Background
The famed 4 ½-Litre Blower Bentley originated from the fertile mind of Sir Henry Birkin, who was one of the original “Bentley Boys,” as W.O. Bentley’s works racing drivers were known. While Birkin had already won the 1929 edition of the 24-Hours of Le Mans co-driving a Bentley 'Speed Six' with then-Chairman Woolf Barnato, Birkin was convinced that a lighter-weight, supercharged Bentley would prove effective in competition, especially in concert with the marque's renowned reliability. Barnato seemingly agreed, notwithstanding early objections to supercharging from none other than W.O. Bentley. 50 examples were required to homologate the new model for competition, the majority were offered for sale to the public.
With their powerful supercharged engines, reputed to deliver in excess of 240hp, lightweight leather-clad Vanden Plas bodies, and minimalist cycle-type fenders, the 'Blower Bentleys' exuded power, speed, and exclusivity, key elements of the Bentley mystique that continues today. Then, as now, the 'Blower Bentley' represents one of the most desirable and virile British vintage cars ever constructed, and as a result, they are highly prized by their owners and appear only infrequently at public sale. Many have never come to market, remaining locked within the confines of private collections all over the world, where they will likely remain for many years to come.
Answering the call for custom, “tool room” recreations constructed to exceptional, hand-crafted standards, the UK’s Bob Petersen began building faithful, magnificently engineered pre-war Bentley recreations to uncompromising standards of detail and quality.
