RE: Bentley Blower Continuation | PH Review
Discussion
AndySheff said:
Does the continuation still have the clutch and acceleator pedals swapped around ? For me, I'd forego the maximum originality and want a syncro'd box with the modern pedal layout.
I agree about the modern pedal layout, for safety reasons as well as enjoyment. Keeping it original in that case would be a little perverse.seefarr said:
I'd be in the market for a Pur Sang Bugatti for a similar experience - this one went for a mere 1/4 million dollars last year. A bargain!
https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/el20/the-elkhar...
I suspect that I would toohttps://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/el20/the-elkhar...
AndySheff said:
Does the continuation still have the clutch and acceleator pedals swapped around ? For me, I'd forego the maximum originality and want a syncro'd box with the modern pedal layout.
We have a couple of vintage cars that had centre accelerators - they were quite easy to drive like that, but we came to the conclusion that the potential in an emergency to instinctively to move one's foot left from the accelerator and hit the clutch hard (instead of the brake) and sublimely sail on into whatever was in front was too high, so we converted them to the conventional layout. I don't feel it changes the experience at all (and is reversible). The non-synchro gearbox, on the other hand, is not a safety issue and managing a good downshift (especially across the box from 3rd to 2nd) is immensely satisfying, is very much part of the character of the cars and something I wouldn't give up.
"changing gears is like engaging in hand-to-hand combat" : )
I suspect my farming upbringing, wrestling as a kid in the 1970s and 80s with old 1950s tractors, most of which had 2 features in common – (1) no brakes, and (2) broken, very heavy, “steering” - would assist in any acclimatisation to this beast, as would my old 1980s Marina van (the one with the gear-lever that had to be held in place with one's knee, while the choke had to be held in the "out" position with one hand).
Never thought I'd see a manufacturer do this. Heritage may now increasingly be valued as the age of EV blandness takes over. It looks simply magnificent.
I suspect my farming upbringing, wrestling as a kid in the 1970s and 80s with old 1950s tractors, most of which had 2 features in common – (1) no brakes, and (2) broken, very heavy, “steering” - would assist in any acclimatisation to this beast, as would my old 1980s Marina van (the one with the gear-lever that had to be held in place with one's knee, while the choke had to be held in the "out" position with one hand).
Never thought I'd see a manufacturer do this. Heritage may now increasingly be valued as the age of EV blandness takes over. It looks simply magnificent.
InitialDave said:
Perhaps I missed it, but will the car's be able to be road registered? Or is it the usual "track use only from manufacturer, but IVA'd by owner" situation?
No seatbelts, no emissions equipment, but it may qualify as a reconstructed classic vehicle.https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration/reconstruc...
Thank you Bentley. I’ll never be in a position to own such a magnificent machine but that doesn’t make me any less grateful that they exist. Hats off to you for having the balls (and of course the clients!) to do this. As someone who has four star pumping through my veins this was a lovely article to read amongst all the bland boring and depressing EV nonsense. Made my day.
I'm wondering if PH have a nice picture of the exact location of the gear shift? Unless I'm mistaken, it's the handbrake that sits on the outside of the car, on the driver's right, but I can;t see the shift. Interested to know more about these cars.
Given the challenge of re-creating something like this, the price tag seems modest. Lovely beasts they are too, both the original and continuation.
Given the challenge of re-creating something like this, the price tag seems modest. Lovely beasts they are too, both the original and continuation.
InitialDave said:
NMNeil said:
Then maybe it can't be registered for the road. More knowledgeable people may be able to help with that question.
Not by Bentley, it wouldn't be able to be, as they're a proper big-boy manufacturer. But an owner could themselves make adaptations to put it through an IVA.It's an interesting exercise by Bentley, as are the similar programmes by Jaguar and Aston Martin, but ultimately pointless. I can only imagine that they aren't bought by traditional vintage car buyers, but by people with more money than imagination who are just looking for expensive trinkets to buy.
peterlove said:
Has there EVER, in the history of wheels, been anything quite so glorious as this. Joyous.
Depends on ones perspective. For me, it looks like something from Chitty-chitty-bang-bang; a dark looking old car to be mostly driven and admired by old men.Someone posted up a Bugatti earlier in the thread which to me looks much better even though I'm not into cars of that vintage/time period at all.
Edited by sidesauce on Thursday 22 April 15:22
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