Bristol 401
1953 · Manual
£79,950
Autostorico
1 / 12
Bristol 401 Beutler
1951 · Two Tone Green
£79,000
Listed today at SLJ Hackett, Warminster. Last checked today.
Key facts
- Year
- 1951
- Engine
- 2.2-litre six-cylinder (Bristol 406 unit)
- Fuel
- Petrol
- Drive
- RWD
- Body
- Saloon
- Colour
- Two Tone Green
- Generation
- 401
About this car
Only around two Beutler-bodied 401s were commissioned, and this is chassis 401/892. The Swiss coachbuilder Beutler of Thun, which had built bodies for pre-war BMWs, gave Bristol's aerodynamic 401 chassis a very different look from the standard Touring-licensed saloon.
The car was imported to Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, and was white with a black roof when the Bristol enthusiast Brian May bought it in autumn 1968 after seeing it advertised in Exchange and Mart. It has stayed with his family since. It is now painted in two-tone Renault green.
Like many early Bristols, it has had an engine swap. Mr May fitted a 2.2-litre Bristol unit from a 406, and that engine remains in the car. The dealer describes it as mostly restored, with finishing touches still to be done.
Written by Vertar from SLJ Hackett’s listing. Check the details with the dealer before you buy.
Performance
The maker’s official figures for this model, not measurements of this car (Engine figures from Bristol's published 401 data (1971cc 85bhp six). Beutler (Thun, Switzerland) coachbuilt bodies on Bristol-built chassis had no published weight or performance figures.).
- Power
- 85 bhp
- Engine
- 1,971 cc, 6 cylinders
- Engine position
- Front-engined
- Induction
- Naturally aspirated
Price history
£79,000 since it was listed on 12 November 2026. No changes yet.
Ask SLJ Hackett about this car
The dealer
SLJ Hackett
Warminster
Classic car retailer in Warminster, Wiltshire, specialising in historic Bristol cars as an official Bristol Cars heritage partner, alongside other classic marques.
See all 46 cars from SLJ Hackett
