This is a very historically significant classic.
There are few cars that can claim to have the same level of historical significance and placement that the 1930 Bentley 4-½ Litre Supercharged Tourer in British motoring history. Following the development of the brand in 1919 with the introduction of the 3 liter, the 4-1/2 is an evolution that uses the same chassis, transmission, and brakes from the original 3 liter, with a new engine that borrows from the 6 liter in several ways, or basically becoming 3/4 of a 6 liter. By the time it rolled around, Bentley was ready to race! Models like this 1930 Bentley 4½ Litre Supercharged Tourer are not ones a serious classic car collector are going to want to pass up on.
This example is amongst those of the often talked about, rarely seen up close, Blower Bentleys that were made to conquer the track using the four-cylinder engine by Bentley. These fabled supercharged cars from the era will forever have a sacred place in the world of Bentley racing and pre-war drivers like Sir Henry (Tim) Birkin.
A newly designed supercharger by Amherst Villiers when fitted atop a 4-1/2 liter engine was a winning combo that added 75 bhp to the 100 bhp engine. Only 50 of these cars were made and it’s generally agreed that these are the first production blower cars, which were completed on chassis SM3903.
This particular 1930 Bentley 4½ Litre Supercharged Tourer has a storied history, which comes well-documented with the sale of this classic Bentley. You can see more here.
