1982 Bristol 603 S3 Brigand 5.9L V8 3AT (172 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Bristol tried to get into the GT segment with a two-door coupe that offered more power than its siblings, thanks to an improved turbocharged V8.

Based on the same platform used by its Britannia sibling, the Brigand tried to be more attractive and provide surprising performance. But, unfortunately, the British automaker didn’t make too many changes to the car in the following 12 years of production.

While it still relied on the same chassis developed by BMW in the ’30s for the 327, the Brigand’s exterior revealed a fresh look. Its front fascia sported a pair of Volkswagen Scirocco II headlights and a black plastic grille between them. In addition, the plastic bumper received a chromed trim interrupted only by the amber blinkers. From its profile, the two-door coupe was slightly longer than a Jaguar XJS, which was 603’s, main competitor. Unlike the Britannia, the Brigand featured a bulge on the hood, which needed to accommodate a turbocharger.

Inside, the WWII-aircraft-inspired instrument panel was filled with dials and gauges. Although all of them were useful, sometimes customers complained that it was too much. But they didn’t complain about the bucket seats at the front. In addition, the 114″ (2.9-meter) long wheelbase allowed Bristol to offer enough legroom for the two passengers seated in the back. As expected from this exclusive British brand, the materials’ quality was top-notch, using leather, wood, and polished metallic parts.

Under the hood, Bristol installed a 5.9-liter V8 carried from Chrysler. This was built according to the British automaker’s requirements and was helped by a turbocharger. Thus, finally, the Brigand was a very fast GT. But, unfortunately, the automaker couldn’t sell them in large numbers.