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Car Of The Day: 1953 Bentley 6 1/2 Liter Petersen Special

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This bespoke 1953 Bentley 6 1/2 Liter Petersen Special was built using a modified 1953 R-Type chassis of 9′ 9″ wheelbase. The car was built by Bob Petersen in 2003 and draws inspiration from the great cars that raced at Brooklands in the ‘Roaring Twenties’.

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1953 Bentley 6 1/2 Liter Petersen Special | © GTspirit Limited

The car featured a World War II era 6.5-litre straight eight engine. The engine was initially developed for military and commercial use back in the day and was factory rated to produce  195 hp at 3750 rpm. But this particular 1953 Bentley 6.5 Litre Supercharger Petersen Racer has been fitted with a Petersen BM supercharger and red-lined at 5,500rpm to produce around 400 horsepower.

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1953 Bentley 6 1/2 Liter Petersen Special | © GTspirit Limited