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).
Merits of a 6-cylinder engine versus proposed 8 and 12-cylinder engines.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 43\4\ Scan334 | |
| Date | 2nd July 1931 | |
| H3 84024. To R.{Sir Henry Royce} From Cg. Copy to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Er. Ds. re Engine Question. Referring to R4/M24.6.31 I note you are doubtful in connection with the 4.5 litre engine whether Sales would be satisfied with the 6-cylinder engine. You are, therefore, wondering whether we ought to go to the 8-cylinder of the type fitted to the Buick car tried at Brooklands recently. Taking all things into consideration the 6-cylinder engine on the 20/25 to-day is very satisfactory and, with the modifications which have recently been introduced to improve smoothness still more - (I refer to diamond mounting and extra bearing for the flywheel) - I do not feel apprehensive on the particular point raised. I certainly think that we should do much better to adhere to the 6-cylinder which we know all about rather than tackle the 8-cylinder about which we really know very little from the production point of view. As regards 12 cylinders I am definitely against going in for a car of this type for various reasons. The first is that I have inmind Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} having told us quite recently that they have never succeeded in trying a 12-cylinder of any-one's make which was as good as our own 6-cylinder or the 8-cylinder Bentley. Apart from that aspect I consider that in these days the 12-cylinder engine is an unnecessary complication and I am quite sure that the adoption of either an 8 or a 12 would have the opposite effect to that which we were endeavouring to achieve, i.e. production of a less expensive 20/25 than that which we are producing to-day. The average motorist cares very little about the number of cylinders but is more concerned with the general running and performance. In America we know that they have to go in for novel-ties in order to induce people to change their cars but the conditions with us in this respect are, I feel, quite different. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} [Stamp: RECEIVED 8 JUL 1931] | ||