with huge value in collector markets. Bristol 405 was available in different models with colors like maroon, black, white, cream, and dark green. It was a hand-built vehicle from Bristol which was primarily sold in the UK, Belgium, Belgium, Netherlands, and France.
