This is the pinnacle of technology 100 years ago Bentley 4 1/2 Liter (1) Deep connection to the Le Mans 24 Hours | AUTOCAR JAPAN

Bentley’s deep relationship with the 24 Hours of Le Mans

“A race like this is crazy. No one will ever finish it. It’s not designed to withstand high loads for 24 hours.”

Bentley has built a deep relationship with the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which is held at the Circuit de la Sarthe in France. This is what Walter Owen (WO.) Bentley, the founder of the prestigious brand, said before the first war in 1923. Written in his 1958 autobiography.

Bentley 4 1/2 liter (1928 model/Le Mans specification)

WO.Bentley might not have considered supporting the Bentley 3-liter, which was entered in the memorable first round, if John Duff, who was the company’s agent, hadn’t given him a push. However, after learning that he had finished in a tie for fourth place, he fell in love with endurance racing.

After that, they aggressively took on challenges as a works team and won five times. Bentley has carved its name into a history that is said to be the harshest in the world since ancient times.

The machine we are introducing today, registered with the number YW 5758, is a 1928 model. It’s a 4 1/2-litre car with a body made by British coachbuilder Vanden Plas.

Among the existing works machines from the WO.Bentley era, it is widely known among enthusiasts as one of the most successful machines. It has achieved great results not only at Le Mans, but also at events such as the Brooklands circuit.

However, during the era when this car was competing, Bentley was suffering from a lack of funds. WO.Bentley, whose ambition was greater than its management ability, was recruiting a wide range of investors in 1925, six years after its founding in 1919.

Advanced overhead cam modular construction

Two years later, he received help from Bentley racing driver Wolf Bernhardt. He was wealthy enough to bail out the brand and many of its employees, albeit briefly.

By the mid-1920s, the 3 Liter was facing stiff competition from several models, including the Vauxhall 30-98. His funding enabled WO.Bentley to refocus its efforts on developing a successor model.

Two models were introduced: a 6 1/2 liter with a 6.6L inline 6-cylinder engine and a 4 1/2 liter with a 4.4L inline 4 cylinder engine. These two types of units had a modular structure with different cylinders, but had the same 100mm cylinder bore and 140mm stroke.

The monoblock overhead cam design and four-valve configuration per cylinder were advanced at the time. Many rivals had side valves with intake and exhaust ports lined up next to the cylinder, and a two-valve configuration was common.

The maximum output of the mass-produced version is 111ps, obtained from a displacement of 4398cc. However, in the race spec, it was raised to 131ps.

The 4 1/2 liter chassis announced in 1927 was based on the 3 liter with a wheelbase of 3302 mm. However, the steering and brakes had been improved, resulting in far better performance than its predecessor.

It is lighter than 6 1/2 liters and has good maneuverability. It was the best model in Bentley’s lineup at the time. Furthermore, the 4.4L unit is extremely durable, and is said to have only broken down once during a race during its active years.

A blower that was fast but couldn’t win the race

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