- Famous heritage models hit international classic
show circuit
- 95 years of history to tour from Goodwood to
Pebble Beach
- 85th anniversary of Blue Train race
and 1930 Le Mans win
(Crewe, 21 May 2015) Legendary cars from Bentleys
past are embarking on a tour of the worlds
premier heritage and historical automotive events
this summer.
The Blue Train car that famously raced
the Calais-Mediterranée Express and the
Team Blower that entered Le Mans in 1930
the race ultimately won by Bentley Boys Woolf
Barnato and Glen Kidston in Speed 6 'Old No 1'
are among the highlights of Bentleys
curated or treasured collection. Both are celebrating
anniversaries and will be on the road at numerous
international events between May and October.
Blue Train Bentley
This year is the 85th anniversary of that
most famous Bentley Boy adventure the Blue
Train race. The car that (probably) accomplished
the feat will be touring Europe with a series
of high-profile appearances.
In 1930 Captain Woolf Barnato, Chairman of Bentley
Motors, was staying in Cannes when he accepted
a wager that not only could he beat the Calais-Mediterranée
Express (or Blue Train) back to Calais,
but that he could be at his club in London before
the train even reached the English Channel.
He was, and the remarkable victory has resonated
with Bentley enthusiasts ever since. The car that
was believed to have accomplished the feat was
the iconic Gurney Nutting two-door fastback coupe.
In recent years evidence has emerged to suggest
Barnato drove his Mulliner saloon-bodied Speed
6, however, it is the coupe that will forever
be known as The Blue Train car.
It is this car that will be touring Europe appearing
at seven events between May and October, including
the Goodwood Festival of Speed from 25-28 June,
and Schloss Bensberg Classics, Bensberg, Germany
(17-19 July).
Team Blower
One of just five built for racing, the Team
Blower was used by the original Bentley racing
team of the late 1920s, and is still performing
over eight decades later.
This year marks the 85th anniversary of the Woolf
Barnato and Glen Kidston Le Mans victory in 1930.
While the Blower wasnt the winning car that
day, with Tim Birkin at the wheel its heroic performance
embodies the true spirit of the vintage racing
era.
Featuring the legendary supercharger installation
developed by Amherst Villiers, the Blower will
be making a pilgrimage to Le Mans in France from
12-14 June before heading across the Atlantic
to the Pebble Beach Concours in California in
August.
EXP2
A legacy of the Cricklewood era, EXP2 is the
oldest Bentley in existence. Built in 1920, the
3-litre 4-cylinder car has a top speed of 80mph,
so its unsurprising that it was a successful
racer in its day claiming the brands
first ever victory.
Driven by W.O. Bentleys mechanic and Bentley
Boy Frank Clement, Bentleys racing pedigree
was established in May 1921 at the Whitsun Junior
Handicap. The EXP2 can be seen at Cholmondeley
Pageant of Power in Cheshire, England from 12-14
June.
8 Litre
Built in 1930, the 8 Litre was W.O. Bentleys
personal car, and was reacquired by Bentley in
2006 before being restored to its original condition.
Extremely luxurious, yet with a top speed of 100mph,
the 8 Litre combines craftsmanship with performance,
drawing parallels with Bentleys current
flagship, the Mulsanne. The 8 Litre can be seen
at the Bentley Drivers Club Weekend, Banbury,
from 27-28 June.
Continental R-Type
It was the R-Type which first brought the
Continental name into Bentley lexicon in 1952.
With a top speed of 120mph this was the fastest
four-seater in the world at the time. Many of
the 208 examples produced were coach built by
Mulliner a name that is still closely associated
with Continental to this day.
The Continental R-Type will also be at the Bentley
Drivers Club Weekend, Banbury (27-28 June).
Events or
Tour dates |
Kitzbuehel Alpine Rally, Austria |
25-31 May |
Blue Train |
Cholmondeley Pageant of Power,
Cheshire |
12-14 June |
EXP2 and Blower |
Le Mans |
12-14 June |
Team Blower |
Goodwood Festival of Speed |
25-25 June |
Blue Train and Team Blower |
Bentley Drivers Club Weekend,
Banbury |
27-28 June |
8 Litre and R-Type Continental |
Schloss Bensberg Classics, Bensberg,
Germany |
17-19 July |
Blue Train |
Schloss Dyck Classic Days, Jüchen,
Germany |
31 July 2 August |
Blue Train |
Pebble Beach, Concours dElegance,
California |
12-16 August |
Blower |
Concours DElegance, Hollyrood,
Edinburgh |
4-6 September |
Blue Train and Team Blower |
Zoute Grand Prix, Knokke Le
Zoute, Belgium
|
8-11 October |
Blue Train |
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