Oh look, it’s a new-old V10-engined Bristol Fighter!

You’re looking at “a new era” in Bristol Cars’ history. The long-defunct and self-proclaimed ‘enigmatic’ British carmaker has returned… with an old car. Well, a new-old car.

For it has discovered five unused Fighter chassis’, and it intends to rebuild all five of them. This is the first one, and like the Fighters Bristol made in the early Noughties just before it went defunct, features a mighty Dodge Viper V10 under that long bonnet.

It’s been built to original spec, which at the time meant either 525 or 600 American horsies from that 8.0-litre ten-pot. At the time, Bristol claimed a 210mph top speed.

As you can see, this first Fighter chassis from the five original ones it has left gets a black paintjob, tan interior, and all the unique affectations of the original Fighter: long bonnet, V10, gullwing doors, Noughties cabin.

This first car’s a right-hand drive model – unveiled at posh motor show Salon Prive – but Bristol said the remaining four original cars can be configured as LHD cars if desired.

Bristol will work with “a leading British manufacturing partner” to build the things, by hand, to their owner’s exacting specifications. As you’d expect of something low volume.

Been on a bit of journey, has Bristol. Everything shut down in 2011, then fired back up again with the promised Bristol Bullet in 2016 which came to nothing, and then shut back down again. “Kamkorp Autokraft Ltd carried on until 2022,” the company said, “and it is against this backdrop that the marque’s return begins: not by overlooking the gaps in history, but by returning to an authentic and unfinished chapter and completing what was left behind.”

Bristol boss Paul King added: “This is the beginning of Bristol’s return, and there is much more to come.”