Bentley 4.5 Litre Blower
The Bentley Blower is one of the most iconic racing cars ever built. Sir Henry 'Tim' Birkin championed the idea of supercharging Bentley's 4.5-litre engine, against the wishes of W.O. Bentley himself, who preferred the larger 6.5-litre Speed Six. The Amherst Villiers supercharger boosted power to around 240 horsepower — enormous for 1929. The Blower Bentleys raced at Le Mans and Brooklands with considerable drama if not always success. Only 55 were built: 50 for road use (to meet homologation) and 5 'works' racing cars. Today, the Blower Bentley is one of the most valuable and recognizable vintage cars in existence. In 2020, Bentley announced a continuation series of 12 cars, each built to original specifications.
Original Blower Bentleys are among the most expensive cars in the world — $3M-10M+. Authentication through the Bentley Drivers Club is essential. Many replicas and tributes exist. The continuation series cars are available new from Bentley. These are trophy assets for the world's top collectors.
Only 55 Blower Bentleys were built. 50 were customer cars required for homologation; 5 were 'works' racing cars. W.O. Bentley opposed the supercharger, preferring the naturally aspirated Speed Six. The Blower competed at Le Mans in 1930 but never won the race. Bentley launched a continuation series in 2020.