Bentley 4.5 Litre Le Mans

Bentley 4.5 Litre Le Mans

The Bentley 4.5 Litre, produced from 1927 to 1931, was W.O. Bentley's masterful response to the need for more power and performance from his racing sports cars. Building on the success of the 3 Litre that had won Le Mans in 1924 and 1927, the 4.5 Litre provided the additional muscle needed to maintain Bentley's competitive edge against increasingly sophisticated European rivals.

The engine was a magnificent piece of engineering for its era. The single overhead camshaft inline-four displaced 4,398cc and produced approximately 110 horsepower in standard road-going specification. While this sounds modest by modern standards, the engine's prodigious torque — available from remarkably low rpm — gave the car a muscular, unstoppable character that perfectly suited its considerable weight.

The 4.5 Litre won Le Mans outright in 1928, driven by Woolf Barnato and Bernard Rubin. This victory was one of the defining moments of the 'Bentley Boy' era, the period when a group of wealthy, enthusiastic amateur racers dominated international motorsport with their green Bentleys. The romance and drama of this era has become perhaps the most celebrated chapter in British motorsport history.

The non-supercharged 4.5 Litre was W.O. Bentley's preferred specification. He famously disagreed with the decision to supercharge the engine (creating the legendary 'Blower' Bentley), preferring the reliability and progressive power delivery of the naturally aspirated engine. History proved him largely correct, as the unsupercharged cars were more successful in endurance racing.

The chassis was conventional for the period but robustly engineered. Massive channel-section side rails, semi-elliptic leaf springs at all four corners, and a rigid axle layout provided a stable platform for the powerful engine. Servo-assisted mechanical brakes on all four wheels gave stopping power that was progressive and confidence-inspiring.

Coachwork varied enormously, as was the custom of the era. Customers purchased a rolling chassis and commissioned bodies from their preferred coachbuilder. Vanden Plas tourers were the most popular sporting choice, while saloon and limousine bodies were also fitted. Le Mans specification cars featured lightweight bodies optimized for racing.

Of the 665 4.5 Litre Bentleys produced, many wore different bodies throughout their lives. Today, the car is one of the most evocative and valuable vintage cars in existence. The combination of thunderous performance, racing heritage, and the romance of the Bentley Boys era makes it irresistible to collectors and enthusiasts who value character and history above all else.