Last year Bentley made the exciting announcement of resurrecting the most iconic cars from Bentley’s history – Sir Tim Birkin’s 1929 supercharged 4½-litre “Blower”, as continuation models. One year henceforth, and the first example of the Blower is rolling out of the production lines after almost nine decades. The prototype test car will reflect the integrity of the classic model that has been brought to life after 40,000 hours of design and build process. Dubbed the Car Zero, this test model has been handcrafted from 1,857 individual bespoke parts. To achieve the exact configuration of the original Blower, Bentley disassembled the #2 Team Car (chassis number HB 3403, engine SM 3902, and registration UU 5872), one of the brand’s most valuable vehicle to date. Then the expert team painstakingly took laser scans of the frame and components to create the digital CAD model. Then the artisans took over to craft the Car Zero, one part at a time using the traditional techniques.
Every single component was built to the exact specification right down to the millimeter detail. Be it the aluminum pistons, four valves of the cylinder, magnesium crankcase, or the overhead camshaft. Now that the Car Zero is complete it is going to go through a rigorous schedule of testing, including the 4,971 miles of track testing and 21,748 miles in the real world – that’s also going to evaluate the top speed of the nostalgic four-wheeler. Team Bentley is going to replicate the famous Mille Miglia and Perkin to Paris rallies. After taking the car for a test ride, Pyms Lane, Bentley’s chief, Adrian Hallmark, said: “Today was a truly remarkable day, not just as a milestone in the Blower Continuation Series project, but also for Bentley Motors. To drive the first new Blower in 90 years was a privilege, and the quality of the car would make Sir Tim Birkin himself proud. The craftsmanship is exquisite, and I’m pleased to report that the car drives just as beautifully as our original Team Car.”
The only changes in this new model will be pertaining to modern safety standards. Once the testing is full-proofed for the performance and durability of the classic car, the 12 planned customers will receive delivery of this rare model. Yes, that’s right, the car has already been booked for these clients who have specified their custom changes to the interiors, as they eagerly wait for the delivery of their Bentley Blower. Just imagine the Blower riding the city roads, they’ll call out for attention more than any supercar out there!
Designer: Bentley
