A Bentley Litre open Tourer, being driven by the "Bentley Bells", in the Grand Avenue show, at the London Classic Car Show.
The Bentley 4½ Litre was a British car based on a rolling chassis built by Bentley Motors. Walter Owen Bentley replaced the Bentley 3 Litre with a more powerful car by increasing its engine displacement to L (270 cu in). Bentley buyers used their cars for personal transport and arranged for their new chassis to be fitted with various body styles, mostly saloons or tourers. However, the publicity brought by their competition programme was invaluable for marketing Bentley's cars. At the time, noted car manufacturers like Bugatti and Lorraine-Dietrich focused on designing cars to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a popular automotive endurance course established only a few years earlier. A victory in this competition quickly elevated any car maker's reputation. A total of 720 4½ Litre cars were produced between 1927 and 1931, including 55 cars with a supercharged engine popularly known as the Blower Bentley. A 4½ Litre Bentley won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1928. Though the supercharged 4½ Litre Bentley's competitive performance was not outstanding, it set several speed records, most famously in 1932 at Brooklands with a recorded speed of km/h (138 mph). This car was restored in 2007, by William Medcalf and was awarded best car at the Bentley Drivers Club national concourse in the same year. The Bentley participated in this years Mille Miglia, 1000 mile trial, Alpine trial and in the epic Benjafield 24 hour chalange in Portimao, driven by an all female Bently team the "Bentley Bells". who finished 12th.
Size: 3711px × 2472px
Location: ExCeL London, One Western Gateway, Royal Victoria Dock, London, E16 1XL
Photo credit: © John Gaffen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: , 1928, avenue, bells, bentley, bently, car, classic, grand, litre, london, open, show, tourer
