The Legendary 'Blower' Bentley

As Bentley marks its centenary year in 2019, the British company’s ground-breaking supercharged model of the pre-war years won the marque a legion of motor sport fans around the world.

 

The legendary ‘Blower’ Bentley, with a supercharged engine, was sensationally quick in 1929. Especially with Bentley Boy, Sir Henry ‘Tim’ Birkin, sat behind the steering wheel.

 

 

Birkin and the Blower are intrinsically linked together in this sepia-toned era of British motor racing history. It was Birkin’s quest for speed that created the Blower, later recording heroic drives at the Le Mans 24 Hours and the French Grand Prix. He also broke the Brooklands outer-circuit lap record, the most coveted racing circuit of the time.

 

The supercharged engine ultimately ensured the 4 1/2 Litre model became the most iconic racing Bentley of the pre-war years. The Bentley 4 1/2 Litre was nearing the end of its development cycle by 1928, as other manufacturers finally began to catch up with founder W.O. Bentley’s superlative engine design. W.O.’s response was to increase the engine capacity, and his 6 1/2 Litre model won Le Mans in 1929 and 1930.

 

 

However, racing driver Sir Henry Birkin, who was already a schoolboy hero across Britain for his considerable achievements on the track, had another idea. He wanted to apply an innovative supercharger to the engine of the existing 4 1/2 Litre car instead.

 

To W.O.’s displeasure, Birkin persuaded Bentley’s new owner and chairman, fellow Bentley Boy and British financier, Woolf Barnato, to build him five supercharged Blowers for the racetrack. And to meet the racing rules of the era, 50 production Blower Bentleys were built for the road too.

 

 

Placing the supercharger in front of the crankshaft gave the Blower Bentley a unique appearance. It increased the power of the 4 1/2 Litre from 110 bhp to 175 bhp and, with Birkin at the wheel, it was sensationally fast.

 

 

Source: The Legendary ‘Blower’ Bentley