Brabazon

[lansdownplace]

Ok. The Brabazon is really not good. But I can't agree that the 70s
cars were ugly except in the way that mix jagger or julia Roberts
are ugly. From any Bristol made I choose a 412 to have built as new
(with a few refinements).

[Nick Challacombe]

Giacomo,
I am able to see that you have put a great deal of effort into your Ugly
Duckling in you effort
to pen a Princely car. The problem that you have yet to solve is to find a
Princess to kiss
your Frog and turn it into a Prince Brabazon.

Kind regards and I wish you all the best for the Christmas and Pantomime
Season.

Nick.

[UK6]

Dear Bristol Lovers,
Re style of new Bristol model (Brabazon etc), why not
recommission the Bertone styled Arnolt roadster with modern V6 or V8 running
gear. Any takers?

UK 6

[giaberto]

To Clyde 406special: you are right, the two waves on bonnet and bootlid can still be lowered a bit, again a bit of exaggeration typical of the designer...

Also scallops on wheelarches would be softened in production, but they definitely make slimmer the side flanks that otherwise would appear too slab-sided. See also the Rolls-Royce Hyperion one-off special from Pininfarina of this year, where the same treatment is used to reduce the bulk.

The rear oval appearance is there to mirror the front, but also to blend harmoniously with the rear window: indeed I would have liked a fastback as in the early Bristols, but unfortunately the third volume is a must in the luxury car sector. By the way, it also frees up some more luggage space.

To Penman: rear overhang is a bit too long, I would like to shorten it in a next evolution. The most troubled view is probably the profile: the Brabazon seems a bit like a beached whale and the ratio between height of side windows and doors must be slightly reworked.

Finally, to rubbond: I agree with you that car design went bonkers after the Sixties, because of many factors including growing size of passengers needing more space, more complex glassing thanks to technology, and safety issues. But this deterioration applies to nearly every designed object, from clothing to painting or architecture, because the whole concept of beauty has shifted from what was previously "harmonious to the eye" to what is "innovative or astonishing for the mind", which very often does not coincide with beautiful.

Giacomo