← My Auto Racer All cars Bristol 0-60 Comparisons Answers

Bristol 408 5.1 V8 253

The Bristol 408 5.1 V8 253 reaches 60 mph in 9.48 s (100 km/h in 9.86 s) and covers a standing quarter mile in 17.40 s, tripping the lights at 89.8 mph. It clears the first 60 ft in 2.90 s and the eighth mile in 11.83 s.

Simulated, not measured — computed from published kerb mass, rated power, gearing and drivetrain, then fitted to this car’s own published acceleration figures. Dry asphalt, 20 °C, sea level, 1 ft rollout.

Bristol 408 5.1 V8 253 Lincoln Continental 7.0 V8 320

Pick who it runs against, then watch it happen — and change the surface, the weather or the distance and run it again.

Down the strip

Standing start Bristol 408 5.1 V8 253
0–60 mph9.48 s
0–100 km/h9.86 s
0–100 mph—
60 ft2.90 s
1/8 mile11.83 s
1/4 mile17.40 s
Trap speed89.8 mph

About the 408 5.1 V8 253

The 1963 Bristol 408 5.1 V8 253 is a rear-drive naturally aspirated saloon of 1,600 kg with 249 bhp, which works out at 156 bhp per tonne. Rear drive and 156 bhp per tonne make the launch the hard part of the run: 60 ft takes 2.90 s. Against the 14,946 cars in the set it is the 9,256th quickest to 60 mph, and the 15th quickest of the 21 Bristols here. It traps higher than its 0-60 suggests — 89.8 mph, the 5,220th highest here — so it is a car that keeps going rather than one that simply leaves well. The simulation is trimmed to 2 of 2 published acceleration figures for this car.

On paper

Specification Bristol 408 5.1 V8 253
Year1963
Power249 hp (186 kW)
Kerb mass1,600 kg
Power to weight156 bhp/t
DrivetrainRear drive
Gears3
EngineNaturally aspirated
Top speed127 mph (204 km/h), quoted

Similar cars

CarYear 0–601/4 mileTrapPower
Lincoln Continental 7.0 V8 32019619.46 s17.49 s88.1 mph321 bhp
Pontiac Firebird 3.8 L6 22019679.25 s17.31 s83.7 mph215 bhp
Saab 9-3 2.0 15419989.46 s17.37 s83.1 mph152 bhp

Picked for a fair race, not just a matching 0-60: pace, power-to-weight and body shape all count, and at most one is from the same maker.

Where these times sit

0-60 under 10 seconds10,136 cars0-100 km/h under 10 seconds9,062 carsSlower in the wetevery car, re-runThe cost of altitudeevery car, re-runThe cost of a passengerevery car, re-run
Bristol 0-60 timesevery modelFastest saloon cars3,808 cars
Put this race on your own page

Free to use anywhere, no attribution required beyond the credit line included above. How to embed →

Questions

What is the Bristol 408 5.1 V8 253 0-60 time?
The Bristol 408 5.1 V8 253 reaches 60 mph in 9.48 s, simulated on dry asphalt at 20 °C with a 1 ft rollout. That makes it the 9,256th quickest of the 14,946 cars in the set.
What is the Bristol 408 5.1 V8 253 quarter mile time?
17.40 s at 89.8 mph. It reaches the eighth mile in 11.83 s and clears the first 60 ft in 2.90 s. These are theoretical times from a physics simulation, not measured runs.
How much power does the Bristol 408 5.1 V8 253 have?
249 bhp and 1,600 kg, which is 156 bhp per tonne. It is rear-drive, naturally aspirated, with 3 gears and a quoted top speed of 204 km/h. These are theoretical times from a physics simulation, not measured runs.
What cars are comparable to the Bristol 408 5.1 V8 253?
Closest here on pace: Lincoln Continental 7.0 V8 320 (9.46 s), Pontiac Firebird 3.8 L6 220 (9.25 s), Saab 9-3 2.0 154 (9.46 s). Each one can be raced against the Bristol 408 5.1 V8 253 in the panel at the top of this page. These are theoretical times from a physics simulation, not measured runs.
Are these real measured times?
No. Every figure on this page is produced by a physics simulation, not by a stopwatch at a drag strip. The Bristol 408 5.1 V8 253 is modelled from its published kerb mass, rated power, drivetrain and gearing, then trimmed until it reproduces 2 of its 2 published acceleration figures. Conditions are the same for every car in the set: dry asphalt, 20 °C, sea level, 1 ft rollout.

Figures regenerated 2026-10-12. Every number on this page is computed by the simulator at build time, so the page and the app can never disagree.