Superb condition and celebrity provenance.

In 1961 Bristol Cars launched the 407, beginning the long-established British company's partnership with American V8 engines, which in this case came from Chrysler.

Bearing a close resemblance to its predecessor, the 406, the new car not only had a powerful 5.1-litre V8 installed, but a number of chassis and styling revisions went some way towards re-establishing Bristol as a builder of true high-performance motor cars.

After the 407, the marriage of the sleek and stylish Gentleman's Express and the less than sophisticated big V8 continued through a further five iterations of the 400 Series until the arrival of the 603 in 1976.

This was the first major facelift since the late 1950s, with the new car boasting a more streamlined design and more room for passengers than any Bristol before it.

The original 603 was offered with a choice of a 5.2-litre V8 engine in the form of the 603E, and a larger 5.9-litre unit in the 603S.

As the effects o...