Following the success of the Bentley Blower Jnr concept at Monterey Car Week 2023 last year, Bentley and Hedley Studios (formerly The Little Car Company) have announced their continued collaboration. Companions plans to produce 349 Bentley Blower Jnr replicas, of which 99 belong to the First Edition series.
The legendary compressor Bentley 4 1/2-Litre “Blower” of 1929, whose dimensions are reduced to 85% of the “original”, is equipped with an electric motor, and the certificate allows the car to be used on public roads.
The Bentley Blower Jnr debuted in California at the House of The Macallan at Monterey Car Week 2024. The public was shown a version in Old English White and Cricket Ball leather interior trim.
Customers will be able to visualize their individual preferences using the online configurator, which will allow them to create and order a Bentley Blower Jnr that will be completely unique. With thousands of possible options, including interior and exterior colors, personalization options extend to hand-painted number plates and national flags.
The Hedley Studios Configurator for Bentley Blower Jnr encompasses six carefully selected packages, each paying tribute to Bentley's fascinating and storied history. For example, “The Blue Pack” refers to Wulf Barnato's famous race against the “Blue Train” from the Cote d'Azur to Calais, in which Barnato won at the wheel of his Bentley Speed Six.
“The Gray Pack” pays homage to the Bentley Speed Six that won Le Mans in 1929 and 1930 before Barnato converted it into a bronze-painted road coupe. In total, 250 configurations are available to buyers.
The Blower Jnr is smaller in size than the original 1929 Bentley Blower used as a prototype. The length of the machine reaches 3.7 m, and the width – 1.5 m. The power unit uses an electric motor with a capacity of 15 kW/20 hp, and the on-board network operates at a voltage of 48 V. The car is capable of developing a speed of up to 72 km/h, and a range of up to 105 km/h.
The frame is made of painted steel, to which an authentic chassis is attached. Leaf springs and downsized, period-appropriate friction dampers ensure a comfortable ride. Brembo disc brakes are installed at the front, and drum brakes at the rear. The electric motor is mounted across the rear axle, and the batteries and drive electronics are housed in a special tray.
The body consists of two sections. The back is carbon fiber, not ash, but is also covered in fabric like the original. The hood, with its numerous cooling louvers, is handcrafted from aluminum using traditional techniques and secured with beautiful leather hood buckles. The two-seater cabin has a 1+1 layout with a central adjustable position for the driver and a passenger traveling behind.
An optional picnic bag is housed in the rear in a smaller and redesigned fuel tank with a lockable latch.
The “supercharger” at the front of the car is actually a charging port that connects the on-board charger to a Type 1 or Type 2 socket. Behind it sits Bentley's famous mesh grille and an authentic nickel-plated radiator. At first glance, the dashboard looks like a reduced copy of the original. The hand pump for increasing the fuel pressure has been transformed into a selector of driving modes – Comfort (2 kW), Bentley (8 kW) and Sport (15 kW). The selection of D/N/R modes is provided by a small lever that looks like the ignition advance control toggle of the original Blower.
Other headlight and indicator switches copy the shape and material of the magneto switches, while the battery charge indicator reproduces the original ammeter. As an option, the dashboard can be supplemented with a USB connector and a small display that serves as a screen for the Garmin navigator and the rear view camera.
