Bentley
4½ Litre Supercharged “Blower”

Why it matters

The “Blower” is one of the most famous pre-war British racing cars. Birkin finished second overall in one at the 1930 French Grand Prix at Pau, and his single-seater twice set the Brooklands Outer Circuit lap record. Bentley Motors still owns Team Car #2, UU 5872, and in 2020 used it as the master for 12 continuation cars.

How rare is it?

Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.

Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.

Production

Every figure says what it counts.

Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.

History

To race the supercharged car, Bentley had to build at least 50 for sale to the public. The four team cars were built at Birkin & Co. in Welwyn Garden City; the supercharger was the Amherst Villiers Mk IV Roots-type. In 1930 Birkin took second overall at the French Grand Prix at Pau, beaten only by an almost out-of-fuel Bugatti. His single-seater set the Brooklands Outer Circuit lap record at 135.33 mph at Easter 1930 and regained it at 137.96 mph at Easter 1932. Advertisements claimed 125 mph in racing trim.

Technical specifications

Engine

Transmission & drivetrain

Chassis, body & dimensions

Performance

“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.

Chassis register

Every documented car, with its colours, history and where it is now. Open a row for the full record. Known chassis are not automatically authenticated originals.

Competition history

Every race result of the individual cars, in date order. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.

Auction & sale history

Documented public sales of the individual cars. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

1. 1
   1929 4½ Litre Supercharged Team Car #2 – UU 5872 Level A Bentley Motors – Heritage Collection

   • 54 supercharged 4½ Litre Bentleys, four allocated for competition
   • “Four team cars (one with two chassis numbers)”
   • 4-cylinder; Amherst Villiers Mk IV Roots-type supercharger
   • “100mm x 140mm, 4398cc”
   • “240 bhp (178 kW) @ 4200 rpm”
   • @ 4200 rpm
   • 4-speed D-type gearbox, single dry plate clutch
   • 4-speed
   • RWD
   • Wheelbase 117.5 in
   • “guaranteed to attain 125mph in racing trim”
   • 0–60 mph 12 seconds
   • Rolled at the 1929 Ulster TT
   • Rebuilt May 1930, Vanden Plas body
   • 1930 Le Mans, dropped a valve
   • Brooklands 500, 2nd on handicap
   • “Owned by Bentley Motors since 2000”
   • Team Car #2, UU 5872

   Accessed 2026-11-11
2. 2
   2020 Blower Continuation Series “Car Zero” Level A Bentley Motors – Heritage Collection

   • four for competition, with an additional 50 homologation cars
   • “a run of 12 customer cars”
   • an additional 50 homologation cars for the road
   • 4398cc
   • 100mm x 140mm
   • Chassis HB 3403, registration UU 5872

   Accessed 2026-11-11
3. 3
   Bentley to build a dozen continuation 1929 Birkin Blowers Level C Sports Car Digest

   • “55 supercharged 4½-litre Bentleys, with five allocated for competition”

   Accessed 2026-11-11
4. 4
   1931 Bentley 4½-Litre Supercharged Two-Seater Sports in the style of Vanden Plas, Monterey 2015, lot 342 Level C RM Sotheby’s

   • “only 50 customer chassis were built”
   • 4,382 cc
   • Engine no. MS3932
   • Vanden Plas body 1829, JB 1850
   • 1990 restoration, replica body; original body included
   • $4,015,000 sold
   • Chassis MS3929

   Accessed 2026-11-11
5. 5
   1930 Bentley 4.5-Liter Supercharged Tourer Level C Sports Car Market · 1997-09-01

   • Villiers Mark IV Roots-type supercharger “drawing mixture from twin S.U. carburetors”

   Accessed 2026-11-11
6. 6
   1931 Bentley 4 1/2-Liter "Blower" Level C Sports Car Market · 1995-09-01

   • “Amherst Villiers blower and twin SU carburetors”

   Accessed 2026-11-11
7. 7
   1929 Team Blower UU5872 Level A Bentley Motors (Bentley Media, Heritage Collection)

   • Amherst Villiers Mk IV roots-type supercharger
   • “40-ton pressed steel frame”
   • half elliptic leaf spring suspension; Bentley & Draper dampers
   • Bentley-Perrot mechanical brakes, 15.75 in (40 cm) drums
   • worm and sector steering

   Accessed 2026-11-11
8. 8
   2020 Blower Continuation Series Car Zero Level A Bentley Motors (Bentley Media, Heritage Collection)

   • 40-ton pressed steel frame
   • Bentley-Perrot mechanical brakes with 15.75in drums

   Accessed 2026-11-11
9. 9
   The ex-Birkin/Paget 1929–31 4½-Litre Supercharged “Blower” Bentley single-seater, chassis HB 3402, lot 204 Level C Bonhams

   • Engine no. SM 3901
   • 135.33mph, Easter 1930
   • 137.96mph, Easter 1932
   • “Sold for £5,041,500 inc. premium”
   • Chassis HB 3402

   Accessed 2026-11-11
10. 10
    The legend of the Blower Bentley: magic… or myth? Level C Motor Sport · 2021-10

    • UU 5871 reworked as the Birkin single-seater

    Accessed 2026-11-11