1931 | Bentley 4 1/2 Litre Supercharged

• One of only 50 factory-built 4½-litre Bentleys with supercharger
• Complete original rolling chassis with gearbox, chassis frame, front and rear axle, steering gear as well as original bonnet
• Equipped with a race-ready engine and supercharger from Neil Davis
• Original engine completely overhauled by Bentley but without using the original crankcase; this engine, the original crankcase and original supercharger are available and included
• History fully known, report by Bentley expert Clare Hay and comprehensive 200-page book documentation
• Perfect for concours and historic race events

The bodywork renovation was carried out with the help of experienced wood technique specialists. They created a new wooden frame, which was mounted on the chassis frame. The wooden frame was then re-covered with a faithful to original Rexin upholstery from "The Vintage Fabric Company". This brand was revitalised in 2015 by Clare Hay and R.C. Moss and uses the working methods and machines of the 1920s and 1930s to manufacture the special covers for vehicle bodies of the time. The aluminium panelling was also renewed. In variance from the previous body design, there is only one door on the left-hand side (instead of two). A new engine to the appropriate specifications and a new supercharger with SU HO8 carburettors from Neil Davis are currently installed for the drive unit. The engine is equipped with a ribbed 4-gallon oil sump in a so-called Birkin design with ventilation. The original engine was rebuilt by Bentley in the past. It has a replacement crankcase and oil sump, as both were damaged by a broken connecting rod. This previously fitted engine is mounted on a separate stand together with the original supercharger and starter motor ("matching numbers") and is included with the vehicle. The original crankcase from the delivery is also available and part of the delivery package. The completely original rolling chassis from 1931 includes the chassis frame, the "D-Type" gearbox, the front and rear axles, the steering gear as well as the bonnet and switch panel, all of which are stamped with the corresponding number. Like many vehicles of this type and era, this Bentley has had an eventful history with various owners, restorations and modifications. This makes a comprehensive and complete documentation of the history all the more important. This Bentley has it – it is summarised in a 200-page book with many explained details, photos and graphics as well as its current status. It includes a report by the renowned Bentley expert Dr Clare Hay. This Bentley 4½ Litre as a rare genuine "Blower" differs from the many complete recreations on the market due to its high degree of originality and its well-known history. The excellent restoration to the highest standards ensures reliable performance and functionality – perfect for high drivability and the ultimate "Bentley Boy" experience.

The Bentley 4½ Litre had its debut in 1927 and succeeded the 3 Litre model. As was customary at the time, Bentley only offered the rolling chassis (chassis with engine and gearbox) fitted with bodies from various coachbuilders, including Vanden Plas, Mayfair, Mulliner and Park Ward. The engine of the 4½ Litre was technically derived from the 6½ Litre six-cylinder by removing two cylinders. This resulted in an in-line four-cylinder engine with a capacity of 4,398 cc, which was very advanced in construction with four valves per cylinder. It was considered to be very reliable and resilient, which was an important basis for Bentley's motorsport successes. The 4½ Litre boosted the brand's popularity and sales with victories on the most important racetracks, such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1928 and 1929. From 1929, a more powerful version with a supercharger was also available, which became known as the "Blower". This variant goes back to the racing driver Sir Henry "Tim" Birkin, one of the legendary "Bentley Boys", who rejected a larger engine with more displacement due to the higher weight. Instead, he considered using the then new supercharger technology, which Mercedes Benz was using successfully in motor racing. On his own initiative and financed by sponsor Dorothy Paget, he converted his own 4½ litre model with a Roots supercharger at the beginning of 1929. This idea was not supported by W.O. Bentley, as he followed the principle: "There is no substitute for displacement. Except with more displacement." Nevertheless, Birkin received five 4½ litre models with superchargers developed by Amherst Villiers from the then company director Woolf Barnato, also a "Bentley Boy". A further 50 "Blower" vehicles were produced for the Le Mans homologation. The Birkin team cars and the factory Bentley with supercharger were the most powerful British sports cars to compete at Le Mans and Brooklands. The installation of the supercharger increased the output of the 4,398 cc engine from 110 to 175 hp and a top speed of around 200 kph was achieved. However, sales of the supercharged road vehicles were anything but a success: fuel consumption was clearly too high. In addition, the "Blower" failed to achieve any major racing successes. Apart from the fastest race lap at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1930 and a second place at the French Grand Prix in Pau in the same year, they did not achieve much. As a result, the price of the road models eventually had to be reduced from the original GBP 1,475 to GBP 1,150 in order to reduce stocks. Today, however, the 50 "Blower" factory-built Bentleys are among the most sought-after and coveted pre-war collectors' cars.