If it hadn't been for the fact that the Bentley 3 Litre showed little potential for a further increase in performance and the Bentley 6½ Litre was prone to consume tyres at an alarming rate, there might never have been a Bentley 4½ Litre.

Around the end of 1927, serious production started of the new model with an engine designed to the proven pattern of the litre.

Collecting victory after victory on various race tracks of Europe.

The 4½ Litre was an evolution of the 3 Litre, sharing that car's basic chassis, including its semi-elliptical suspension at all four wheels and four-wheel brakes.

The straight-4 engine was bored out to 100mm to produce 4.4 litre of displacement.

This was good for 110hp in road-going models or 130hp when tweaked for racing.

Another claimed victory at the 24 Hours du Mans in 1928 with drivers Woolf Barnato and Bernard Rubin at the wheel.

Meanwhile there was considerable debate within the Bentley boardroom and among the Bentley Boys about the next racing m...