Bristol Article in Octane June '11 issue

[jimfoz]

Originally Posted by Kevin H

Every other notable car manufacturer gave their cars to Clarkson to test drive, almost certainly because of the massive marketing value. Whatever the outcome of the test, you can bet Bristol would have ended up at the sub zero end of the "cool wall".

Why not take a Blenheim 4, or better still a Fighter T, make absolutely sure it is perfect in every way and let Clarkson play with it. What could possibly go wrong?

Tony Crook willingly gave Top Gear magazine cars to try on several occasions and they were given good appaisals. Clarkson either had no interest in testing them or wasn't allowed. I don't think a Blenheim would have been given a very sympathetic view on the TV show, but the Fighter probably would. James May would have possibly given a fair view of the car because he isn't so juvenile as the other two!

But to be honest in Bristol's case bad press or good press has been irrelevant for years. The (few) people who bought them knew why they bought them and cared not for the press views. They just wanted something that did the job unobtrusively and was comfortable without being flash. The same people who have ancient Roberts radios in the kitchen. Unfortunately these customers have been dwindling without new blood replacing them.