First look: Bristol unveils its Fighter

THE eccentric British manufacturer Bristol has released its latest model and joined the 200mph club at the same time.

Called the Fighter, it's a gullwing two-door coupe powered by the 8.0-litre V10 engine out of the Dodge Viper, resulting in a claimed top speed of 210mph - or more than 330km/h.

Bristol, which says it's the last British owned luxury car maker, claims the Fighter should also accelerate to 60mph in "approximately four seconds".

But you'll pay for all that performance though. The Fighter's retail price is a substantial £229,125 - or just under $AUS700,000.

Still interested and want to contact the local distributor? Too bad, Bristol deals out of one location only, a showroom on Kensington High Street in London.

It's an appropriately different way for the company to behave. Set up in 1946 by the Bristol Aeroplane Company, it was sold off into private hands in 1960 and in its entire history has only produced about 9000 cars - all of them handbuilt.

The Fighter joins a range that includes three versions of the traditional Blenheim two-door coupe and the open-top Blenheim Speedster.

But Bristol insists the Fighter is all new, from the aerodynamically designed body right down to its steel box section and aluminium floor chassis, which incorporates a massive NASCAR-style roll cage. Kerb weight is a surprisingly light 1475kg.

In addition to the 394kW/714Nm V10 engine mechanical highlights include a six-speed manual gearbox or four-speed automatic, fully independent double-wishbone suspension with coil-over racing type dampers, 285/40 x 18-inch tyres, rack and pinion steering and front six-piston callipers with 343 x 32 mm ventilated discs.

Inside, of course, there's leather seating and Wilton carpeting, as well as handcrafted appointments.