The Dodge Viper’s V10 Is Back, Hiding Inside A British Gullwing Coupe

The Dodge Viper disappeared in 2017, taking its enormous V10 with it. Or so we thought. Nearly a decade later, that same Chrysler-sourced engine is back in production, only this time it’s sitting inside a very British coupe with gullwing doors.

Meet the Bristol Fighter. Built by the famously obscure Bristol Cars, the two-seat grand tourer first appeared in 2004 with an 8.0-liter V10 related to the one used by the Dodge Viper. Buyers could have 525 hp, while the hotter Fighter S pushed that figure to 600 hp (608 PS). Bristol claimed a top speed of 210 mph.

The Fighter was a strange fit even for Bristol. The company had started life after World War II as an offshoot of the Bristol Aeroplane Company and built its reputation on tiny numbers, high prices, and aviation-inspired engineering. Its cars were usually understated and often used Chrysler V8s. Then along came the Fighter, complete with a huge V10, dramatic doors, and supercar performance.

Only around 13 examples were built before Bristol entered administration in 2011. Now, 15 years after production ended, five more are planned. New owner Paul King has found five unused original Fighter chassis and is using them for a small continuation run. The first car, finished in black with a tan interior, has already been completed and shown at Salon Privé. The other four will be tailored to their owners.

Customers can choose left- or right-hand drive, and Bristol says U.S. registration may be possible through the Show or Display exemption. There’s no word on pricing yet, but the original Fighter cost around £230,000 when new in 2004. That was roughly twice the price of a Bentley Continental or Ferrari 360, so nobody should expect the revived version to come cheap.

For Bristol, these five cars are meant to be more than a nostalgia exercise. King is working with chairman Richard Hackett, who knew longtime Bristol boss Tony Crook, while an unnamed British manufacturing partner will handle the specialist production. The plan is to use the Fighter to reconnect with Bristol’s past before revealing what comes next.

And that part remains deliberately vague. Bristol had previously talked about returning with electric cars, but the company is now starting its second act with one of the least electric powertrains imaginable. A hand-built British coupe, five old chassis, and a V10 from the Viper era are certainly one way to celebrate an 80th anniversary.

Somewhere in Detroit, there’s probably a dusty Viper chassis wondering why Bristol got there first.