Bristol
400 Farina Cabriolet

Why it matters

Open cars built in Turin by Farina on Bristol 400 chassis, outside the Bristol factory's own bodies.

How rare is it?

Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.

Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.

Production

Every figure says what it counts.

Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.

History

The Bristol Owners' Club has identified two drophead cars plated as 400s that were made by Farina in Turin, chassis 102 and 181, built around 1947-8 by the newly formed Carrozzeria Pinin Farina S.A. Together with two other sightings and Farina-bodied cars on early 401 chassis, this supports the reported production of a batch of more than six cars by Farina.

Technical specifications

Engine

Transmission & drivetrain

Chassis, body & dimensions

Performance

“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.

Identification guide

How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.

Known Farina dropheads carry Bristol 400 plates on chassis numbers 102 and 181.

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

1. 1
   Bristol to Blenheim: the 400 Level B

   • 2 Farina-built dropheads on Bristol 400 chassis positively identified (chassis 102 and 181); the club cites a reported batch of more than 6, so 2 is a minimum

   Accessed 2026-11-13