Gearing Up For Glamour!

When you think of British motoring royalty, the Bentley 4.5 Litre instantly comes to mind, particularly the versions that raced in the famous Le Mans 24 Hours in the late 1920s. We were fortunate to have access to this stunning vehicle for our latest photo shoot. Set against the charming backdrop of one of Norwich’s historic streets, the shoot was a fantastic experience—and we captured some truly exceptional images. 

This vintage masterpiece combined power, endurance, and cutting-edge engineering, making it a true contender on some of the toughest tracks in the world. Introduced in 1927, the 4.5 Litre was a larger, more powerful evolution of Bentley’s 3 Litre model, equipped with a 4.4-litre inline-four engine that could produce around 110 horsepower. Though its top speed was around 90 mph in standard form, the supercharged Blower Bentley could push well over 100 mph, providing blistering speed for those willing to tame its raw power.

The 4.5 Litre’s success in Le Mans was a defining moment for Bentley, with Woolf Barnato and Bernard Rubin clinching the 1928 victory. The car’s engineering—featuring innovations like dry-sump lubrication and twin SU carburetors—made it an endurance racing machine capable of taking on rough, unpaved tracks over 24 hours without faltering. While the supercharged Blower Bentley, famously driven by Sir Henry Birkin, was faster, it struggled with reliability in endurance races like Le Mans, often falling short in the face of mechanical issues.

As we drove around the streets of Norwich you hear it. The Bentley 4.5 Litre doesn’t purr—it growls. It starts with a bark, settles into a heavy, uneven idle, and sounds like a beast trying to break free. On the move, it thunders—raw, mechanical, unapologetic. Every gear change is a clunk, every burst of throttle a roar. It’s not just noise—it’s presence. You don’t forget it.

The Bentley Boys, a group of aristocratic racers including Barnato, Birkin, and John Duff, were pivotal in establishing Bentley’s legacy as a racing powerhouse. Their passion for racing wasn't just about competition—it was a love for speed and engineering, and it helped cement Bentley’s reputation for both luxury and performance.

Today, the 4.5 Litre Bentley is a coveted collector’s car, often fetching millions at auction. Its presence in pop culture—like its appearance in Ian Fleming’s original James Bond novels—only adds to its allure. Driving a 4.5 Litre today is a raw, mechanical experience, with no power steering or electronic assists, offering a pure connection between driver and machine.

In conclusion, the Bentley 4.5 Litre is more than just a vintage race car; it’s a living piece of history, still capturing the spirit of the golden age of motorsport. Whether on the track or the road, this iconic vehicle continues to represent a bygone era of speed, elegance, and adventure.

[Our models wear; 1940s Safari Field Jacket in Camel moleskin, The Foljambe Fair Isle slipover, The Redford shirt in navy/ecru, Orson Plus 6s in Cream Donegal tweed, moss green Harris Tweed cap, Burnham sock and Memery boots...keep an eye our for our 1935 Hastings 3-piece suit arriving soon].