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).
Competitor analysis on shock absorbers, steering, and suspension systems from American manufacturers.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\V\December1930-February1931\ Scan100 | |
| Date | 6th January 1931 guessed | |
| -2- It is the quantities which allow them to carry out original things on production. Although our small production does not enable us to make use of a lot of their methods, I think we have got to develope the habit of thinking in terms of costs. This does not mean that the part should be any less good, it still has to do the job just as well as ever, but it should be produced in the cheapest form. At Delco they had got drawings of our shock absorbers and one of the engineers pointed out to me they could not produce the shaft we use for the price that they complete a shock absorber. The G.M. purchased an English P.1 and put it through the whole series of tests on the proving ground, dismantled and checked up all the materials and made drawings of parts they were interested in. They make no secret of taking ideas from other cars and using them. They are always struggling with problems the same as we have to do. It is not therefore safe to assume that because U.S.A. cars have certain faults they will remain in that state. Packard used to have a very bad steering but R.M.Inc. got a latest Packard for me to try in order to show how good the steering was. The 16 cyl. Cadillac was bad for steering but they are tackling it. At the present time riding comfort and steering are receiving the most attention. On the proving ground I saw a series of Buick cars (1) had separately sprung front wheels, conventional rear (2) had separately sprung all four wheels (3) had a rear axle of the original De Dion type, the axle weight taken on the frame. They also had a bus operating there with an hydraulic steering. The Packard are still making the 8 in line engine but everyone is anticipating a new model from them shortly. HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||