Famous Bentley Blower returns to race track

Bentley has announced that its Blower Continuation Series Car Zero will compete in a series of events across the UK, France, and Belgium in 2023.

The Blower Continuation Series has been built by hand, combining original drawings with modern laser-scanned data to create the first pre-war continuation series ever created.

Car Zero, the first of 13 cars, will compete in races to test its performance and endurance. Modifications for racing have been minor and safety-related, including a rain light, wing mirrors, towing points, a fire extinguisher and a battery isolation switch. Blower Car Zero now holds an Historic Technical Passport certifying it as eligible to compete in FIA-sanctioned events for historic vehicles.

Blower Car Zero will race at three tracks in 2023, starting at Donington Park in the UK on April 29-30. It will then move on to Le Mans, France, from June 29 to July 3, where it will be the first Bentley works car to race since the Speed 8’s victory in 2003.

Finally, it will race at Spa, Belgium, from September 28 to 30. Some of the customer cars from the Blower Continuation Series will also compete at Le Mans alongside Car Zero, together with original Bentley Team cars from the 1920s.

The Blower Continuation Series was created specifically for racing and by racing Car Zero, Bentley hopes to prove the performance, authenticity and durability of its Continuation Series.

The car has already proven the quality of its engineering through a 380-mile test at race pace around Goodwood, where it performed flawlessly throughout the six-hour endurance test.

Bentley's Chief Technical Officer, Paul Williams, said that "it’s now time for the car to be unleashed for real racing. We’ll take the learnings from this race programme and apply them to the upcoming Speed Six Continuation Series, for which the first engineering car is in build now."

Drivers for the race programme will be confirmed shortly, and will feature a mix of experienced motoring journalists with racing credentials alongside professional racing drivers.

Ask HJ

My dad has a 50's classic car. Should we sell the car with the original plate or sell them separately?

I'm writing in onn behalf of my father, who wants to sell his Lanchester LD10. The car has a three-letter, three-number car registration. He would like to know the most suitable means for selling the car and if there is any value just in the car registration. Thanks.

It's likely that the plate will have some value on its own but it'll depend on the exact letters and numbers. Classic cars with their original plates are more desirable, so your father will have to consider whether the value of the plate will outweigh any potential drop in the value of the car. It's worth bearing in mind that, to transfer the plate off your father's car, the Lanchester needs to be able to move under its own power, and must have been taxed or SORN'd for the last five years. We'd recommend speaking to a classic car auction company. A good one will help your father achieve the best possible price for his Lanchester and advise on whether it's worth selling the plate separately. Collectingcars.com would be a good start.

Answered by Andrew Brady

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