Description

The Bentley Blower 4.5 Litre Supercharged was a dramatic and daring machine that came to symbolize the boldness and charisma of British motorsport in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Commissioned and championed by Sir Henry “Tim” Birkin, one of the famed Bentley Boys, the Blower was born out of a desire to enhance Bentley’s performance on the racetrack by embracing the raw force of supercharging, even as company founder W.O. Bentley remained skeptical of the method.

The standard Bentley 4.5 Litre was already a powerful and capable car, but Birkin believed it needed more immediate and brutal speed to remain competitive, especially against the German competition led by Mercedes-Benz. To achieve this, he enlisted the help of engineer Amherst Villiers to design a Roots-type supercharger, which was mounted prominently ahead of the radiator. This positioning gave the car its instantly recognizable, aggressive look and led to the “Blower” nickname.

In its road-going form, the supercharged engine produced around 175 horsepower—an impressive figure for the time—and in racing trim, it could generate up to 240 horsepower. The car was capable of exceeding 110 mph, making it one of the fastest vehicles of its era. The bodywork was typically lightweight and open, often custom-built by coachbuilders like Vanden Plas, adding to its purposeful appearance.

Despite its impressive speed and striking presence, the Blower Bentley was not a resounding success in competition. It struggled with reliability issues, particularly in the grueling 24 Hours of Le Mans, where Bentley’s naturally aspirated cars continued to dominate. Nevertheless, the Blower’s fierce performance and unmistakable character made it a crowd favorite and a symbol of British racing courage.

Only fifty Blower Bentleys were built to satisfy homologation requirements, making them exceedingly rare and valuable today. Revered for their supercharger whine, powerful acceleration, and heroic racing heritage, these cars remain among the most legendary Bentleys ever produced, cherished by collectors and celebrated in motorsport history.