Bentley Brings A 100-Year-Old Car Back Into Production But Something’s Different

Limited to just 349 examples, the Blower Jnr combines nostalgia with modern electric tech and a price that will give you instant regret

                                        https://www.carscoops.com/author/bradcarscoops-com/                                    

Bentley’s Blower is a legend, a symbol of automotive history, and now, almost 100 years after its original debut, it’s making a comeback. Well, sort of. Before you get too excited, let’s temper expectations — this isn’t the full-throttle, 4.5-liter supercharged beast of yore.

Instead, the Blower Jnr is a more compact tribute to the original. And while it’s marketed by Bentley, it won’t actually be built by them. No, that honor goes to Hedley Studios, a British company better known for crafting miniature versions of classic cars.

Read: Bentley Sends Blower Jnr To Switzerland To Pick Up A Christmas Tree

Hedley Studios might not be a household name, but it’s not exactly new to this whole “tiny car” business. Formerly known as The Little Car Company, Hedley has built scaled-down versions of other iconic vehicles, like the Bugatti Baby II (a 75% scale Type 35) and the Ferrari Testa Rossa J (a 75% scale of the 250 Testa Rossa).

The Blower Jnr takes things a step further, with an 85% scale version of Bentley’s 1929 Blower, and unlike the company’s previous models, this one is fully road legal. Yes, you can legally drive it on the road, assuming you’re not expecting to tear through traffic at warp speed.

Whereas the original Blower had a 4.5-liter supercharged engine, the Blower Jnr rocks a 48-volt electric powertrain delivering a grand total of 20 hp. With this in mind, it’ll only hit 45 mph (72 km/h) in the UK and EU and has been limited to 25 mph (40 km/h) in the US. Hedley says the Blower Jnr can travel up to 65 miles (105 km) on a charge.

Production of the Blower Jnr is now underway, shortly after Bentley hosted a first-drive event for the car on the British island of Jersey, which just so happens to exclusively have 40 mph speed limits. The first deliveries will start later this year, and shoppers will be able to heavily customize their vehicle, ensuring it stands out from all others.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the Blower Jnr is not its electric powertrain, but rather how well Hedley has replicated the design of the original. It features a painted steel frame, similar to the original, and also includes leaf springs and period-correct friction dampers. Additionally, the car has a hand-crafted aluminum hood. Other components are made from lightweight carbon fiber, but the car features an impregnated fabric similar to the original car from 1929.

Prices That Will Blow You Away

The price? Well, here’s where most of you will probably tap out. The Blower Jnr starts at around £90,000 or about $121,000 at current exchange rates. That’s high end sports car money for a scaled electric car that won’t go above 45 mph and lacks any modern tech features. Despite the hefty price tag, Hedley is expecting to sell all 349 units it plans to make.