Bentley has conducted a series of tests of its new 4.5-liter engine meant as a replacement engine for the Blower Continuation Series, a batch of 12 vehicles recreated based on original early 20th century blueprints.
The historical Blower model was capable of a whopping 240 horsepower (180 kilowatts). The modern engine is an exact copy of the original unit that powered Sir Henry Birkin’s racecar, albeit enhanced with a heavy-duty crankshaft, a turbocharger and a more up-to-date oil system.
The test stand the company used for the Blower tests is nothing if ordinary, too. Back in the 1940s, British Air Force used it to test jet fighter engines.
The car should hit the racetrack soon, and the testing crew expects to cover over 30,000 km (over 20,000 miles) on it before approving it into production.