Just 35 miles away from the fabled Brooklands race circuit where eight decades ago this single-seat racing Bentley astonished spectators by sprinting its way into the record books, Sir Henry “Tim” Birkin’s dramatic 4.5 Liter Supercharged “Blower” Bentley returned to record-breaking form by reaching a sale price of £4.5 million when auctioned by Bonhams at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
This new Bentley auction record for Birkin’s striking 240-bhp supercharged red racer outstrips the previous mark for a Bentley sold at auction, established when the Speed Six known as “Old No. 2” achieved £2.8 million at the Le Mans Classic in 2004.
In March 1932, Birkin set a record 137.96 mph (219.93 kph) at Brooklands, a feat even a man renowned for pushing back the limits in motor sport would describe as hair-raising: “There are bumps which jolt the driver up and down in his seat and make the car leave the road and travel through the air,” said Birkin then.
