Cars & motorsport
Reviving a Classic: Bentley’s Blower Jnr is a Tiny Marvel
Vintage charm meets modern performance in The Little Car Company’s Bentley Blower Jnr – a stylish urban cruiser redefining city driving.
By Nate Chapnick
Contributor
Whoever said that a city car must prioritize practicality over style clearly has never seen The Little Car Company’s Bentley Blower Jnr.
This marvel is an 85% scale recreation of Bentley’s legendary 1929 4½-liter Blower team car, born from a collaboration between The Little Car Company and Bentley’s Heritage Collection.
And despite its diminutive stature, the Blower Jnr is fully street-legal in the US, UK, and the EU because, underneath its vintage charm lies a modern heart – a 48V electric powertrain delivering 20 horsepower, propelling it to a top speed of 45 mph in the UK and EU and 25 mph in the US.
Plus, with a fully charged 10.8kWh battery, it offers a range of approximately 65 miles, ideal for leisurely jaunts around town.
Vintage Charm
From the outside, the Blower Jnr commands attention, much like its forebearer. Unsurprising since if parked side by side, I’m pretty sure distinguishing between the two would be a near-impossible challenge.
Its painted steel frame, faithful to the original’s specifications, boasts leaf springs and scaled-down friction dampers for a graceful ride. Brembo disc brakes in the front and drums in the rear ensure precise braking. Moreover, the electric motor, batteries, and drive electronics are tucked away under the body, which is pretty ingenious.
Crafted in two sections, the Blower Jnr uses carbon fiber wrapped in fabric for its rear body structure (instead of the original’s Ash frame). This merges seamlessly with the hand-crafted aluminum bonnet, complete with cooling louvres and leather bonnet straps, mirroring the original.
Upfront, the original’s supercharger now doubles as a charging port, making it easy to connect to any Type 1 or Type 2 socket. The iconic Bentley mesh grille with its authentic nickel-plated radiator housing and white painted number 2 is the perfect backdrop. Meanwhile, the two round headlights in their chrome housings complete the vintage façade.
Measuring just over twelve feet long and nearly five feet wide, the Blower Jnr accommodates two in a 1+1 cockpit. An optional bespoke weekend bag housed in a repurposed fuel tank with a lockable latch offers extra storage. The First Edition boasts Dark Green Lustrana leather seats paired with a tan rope-bound steering wheel.
A Modern Classic
Behind the wheel, a stunning engine-turned aluminum dashboard hosts gauges reminiscent of the original Blower. Meanwhile, clever repurposing sees the fuel pressure pump transformed into a drive mode selector and the ignition advance control knob turned into the gear selector.
Switchgear for headlights and indicators mimics the magneto switches of yore, while the battery charge gauge replicates the appearance of the old-fashioned ammeter. Finally, a discreet USB charging port and dual-purpose display add modern functionality with a reversing camera.
The Blower Jnr, a delightful runaround vehicle, promises exhilarating top-down drives on balmy summer and autumn days.
Priced at $114,000 for the First Edition models, it may not be a steal, but compared to an irreplaceable original Bentley Blower, it is a veritable bargain. For more information, check out the Bentley Blower Jnr website.
(Images © Bentley Blower Jnr)