After phasing out its long-serving 6.75-liter V8 engine in the Mulsanne, Bentley is poised to bring back another piece of its heritage. The luxury automaker will produce a strictly limited edition of 12 Continuation Blowers, based on the iconic 1929 4½-liter “Team Blower” race car driven by Sir Tim Birkin. While recreations of classic models are becoming increasingly common, this marks the first pre-war continuation cars made by a major automaker, and Bentley is set to begin assembling the first prototype.
Reaching this stage has been a challenging endeavor. The team at Bentley’s Crewe facility disassembled the factory’s second team car to laser scan its frame and other components. They then enlisted skilled artisans from across the UK to manufacture the new parts, utilizing both advanced digital CAD data and original engineering blueprints from the 1920s.
The engineering prototype, known as “Car Zero,” is powered by the original W.O. Bentley 4½-liter four-cylinder engine, reminiscent of the first blown Bentleys from 1929. It features a newly crafted Amherst Villiers supercharger.
The chassis of the new Blowers is crafted from heavy-gauge steel, meticulously hand-formed and riveted by specialists from Israel Newton & Sons Ltd., a company with a 200-year history renowned for manufacturing boilers for steam engines. The chassis is paired with leaf springs and shackles sourced from Jones Springs Ltd, a blacksmithing expert with nearly 75 years of experience.
The Continuation cars feature radiator shells and fuel tanks supplied by The Vintage Car Radiator Company, which utilizes mirror-polished, nickel-plated surfaces and hand-beaten steel and copper materials. Bentley Mulliner, with assistance from various specialists including NDR Ltd., has recreated the engine, preserving W.O. Bentley’s innovative design elements like aluminum pistons, an overhead camshaft, four valves per cylinder, and twin spark ignition—elements that contributed to the performance of his luxurious racing cars. This roots-type supercharged engine is expected to generate at least 240 horsepower and significant torque.
Additionally, the essential Blower headlamps have been carefully restored by Vintage Headlamp Restoration International Ltd. in Sheffield, a skilled father and son duo recognized for their craftsmanship in silversmithing.
The newly created ash frame has been sent to Bentley’s Mulliner Trim Shop for the finishing touches, where the carpentry will involve extensive hand-trimming processes.
Looking ahead, Bentley’s test drivers will soon be focusing on managing the high temperatures generated by the impressive 15.7-inch drum brakes on the Blower prototype. This effort marks a return to the thrill of pre-war engineering, designed for just twelve fortunate owners, nearly a century after the legendary exploits of Sir Tim Birkin.
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