Bristol Blenheim: which version to buy
The Bristol Blenheim is a Coupe sold in three generations from 1993 to 2011.
The Bristol Blenheim is a Coupe sold in three generations from 1993 to 2011. Every listed version is named 5.9 AT: Gasoline, 5898 cm³, 8 cylinders, V-shaped, 2 valves per cylinder, boost No, front longitudinal engine, distributed injection (multi-point), Automatic with 4 gears, RWD, 82 L tank, 130 mm ground clearance, independent spring front suspension, semi-independent torsion rear, disc brakes at both ends. The buying choice is therefore not body, gearbox, or drive — it is which 5.9 AT output, years, and weight you take. Fuel consumption (city, highway, combined), CO2, eco class, and wheel sizes are not measured on any version. There are no prices in this catalogue; “what the extra output buys” below means extra horsepower, torque, and seconds, not money.
Bristol Blenheim specs by generation: what actually changed
1 generation (1993–1997), Coupe, 1 version. The baseline 5.9 AT is 228 hp (170 kW) at 4000 rpm and 440 Nm at 3200 rpm. Compression ratio 8.9; bore × stroke 101.6 × 90.93. Fuel grade 95. 0–100 km/h in 7.5 s; top speed 225 km/h. Kerb weight 1740 kg; gross weight not measured. This is the lightest Blenheim in the data and the only version with a stated fuel grade.
2 generation (1998–1999), Coupe, 1 version. Still 5.9 AT, still compression 8.9 and the same bore × stroke. Output rises to 261 hp (195 kW) at 4000 rpm and 460 Nm at 3200 rpm: +33 hp and +20 Nm versus 1 generation. 0–100 km/h is 6.9 s (0.6 s quicker). Top speed is 252 km/h — the catalogue peak, +27 km/h versus 1 generation and 2 km/h above every 3 generation car. Kerb weight 1762 kg (+22 kg). Gross weight not measured. Fuel grade not measured.
3 generation (1999–2011), Coupe, 3 versions, all still 5.9 AT, all compression 9.25 (up 0.35 from 8.9), same 101.6 × 90.93 bore × stroke, fuel grade not measured, gross weight 2235 kg, top speed 250 km/h.
- 5.9 AT 345 hp (257 kW) at 5500 rpm, 530 Nm at 4000 rpm, 1999–2005. Versus 2 generation: +84 hp, +70 Nm, 0–100 in 6.6 s (0.3 s quicker), kerb 1782 kg (+20 kg). Peak power is now at 5500 rpm, not 4000.
- 5.9 AT 385 hp (287 kW) at 6000 rpm, 530 Nm at 4000 rpm, 2002–2005. Versus the 345 hp 5.9 AT in the same generation: +40 hp, same 530 Nm, 0–100 in 5.6 s (1.0 s quicker), kerb 1784 kg (+2 kg). This is the fastest 0–100 in the whole model.
- 5.9 AT 394 hp (294 kW) at 6000 rpm, 556 Nm at 3500 rpm, 2006–2011. Versus the 385 hp 5.9 AT: +9 hp, +26 Nm, torque peak 500 rpm lower (3500 vs 4000). 0–100 is 6.4 s — 0.8 s slower than 385 hp despite more power. Kerb 1813 kg (+29 kg vs 385 hp; +71 kg vs 1 generation).
Wheel sizes are not measured on any generation.
Bristol Blenheim engine: same 5.9 AT name, five outputs
| Version | Years | hp (kW @ rpm) | Nm @ rpm | cm³ | Fuel | Cyl. / layout | Boost | Gearbox | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.9 AT 228 hp | 1993–1997 | 228 (170 @ 4000) | 440 @ 3200 | 5898 | 95 | 8 / V-shaped | No | Automatic 4 | RWD |
| 5.9 AT 261 hp | 1998–1999 | 261 (195 @ 4000) | 460 @ 3200 | 5898 | not measured | 8 / V-shaped | No | Automatic 4 | RWD |
| 5.9 AT 345 hp | 1999–2005 | 345 (257 @ 5500) | 530 @ 4000 | 5898 | not measured | 8 / V-shaped | No | Automatic 4 | RWD |
| 5.9 AT 385 hp | 2002–2005 | 385 (287 @ 6000) | 530 @ 4000 | 5898 | not measured | 8 / V-shaped | No | Automatic 4 | RWD |
| 5.9 AT 394 hp | 2006–2011 | 394 (294 @ 6000) | 556 @ 3500 | 5898 | not measured | 8 / V-shaped | No | Automatic 4 | RWD |
Displacement never moves: 5898 cm³ on all five. Specific output (hp per litre, using 5.898 L):
- 5.9 AT 228 hp: 38.7 hp/L
- 5.9 AT 261 hp: 44.3 hp/L (+5.6 vs 228)
- 5.9 AT 345 hp: 58.5 hp/L (+14.2 vs 261)
- 5.9 AT 385 hp: 65.3 hp/L (+6.8 vs 345)
- 5.9 AT 394 hp: 66.8 hp/L (+1.5 vs 385)
The large jump is 2 generation → 3 generation 345 hp, not the last 9 hp. Compression 9.25 on all three 3 generation engines versus 8.9 on 1 and 2 generation. Peak power rpm: 4000 (228 and 261 hp) → 5500 (345 hp) → 6000 (385 and 394 hp). Peak torque rpm: 3200 → 4000 (345 and 385 hp) → 3500 (394 hp).
Versus a Bristol Beaufort, Bristol Beaufighter, or Bolingbroke: this catalogue has no Beaufort, Beaufighter, or Bolingbroke figures, so those comparisons are not measured here. The aircraft named Blenheim is a different machine; these numbers are the car.
Performance and mpg: 0–100, top speed, fuel use
| Version | 0–100 km/h | Top speed | City / highway / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.9 AT 228 hp | 7.5 s | 225 km/h | not measured / not measured / not measured |
| 5.9 AT 261 hp | 6.9 s | 252 km/h | not measured / not measured / not measured |
| 5.9 AT 345 hp | 6.6 s | 250 km/h | not measured / not measured / not measured |
| 5.9 AT 385 hp | 5.6 s | 250 km/h | not measured / not measured / not measured |
| 5.9 AT 394 hp | 6.4 s | 250 km/h | not measured / not measured / not measured |
Spread in 0–100: 1.9 s from slowest (7.5) to fastest (5.6). The 385 hp 5.9 AT is the only one under 6.0 s. The 394 hp 5.9 AT is quicker than 345 hp by 0.2 s but slower than 385 hp by 0.8 s. Top speed: 1 generation is the outlier at 225 km/h; 2 generation is the catalogue maximum at 252 km/h; all three 3 generation versions are capped at 250 km/h. MPG and L/100 km are not measured, so economy cannot rank the versions.
Bristol Blenheim dimensions and weight
Exterior length, width, height, and wheel sizes are not measured. What is measured:
| Version | Kerb, kg | Gross, kg | Payload (gross − kerb) | Clearance | Tank | Wheels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.9 AT 228 hp | 1740 | not measured | not measured | 130 mm | 82 L | not measured |
| 5.9 AT 261 hp | 1762 | not measured | not measured | 130 mm | 82 L | not measured |
| 5.9 AT 345 hp | 1782 | 2235 | 453 kg | 130 mm | 82 L | not measured |
| 5.9 AT 385 hp | 1784 | 2235 | 451 kg | 130 mm | 82 L | not measured |
| 5.9 AT 394 hp | 1813 | 2235 | 422 kg | 130 mm | 82 L | not measured |
Kerb weight per horsepower:
- 228 hp: 7.63 kg/hp
- 261 hp: 6.75 kg/hp (lighter per hp by 0.88)
- 345 hp: 5.17 kg/hp
- 385 hp: 4.63 kg/hp
- 394 hp: 4.60 kg/hp
The last two are almost the same on mass-per-power; the 385 hp car is 29 kg lighter and 0.8 s quicker to 100 km/h. Payload is only calculable in 3 generation: the 394 hp 5.9 AT carries 31 kg less than the 345 hp car (422 vs 453) because kerb rose while gross stayed 2235 kg.
Which Bristol Blenheim version to choose
If the question is 0–100 km/h: take 3 generation 5.9 AT 385 hp (2002–2005). It is 1.9 s quicker than 1 generation 228 hp, 1.3 s quicker than 2 generation 261 hp, 1.0 s quicker than 3 generation 345 hp, and 0.8 s quicker than 3 generation 394 hp. Torque is 530 Nm — equal to the 345 hp car, 26 Nm below the 394 hp car — so the sprint advantage is not from a torque peak, it is from 40 hp extra versus 345 hp at almost the same kerb (1784 vs 1782 kg).
If the question is peak power and latest years: take 3 generation 5.9 AT 394 hp (2006–2011). It is the only post-2005 car, +9 hp and +26 Nm versus 385 hp, highest specific output (66.8 hp/L), lowest kg/hp (4.60). What those extras do not buy is a quicker sprint: 6.4 s versus 5.6 s, with +29 kg kerb and 31 kg less payload than the 345 hp car. Torque arrives at 3500 rpm instead of 4000.
If the question is 3 generation without chasing the last 40–49 hp: take 5.9 AT 345 hp (1999–2005). Versus 2 generation it is the big step: +84 hp, +70 Nm, compression 9.25 instead of 8.9, 6.6 s instead of 6.9 s. Versus 385 hp you give up 40 hp and 1.0 s; versus 394 hp you give up 49 hp and 26 Nm but keep 31 kg more payload and 0.2 s slower (not faster) 0–100 than 394 hp.
If the question is top speed: take 2 generation 5.9 AT 261 hp (1998–1999). 252 km/h is 2 km/h above every 3 generation car and 27 km/h above 1 generation. You give up 84–133 hp versus 3 generation and 0.3–1.3 s on 0–100. Production window is two calendar years.
If the question is lightest kerb and the only stated fuel grade: take 1 generation 5.9 AT 228 hp (1993–1997). 1740 kg; fuel 95. You accept the lowest power, lowest torque, slowest 0–100 (7.5 s), and lowest top speed (225 km/h). Gross weight is not measured, so payload is not measured.
Overlap years 2002–2005: two 3 generation cars share the showroom as 5.9 AT — 345 hp and 385 hp. Same 530 Nm, same 250 km/h, same 2235 kg gross, kerb 2 kg apart. The 385 hp car is the one that changes the sprint (5.6 vs 6.6 s). After 2005 only the 394 hp 5.9 AT remains.
What does not decide the purchase in this catalogue: body (all Coupe), gearbox (all Automatic 4), drive (all RWD), tank (all 82 L), clearance (all 130 mm), suspension and brakes (same labels), displacement (all 5898 cm³), cylinder count and V-shaped layout, boost No. Fuel use, CO2, wheels, and prices are not measured. Reliability and typical faults are not in the data.
Short ranking on the numbers we have: 385 hp 5.9 AT for the sprint; 394 hp 5.9 AT for peak power and 2006–2011 years; 345 hp 5.9 AT for the main 3 generation step without the last power grades; 261 hp 5.9 AT for the highest top speed; 228 hp 5.9 AT for lowest kerb and fuel grade 95.