BRISTOL · BRISTOL 409 · Cars
BRISTOL 409 Ultra-rare
As of 2025 Q4, 4 BRISTOL 409s remain registered in the UK — one of the rarest cars in Britain on today's roads. Numbers are at their highest recorded level since the model first appeared in our data in 2014 Q3. Numbers have held broadly steady over recent years rather than falling away — often the mark of a model that owners deliberately preserve. In all, the BRISTOL 409 is rarer than 85% of the 2,408 UK car models we track, putting it firmly in 2025's endangered class.
Survivors over time
How rare is it?
Genuinely rare — only 4 left on UK roads.
Rarer than 85% of the 2,408 UK car models we track.
Trend
About the 409
The Bristol 409 was the third series of cars from British manufacturer Bristol Cars powered by Chrysler V8 engines. It was actually introduced before the older Bristol 408 went out of production and only gradually supplanted that model after a year. There were a number of major changes to the chassis of the 409 compared to earlier Bristols. The springs were much softer than of the 408 or 407, so that the ride quality was much better. Following on from Chrysler's pioneering work in the early 1960s, Bristol fitted an alternating current alternator in place of the traditional direct current dynamo...
BRISTOL 409 — questions & answers
How many BRISTOL 409 are left in the UK?
As of 2025 Q4, 4 BRISTOL 409 were still registered in the UK — 3 licensed and on the road, plus 1 declared SORN (off-road). The figures come from official DVLA vehicle licensing data.
Is the BRISTOL 409 rare?
The BRISTOL 409 is genuinely rare, with only 4 left, making it rarer than 85% of the 2,408 UK car models we track.
Is the BRISTOL 409 increasing or decreasing?
Over the last year the number of BRISTOL 409 on UK roads held steady.
What fuel do most BRISTOL 409 use?
Most BRISTOL 409 run on petrol — about 100% of those still registered.
When did the BRISTOL 409 peak?
The BRISTOL 409 peaked at 4 registered in 2019 Q3, and was first recorded in the data in 2014 Q3.