From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Test drive report on a Bentley Coupe, detailing performance and minor issues.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 97\2\ scan0203 | |
| Date | 30th April 1941 | |
| Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Wyman File 400 Presume the balance pipe on the petrol tank is defective Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} To Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}: BENTLEY COUPE I drove this car via Burton-Lichfield-Warwick-Banbury-High Wycombe to Hayes and back. From the petrol gauge it seems that I did the journey on exactly a tank full. I added six gallons to what was in when I took over the car. It is the most enjoyable car to drive I have ever handled. I was particularly impressed with the steering. This is more positive than is usual on the Company's cars and to my mind a very great improvement. The suspension is magnificent. With the shock absorbers set back three-quarters from soft to hard, I took the switch-backs of the Lichfield-Burton Road at 60 to see what would happen and the result was to me quite remarkable as there was not the slightest disturbance. The road was somewhat congested with heavy traffic but despite this we averaged about 44 m.p.h. on the return journey. I very much regret I grazed the paint on the offside wing. This happened in my own garage on an electrical bar which projects from the wall and was out of sight and hence "out of mind" when sitting in the driving seat of the Bentley. One very minor grouse is that the petrol tank appears to be rather a bad filler and is very given to suffer from heartburn if filled at the normal rate with an electric pump! F.{Mr Friese} | ||