Bentley reveals le mans limited edition trim for mulsanne. Bentley director woolf barnato and australianborn bernard rubin in a bentley 4. In these instances the company would choose the most saleable body and not surprisingly chose to copy the 1928 motorshow car which was a sports tourer by vanden plas that featured the long bonnet as used on the racing cars of the day. Wo bentley built his first sports car, a 3 litre, in 1919. The first bentley success at le mans, with drivers john duff and frank clement, was hardwon after a series of mechanical dramas and an extraordinary attempt at. The bentley motto of there is no replacement for displacement proved quite successful, as the speed six, with its 11foot wheelbase and lightweight vanden plas tourer body, won the 1929 and 1930 24 hours of le mans races, while the 4. Bentayga, continental gt, flying spur and mulsanne. Five supercharged blower bentleys were built to compete at le mans, but the cars achilles heel was its reliability. May 28, 2019 brissons stutz is about to overtake barnatos bentley, becoming the first american car to lead at le mans, 1928. Edward, viscount curzon, the first owner of b167 gp, was born august 1908 in st george hanover square, london, just less than a year after his father married his cousin, mary. From 1928 to 1930 one driver held the perfect entry record for le mans as he does to this day.
Brissons stutz is about to overtake barnatos bentley, becoming the first american car to lead at le mans, 1928. The website features info about all vintage bentley cars ever produced 19191931. Bentley,his passion for racing,and bentleys later racing postw o bentley. Bentley, the british pioneer after becoming the first manufacturer from across the channel to win the 24 hours in only the second edition of the event 1924, bentley went on to complete the first run of victories with four in a row from 1927 to 1930.
With a singleport block, two su carburettors, 5 8 11 a highperformance camshaft, 14 and a compression ratio of 5. Frank clements, one of the celebrated bentley boys, the factory team drivers, proceeded to smash the lap records time and time again. How bentley builds some of the worlds greatest luxury cars. In 1928, the bentleys team at the 24 hours of le mans was taken over by the companys chairman woolf barnato and won the race with bernard rubin.
The big publicity from the previous years race and the white house crash raised manufacturer. Bentley restoration mother gun replica as raced at. Bentley classic cars le mans for sale car and classic. Bentley, barnato remains the only driver to have won on each occasion of entering the race, recording wins at le mans in 1928, 1929 and 1930.
As you read this another bentley is on its way to exactly the same place. The 20modelyear le mansedition cars mark the 10th anniversary of that feat. He was assisted, in order of victory, by bernard rubin, sir henry tim birkin, and glen kidston. Dec 23, 2009 4148 1928 bentley 4 12 litre semi le mans sports tourer duration.
Litre gave the company backtoback victories after a racelong duel with the stutz of edouard brisson and robert bloch. Winner of le mans 1929 went on to win the 1929 brooklands six hour. Bentley at le mans racing the worlds finest sports cars. Bentley boys legend at the le mans 24 hours the dashing bentley boys first won the le mans 24 hours 90 years ago. Bentley won the le mans 24 hours endurance race in 1924. It is considered one of the most prestigious automobile races in the world 2 and has been called the grand prix of endurance and efficiency. Results taken from quentin spurrings book, officially licensed by the aco although there were no official engine. Media in category 1928 24 hours of le mans the following 21 files are in this category, out of 21 total. Endurance racing le mans hagerty articles hagerty uk. Bentley, founder born in 1888 as the youngest of nine siblings, walter owen bentley though he preferred to be called w. Spool 79 years and one fortnight to an early june day.
Bentley and his star driver sir tim birkin realized those victories were too close for comfort, and the only way to secure the hattrick of three victories in a row was. The bentley speed six chassis was introduced in 1928 as a more sporting version of the bentley 6. Bentley s domination at le mans in 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929 and 1930 is legendary, and one can only admire the herculean efforts of such giants as woolf barnato, jack dunfee, tim birkin and sammy davis, consistently wrestling the british racing green sports cars to victory. A central figure for team bentleys attack on both the sebring 12hours and the le mans 24 hours, guy smith secured his place in racing legend at the 2003 le mans 24 hours.
Bentley boys won le mans in 1927, 1928, 1929 a 1234 victory and 1930, with barnato codriving the winning car in the latter three. Bentleys were his first love, and the book deals in depth with the 3, 4. Chrysler cars at the 1928 le mans 24 hour grand prix dendurance. In 1928 benjafield made an equally significant contribution to british motor sport. It is considered one of the most prestigious automobile races in the world and has been called the grand prix of endurance and efficiency. Bentley at the 24 hours of le mans about bentley and. The rest of the roaring twenties belonged to bentley and the bentley boys.
Bentlys 50 year anniversary on the old sarthe track in belgium in 1969. Charles moran jr, later a founding member of the scca, entered with a dupont but retired after three hours. This is a large book which may require additional postage. There were two foreign competitors in the first race, frank clement and canadian john duff, the latter winning the 1924 competition in his personal car, a bentley 3 litre. He also drove his 8c alfa at le mans with tim roserichards in 1934 and knew raymond mays, both of whom were owners of derby bentleys. The first british manufacturer to win le mans, bentley is celebrating its 100th. The book is the inside story of the racing cars that bentley developed to win le mans six times and includes in depth technical appraisals of the vintage and 2003 winners. The competition included bentley, with three brandnew 4. This entry was posted in auto photos 1921 1942 and tagged 1928 bentley 4 12 litre semile mans tourer, 24 hours of le mans, le mans bentley, tim birkin. Explore the world of bentley, including the story of bentley, mulliner, motorsport and experiences. The first bond car was actually this monster bentley wired. As a consequence of the crash on wall street in 1929 bentley was liquidated, bought by rolls royce in 1931 and the racing era was ended. One of the greatest reference book on le mans off all time. Bentley had numerous wins at 24 hours of le mans, the worlds oldest endurance race started in 1923.
Built by sir henry tim birkin, one of the famous bentley boys who raced the cars at le mans, the supercharged, twoton blower was based on the brands 24 hours of le mans race car. Bentley reveals le mansedition mulsanne and continental. Bentley,his passion for racing,and bentley s later racing postw o bentley. Bentley at le mans racing the worlds finest sports cars by ian bamsey includes indepth technical appraisals of vintage and 2003 winners. Purchased by rollsroyce in 1931, when production was moved from london to derby and later to crewe, this business has been owned by the volkswagen group. The 3liter suffered from underperformance while the 6. Barnato also achieved some fame in the blue train races, the duels between cars and the french le train bleu from cannes to calais. In flemings first 007 novel, casino royale, published in 1953, bond tooled around in a. Since 1969 the car has participated in several races and exhibition like.
You will find the book on amazon if you click here. Bentleys domination at le mans in 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929 and 1930 is legendary, and one can only admire the herculean efforts of such giants as woolf barnato, jack dunfee, tim birkin and sammy davis, consistently wrestling the british racing green sports cars to victory. Smith was selected to pilot the bentley speed 8 across the finish line to mark an emotional sixth win for bentley. A bentley le mans car at the pageant of power in liverpool. Ettore bugatti once referred to the bentley as the worlds fastest lorry le camion plus vite du monde. W o bentley had always been fully aware of the importance of racing success on sales figures, and the 4 12 litre showed its potential on its first outing at le mans in 1927. Watch the starter guy as the driver has a false start. Historical information and photos for 1928 bentley 4. Bentley designed and made production cars that won the 24 hours of le mans in 1924 and following models which repeated those successes each june 1927, 1928, 1929 and 1930. The fabled blower supercharged bentleys did not win at le mans. Litre was a british car based on a rolling chassis built by bentley motors. Bentley boys legand at the le mans 24 hours telegraph.
With benjy benjafield at the wheel the car broke the le mans lap record on her first lap, and that from a standing le mans start. In the process they won the inaugural prize for overall distance. Fr 5189 and gk 3840 apr 14, 2020 info and photographs added for chassis no. Bentleys pioneering vision has long been embodied in the tenacity and ambition of its. Races winners in the most dominant display in the race to date, bentley achieved a comprehensive victory taking the first four places on distance. Litre bentleys competitive performance was not outstanding, it set several speed records, most famously the bentley blower no. Bentley director woolf barnato repeated his victory of. Liter blown bentley favored by bentley boy woolf barnato proved less reliable. A vintage motor garage commission replica of the 1927 prototype 41.
Bentley first won le mans in 1924 and then triumphed. For the 1928 season, bentley was intent on having new. A late may day in 1923 and a 3litre bentley leaves london for the coast. The term endurance racing describes the first years of le mans in a very literal sense. Aug 30, 2019 in the original bond novels he owned a number of bentleys, but his first was a supercharged 1931 4. The inaugural race was held 2627 may 1923, and attracted many drivers, mostly french. The event represents one leg of the triple crown of motorsport, other events. The images shown are representations of the 1928 bentley 4. This car was built in 1928 and the original bentley archives record that it was not a private order but built for stock. Bentley motors is the worlds most sought after luxury car brand celebrating our centenary year. Meanwhile, woolf barnato was the races first triple winner in his only three attempts 1928, 1929 and 1930. Now, almost 100 years later, his name is known across the globe for creating cars with an unrivalled blend of performance and the finest craftsmanship. Bentley motorcars won the famous 24 hours of le mans race in the years 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929 and 1930.
Apr 28, 2020 the bentley name as manufacturer of large, heavy, powerful and rugged sports cars has been imprinted in the human mind since the roaring 1920ies. Back in 1928 however, birkin had come to the conclusion that the future lay in getting more power from a lighter model by fitting a supercharger to the 4. May 25, 2010 a bentley le mans car at the pageant of power in liverpool. But behind the glamour and the partying was a ruthless, winatallcosts mentality. This is an excellent book,very detailed, nicely laid out tracing the origins of w.
In the 1928 le mans race this bentley was driven by frank clement and dr. Perhaps the most talented of all the bentley boys, tim birkin won the le mans 24 hours on two occasions once in a private alfa romeo and scored an extraordinary secondplace in the 1930 french grand prix. Bentley continental, mulsanne get le mans limited editions. Buy bentley 4 12 litre owners workshop manual first edition by ian wagstaff isbn. Chrysler entered the 24hour le mans endurance race with a team of four 1928. In the books, bond drives one of the last blower bentleys built, a battleship grey convertible. Barnato, along with a small group of bentleyowning friends, raced their own cars with success and became known as the bentley boys for their exploits. Gooding and company is having their annual amelia island, florida, auction a week from today on march 8. Bentley director woolf barnato and australianborn bernard rubin in a.
The bentley name as manufacturer of large, heavy, powerful and rugged sports cars has been imprinted in the human mind since the roaring 1920ies. Kidston, who won le mans in 1930 with barnato, seemed to thrive on danger. Bentleys early history was greatly influenced by the 24 hours of le mans, the oldest sports car race in endurance in the world. Official bentley motors website powerful, handcrafted.
Bentley blue train, 1950 welcome to classicargarage. In the original bond novels he owned a number of bentleys, but his first was a supercharged 1931 4. Apr 15, 2020 info and photographs added for registration nos. On board are two drivers, one mechanic and a few spares. Participation of the company in the race and the success in 1924 when the bentley 3 litre sport won le mans played an important role in woolf barnatos decision to finance bentley motors limited and save it from.