The English company Hedley Studios (formerly The Little Car Company) has long been making miniature copies of legendary cars of the past. True, these were mostly children’s cars, albeit made with meticulous precision. But the latest Bentley Blower Jnr is a full-fledged vehicle for adults, in the creation of which Bentley itself took part.
The original Bentley Blower (left) and the scaled-down Bentley Blower Jnr
The Bentley Blower racing cars were produced in 1929-1930. This model was based on the production Bentley 4½ Litre, but the standard 4.4-liter four-cylinder engine was supplemented with a supercharger located on the nose of the car. There were other modifications, and as a result, the power in the standard version was 175 hp, and in the racing version – 240 hp. However, for various reasons, the Bentley Blower was never able to win at Le Mans, unlike its predecessors. A total of 55 copies were built, which were necessary for homologation. In 2019, the Bentley Blower “extended” series project was launched , within the framework of which 12 more cars were produced according to original drawings and technologies.
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To develop their scaled-down replica of Blower Jnr (Junior), Hedley Studios took all the measurements from a real 1929 Bentley from the company’s collection. The resulting car is 85% the size of the original, meaning it is by no means a kid’s car. Length – 3.72 m, width – 1.48 m, height – 1.27 m. Structurally, the replica largely repeats the original: a steel frame, springs and even lever shock absorbers, which are exotic these days. The outer panels are hand-formed. But for the rear of the body, a carbon fiber frame was used, although in the original it was wooden.
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The style of the original is carefully preserved in the interior. The front panel is made of polished metal, with analog instruments cut into it. A large steering wheel with four spokes and a characteristic winding is installed. The original controls of pre-war cars are preserved. However, due to the reduced dimensions, the replica’s interior can only accommodate two people in a tandem arrangement (one behind the other).
The main changes occurred in the technical part. Of course, there can be no talk of any 4.4-liter compressor engine, as well as of an internal combustion engine in general. The Bentley Blower Jnr has a 48-volt electric motor, which is mounted on the rear axle and develops only 20 hp. This allowed the car to be certified as a heavy quadricycle and open access to public roads: in Europe, the Blower Jnr belongs to the L7e category, and in the USA – LSV. The maximum speed of an electric car weighing 550 kg is limited to 72 km / h, and in America – 40 km / h (according to the local LSV standard).
The underfloor traction battery has a capacity of only 10.8 kWh, and the claimed range is 105 km. The AC charging port is housed in a silver housing on the front end that mimics the original car’s supercharger. And in place of the gas tank, there’s a trunk in the rear.
Only 349 Bentley Blower Jnr electric cars will be built. Moreover, Hedley Studios promises the widest customization options. Orders are already accepted, but the price is not announced.
