How many Bristol 400s are left in New Zealand?
Unicorn 1 in 4,674,872 on the road Built 1949 Sold new in New Zealand
Updated from the NZTA Motor Vehicle Register, counted as at 31 August 2026. Recounted every month.
Launched in 1947, this was the first car from the Bristol Aeroplane Company. It was based closely on pre-war BMWs, whose designs came to Britain after the war, and used a development of the BMW 328's 2-litre six. Built to aircraft standards, it set the tone for every Bristol that followed.
Still on the road, by model year
1 from 1949.
What Unicorn means
Spotto grades every car by how many are still registered in New Zealand. With 1 still registered, the Bristol 400 is Unicorn: the grade for cars with fewer than 5 left.
By how many are left it ranks equal 6th of the 8 Bristol models and equal 2,668th of all 2,903 cars in Spotto's catalogue.
The six grades: Common, 8,000 or more · Uncommon, 1,200 to 7,999 · Scarce, 175 to 1,199 · Rare, 25 to 174 · Super rare, 5 to 24 · Unicorn, fewer than 5.
Seen one?
Spotto grades every car on New Zealand roads by how many are still registered, down to the generation and the badge. Log the ones you spot, build a collection, and see who else has found one.