Bristol Cars to return as an EV-maker but there's still a place for petrol

Hopes of a return for Bristol Cars have been boosted after the luxury car brand suggested it will relaunch in 2026 - in time for its 80th anniversary. 

Jason Wharton, the CEO of Bristol Cars, announced on social media the company’s vision “to revive Bristol Cars as a contemporary coachbuilder for connoisseurs of luxury grand touring automobiles and experiences worldwide in time for the 80th anniversary of the marque’s founding in 2026”.  

The firm’s rather lean website backs this up, saying that Bristol Cars will be a “British Electric Vehicle company” by 2026. However, Wharton has since confirmed that pure-electric won’t be the only powertrain on offer in future Bristols. Replying to an online comment about electric, hybrid and “fossil fuel”, he said that they will come “in reverse order”.

Accompanying Wharton’s announcement was a sketch of a Bristol, possibly hinting at a future design language. The image shows a car heavily inspired by the 411 model from the seventies. The glass house and pillars look to be the same as the 411’s – possibly indicating this could be a restomod of some kind – but they’re coupled with large wheels and revised rear lights. 

For the moment, there’s no word on where Bristol will source powertrains. Given its small-scale operation, the company would not be able to produce hybrid engines and electric cars in-house. 

Questions remain over the intellectual property rights to Bristol Cars, too. Back in 2021, Bristol Cars went insolvent and the liquidation practitioners stated, "We can categorically state that whilst [Jason Wharton] has purchased certain tooling and spares at an auction of the company’s assets, he has not purchased any IPR [intellectual property rights]."

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