Bentleys mob Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

This Bentley competed in the very first Le Mans race, setting the inaugural lap record and finishing fourth overall.

(Credit: Peter and Robin Briggs)

Any true James Bond fan will want to be at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance on August 16, as four Birkin Blowers go on display amongst an amazing collection of vintage Bentleys. Although Bond became associated with Aston Martin in the movies, Ian Fleming specified a 1930 4.5-liter Bentley with a Villiers supercharger for the Commander. Sir Henry Birkin added a supercharger to the 4.5-liter Bentley for his racing exploits, and the idea was picked up for a run of 50 supercharged Bentleys from the factory in 1930. The four Birkin Blowers slated for Pebble Beach are the race cars built by Birkin.

This production Blower Bentley is the same model James Bond drove.

(Credit: Wikimedia Commons)

Even more historic than the Blowers, three original Bentley Speed Sixes will show at Pebble Beach. These cars set records in the first Le Mans races starting in 1923.

The Concours d'Elegance will feature four classes of Bentleys this year, celebrating the 90th anniversary of the marque. Two classes will show Bentleys built from 1921 to 1931, broken up into 6.5-liter and 8-liter cars. Another class will show Bentleys built in the 1930s when Rolls-Royce owned the marque.