• One of only 74 made • Automatic transmission • Present ownership since 2022 • Maintained with no expense spared Bristol's line of V8-engined sports saloons began in 1961 with the 407, though in appearance the newcomer closely resembled the preceding six-cylinder 406.

The adoption of Chrysler V8 power came not before time, as Bristol's 2.0-litre BMW-based engine had effectively been outgrown by the car's increasingly weighty coachwork.

With 250bhp (more than double the 406's output) available from its 5.1 litres and a top speed of 125mph, the 407 re-established the Bristol as a true high-performance car but one which nevertheless retained all the refinement and luxury associated with the marque.

The Bristol V8 chassis was up-dated and the styling revised periodically throughout the 1960s, the process culminating in the 411 of 1969.

In the meantime, Bristol had managed to sell only 88 of the 407s, 83 of the 408, and 74 of the 409.

The 408 had been comprehensively restyled compared...