 1929 4.5 Litre | 1931 4.5-Liter  |
 |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |
1930 Bentley 4.5-liter news, pictures, and information | ||
| Tweet | ||
 |  |  | Drophead Coupe Coachwork: Gurney Nutting Chassis Num: GK 6661 |
During the mid-1920s, the company built a reputation for building elegant, luxurious bodies for royalty and the social elite. Most of their work were for Rolls-Royce and Bentley automobiles.
This Bentley 4 1/2 Litre Drophead Coupe has coachwork by Gurney Nutting. The design is narrow, long, and built for speed. The boat-tail rear-end and flowing fenders help accomplish task. There is a large windscreen in the front to protect the driver and passenger; and a small windscreen in the rear to protect a third passenger. There is a side-mounted, uncovered spare wheel tire mounted on the side of the vehicle. This vehicle was on display at the 2006 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.
By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2007
 |  |  | Tourer Coachwork: Vanden Plas Chassis Num: PB3549 Engine Num: PB3539 |
| Sold for $665,500 at 2012 Gooding & Company. | |||
This example was delivered new on April 14th of 1930 to Sir James Wilson Bart of Callander, Perthshire, Scotland. It received coachwork from A.C. Penman & Co. and it now represents the sole W.O. Bentley to be clothed by the Dumfries-based company. The bodystyle was described as Saloon but is believed to have had a bolt-on top section which, when removed, formed an open tourer. The car was equipped with chromium-plated hardware, a C-Type gearbox and double-spoked wheels.
Sir James remained the car's caretaker through 1945, when Alexander Archibald became its second registered owner. Mr. Archibald kept the Bentley for several years before selling it to Ivor McAdam, who sold the car to Leonard Potter in 1948. In 1950, it was purchased by Londoner J.B. Chadwick. Mr. Chadwick kept the car until 1972 when Arthur H. Cocks of Cornwall, England, acquired the car.
By the early 1970s, the car was beginning to show its age and the A.C. Penman coachwork was in need of repair. No drawings or specifications were available as a guide for rebuilding the coachwork. So Mr. Cocks decided to build a new body in the style of a period Tourer by Vanden Plas.
In 1982, the Bentley was sold to Mr. R. Cutler of Staffordshire, England, who kept it for just a few years before passing it on to Stanley Mann of Edgware, England, in 1985. A year later, it traveled across the Atlnatic and into the care of New Englander, Armand Zildjian, president of the Zildjian Cymbal Company. Mr. Zildjian upgraded the Bentley with Le Mans-type cycle fenders, installed a pair of Brookslands-style aeroscreens and re-trimmed the interior.
In 2002, the car was acquired by its current owner. The 4398cc SOHC inline 4-cylinder engine has four valves per cylinder and dual SU carburetors. It produces approximately 110 horsepower. There is a 4-speed C-Type gearbox and four-wheel mechanical drum brakes.
In 2012, the car was offered for sale at the Amelia Island sale presented by Gooding & Company. It was estimated to sell for $650,000 - $850,000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $665,500 inclusive of buyer's premium.
By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2012
The Bentley 4 1/2 liter came into existence to fill a void left by the 3-liter and the 6.5-liter variants. The 3-liter suffered from underperformance while the 6.5-liter was unsafe for the roads. The 6.5-liter was powerful, and with poor road-conditions often caused tires to fail quickly. The solution was the Bentley 4.5-liter; a vehicle that had enough power to carry the vehicle down the road at a good pace. The chassis consists of channel-steel, front and rear suspension by semi-elliptic leaf springs, and 4-wheel drum brakes.
Production amounted to a total of 733 cars of all body styles. Fifty-four cars were equipped with the famous supercharged engine, 'Blower Bentleys,' built by the race driver Sir Henry 'Tim' Birkin as a private venture - against W.O. Bentley's wishes.
The 4.5-Liter Supercharged Bentley, better known as the 'Blower' Bentleys, is a sporting automotive icon that earned its place in history as an engineering marvel and powerhouse. Only 50 examples, plus an additional five racing prototypes, were created. In the modern era, they are among the top rank in collector cars throughout the world.
Engineer and founder W.O. Bentley was hesitant to adapt a supercharger to his 4.5-liter engines. Rather, the development was financed by a woman, the Honorable Dorthy Paget, who provided the funds necessary to complete the project. It was for Henry R.S. 'Tim' Birkin, one of the 'Bentley Boys' who campaigned the Bentleys at many venues and various competition events bringing recognition and victories to the Bentley marque. The list includes Brooklands with its closed oval course, and the other extreme, LeMans, with his challenging road course.
Birkin had intended to race the supercharged 4.5-liter Bentley at LeMans in 1929, but lubrication problems on the early cars halted those plans. Instead, Woolf Barnato (Bentley's chairman and fellow factory team racer), Birkin, and Glen Kidston drove the Bentley Speed Six Models in 1929 to victories at LeMans.
Birkin was able to convince Barnato to enter the 'blower' Bentley in the 1930 LeMans race. In order to do so, homologation requirements had to be satisfied. The rules stated a minimum of 50 examples had to be built. Bentley officially introduced their production versions of the cars at the 1929 Olympia Motor Show, with the fist cars on sale in April of 1930.
With homologation requirements satisfied, Bentley entered two blowers and three Speed Six models. Birkin's LeMans blower was co-drive by Jean Chassagne. The Blower Bentley showed great promise early in the race, and by the fourth lap had passed a highly-competitive supercharged Mercedes at 126 mph. In the process it shredded a tire and was forced to stop. At the time, they had been averaging 89.66 mph per lap, which was a new lap record for the course.
The other Bentley's were given the job of chasing down the Mercedes. Their job became much easier when the Mercedes was forced to retire when their battery died. The Blower Bentley's would endure similar fate, as they were forced to retire in the 20th hour. The Speed Six models went on to secure a 1-2 Bentley victory.
1930 was the last year the Bentley factory team would compete at LeMans, as the company had fallen on very difficult economical times. Dorothy Paget eventually withdrew her support for the Birkin blowers as the cost to compete continued to escalate. This brought an end to the short-lived saga of the Bentley blower era.
By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2008
For more information and related vehicles, click hereProduction amounted to a total of 733 cars of all body styles. Fifty-four cars were equipped with the famous supercharged engine, 'Blower Bentleys,' built by the race driver Sir Henry 'Tim' Birkin as a private venture - against W.O. Bentley's wishes.
The 4.5-Liter Supercharged Bentley, better known as the 'Blower' Bentleys, is a sporting automotive icon that earned its place in history as an engineering marvel and powerhouse. Only 50 examples, plus an additional five racing prototypes, were created. In the modern era, they are among the top rank in collector cars throughout the world.
Engineer and founder W.O. Bentley was hesitant to adapt a supercharger to his 4.5-liter engines. Rather, the development was financed by a woman, the Honorable Dorthy Paget, who provided the funds necessary to complete the project. It was for Henry R.S. 'Tim' Birkin, one of the 'Bentley Boys' who campaigned the Bentleys at many venues and various competition events bringing recognition and victories to the Bentley marque. The list includes Brooklands with its closed oval course, and the other extreme, LeMans, with his challenging road course.
Birkin had intended to race the supercharged 4.5-liter Bentley at LeMans in 1929, but lubrication problems on the early cars halted those plans. Instead, Woolf Barnato (Bentley's chairman and fellow factory team racer), Birkin, and Glen Kidston drove the Bentley Speed Six Models in 1929 to victories at LeMans.
Birkin was able to convince Barnato to enter the 'blower' Bentley in the 1930 LeMans race. In order to do so, homologation requirements had to be satisfied. The rules stated a minimum of 50 examples had to be built. Bentley officially introduced their production versions of the cars at the 1929 Olympia Motor Show, with the fist cars on sale in April of 1930.
With homologation requirements satisfied, Bentley entered two blowers and three Speed Six models. Birkin's LeMans blower was co-drive by Jean Chassagne. The Blower Bentley showed great promise early in the race, and by the fourth lap had passed a highly-competitive supercharged Mercedes at 126 mph. In the process it shredded a tire and was forced to stop. At the time, they had been averaging 89.66 mph per lap, which was a new lap record for the course.
The other Bentley's were given the job of chasing down the Mercedes. Their job became much easier when the Mercedes was forced to retire when their battery died. The Blower Bentley's would endure similar fate, as they were forced to retire in the 20th hour. The Speed Six models went on to secure a 1-2 Bentley victory.
1930 was the last year the Bentley factory team would compete at LeMans, as the company had fallen on very difficult economical times. Dorothy Paget eventually withdrew her support for the Birkin blowers as the cost to compete continued to escalate. This brought an end to the short-lived saga of the Bentley blower era.
By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2008
| ICONIC BLOWER BENTLEYS PRIMED FOR MILLE MIGLIA CHALLENGE | |
 | Famous, supercharged Bentleys set for 1,000 mile Italian epic •'Bentley Boy' Tim Birkin's 1930 Le Mans racer leads charge •Original Bentley Motors 'demonstrator' completes team (Crewe, 14 May 2013) Bentley Motors will compete in this year's Mille Miglia with two unique 4 ½ litre Supercharged 'Blowers'; a 1930 Le Mans race car belonging to perhaps the most famous and daring of the Bentley Boys and a company demonstrator that is still going strong even after nine decades on the road. The N...[Read more...] |
| ICONIC BLOWER BENTLEYS PRIMED FOR MILLE MIGLIA CHALLENGE | |
| Famous, supercharged Bentleys set for 1,000 mile Italian epic •'Bentley Boy' Tim Birkin's 1930 Le Mans racer leads charge •Original Bentley Motors 'demonstrator' completes team (Crewe, 14 May 2013) Bentley Motors will compete in this year's Mille Miglia with two unique 4 ½ litre Supercharged 'Blowers'; a 1930 Le Mans race car belonging to perhaps the most famous and daring of the Bentley Boys and a company demonstrator that is still going strong even after nine decades on the road. The N...[Read more...] |
| Four Magnificent Motorsport Legends Return to the Public Eye at Gooding & Company's Pebble Beach Auctions | |
 | Gooding & Company, the acclaimed auction house celebrated for selling the world's most significant and valuable collector cars, is proud to announce that it will present four magnificent motorsport legends – a 1928 Bentley 4 1/2 Litre Le Mans Sports 'Bobtail' team car, the 1964 Ford GT40 Prototype 104, a 1955 Ferrari 857 Sport and a 1960 Porsche RS60 Spyder – at its Pebble Beach Auctions on August 18 and 19, in association with the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Originating in fou...[Read more...] |
| Legendary Bentley Sets £4.5 Million Auction Record | |
 | •Tim Birkin's 4 ½ Litre Supercharged 'Blower' Bentley single seater sets new world best for a Bentley at Bonhams Goodwood auction •Beautiful Brooklands racing machine underlines enduring appeal of the 'Bentley Boy' racing spirit (Crewe and Goodwood, 29 June 2012) Just 35 miles away from the fabled Brooklands race circuit where it astonished thousands of spectators eight decades ago by sprinting its way into the record books, Sir Henry 'Tim' Birkin's dramatic 4 ½ Litre Supercharged...[Read more...] |
| Bentley Ready For Classic Thousand Mile Challenge | |
 | •Iconic Bentley Blowers ready for great Mille Miglia adventure •Bentley Continental W12 and V8 models join historic cars in Italy (Crewe, England & Brescia, Italy. 16 May, 2012) W.O. Bentley's gift for creating cars that combined the speed of a thoroughbred racing machine with an enviable reputation for strength and comfort, allowing them to effortlessly cover hundreds of miles, is set to be underlined once again at the 2012 Mille Miglia when two 4½ litre Bentley Blowers take on the ...[Read more...] |
| Coys Legende et Passion Auction | |
 | The catalogue for Coy's international auction, Legende et Passion, held in Monaco on Saturday 12th May 2012, is now available online to Club members at www.coys.co.uk. This is a very significant European headline auction, held against the backdrop of the Historic Grand Prix de Monaco, and is one of the most important European sales to be held this year. Viewing is on: Thursday 10th May from 12 noon to 6:00pm Friday 11th May from 11.00am - 7:00 pm Saturday 12th May from ...[Read more...] |
 1930
Bentley
models |
| Bentley 4.5 Liter Supercharged |
| Bentley 8 Litre |
| Bentley Speed Six |
| Similar Automakers | |
| Aston Martin | Bugatti |
| Devon | Ferrari |
| GTA | Koenigsegg |
| Lamborghini | Lotus |
| Maserati | Maybach |
| McLaren | Porsche |
| Rolls-Royce | Spyker |
| Tesla | |
| Similarly Sized Vehicles from 1930 |
| Bentley 4.5 Liter Supercharged |
| Bentley Speed Six |
| Mercedes-Benz 38/250 SS |
| Bentley: 1920-1930 |
| Similar Automakers |
| Other models by Bentley |
| Related Articles and Event Coverage |
| Gooding & Company, Amelia Island, Fl |
| Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1929 4.5 Litre | 1931 4.5-Liter |
