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).
Market analysis comparing American small cars with larger, more expensive models, discussing their respective merits and market positions.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 170\2\ img159 | |
| Date | 17th June 1933 guessed | |
| COPY. My dear H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints}, Thanks for yours of May 10th. Have been carrying it around to answer it and of course forgot it until this morning when I sent my winter clothes to the cleaners. Have made enquiries about the Ford V.8, etc. These cars, Ford, Essex Terraplane, small Chevrolet, etc., are becoming pretty well overpowered, but I have no doubt that given time they will be made to stand up. At present they give trouble when driven hard, but when the power is only used as in 90% of them for getting away from the crowd at stop lights, they are sufficiently satisfactory to ensure a huge market. The larger Chevrolet and the Pontiac 8 are samples of well balanced design which can use its power indefinitely even on the longest trips, 400-500 miles a day. Am convinced that we at Cadillac, and you at A.R., should spend time and money wisely in making an intensive study of these cars which are our real competition. The question is not whether the customer should buy a [unclear], a Lincoln, Packard, or Cadillac, but whether road transportation is sufficiently important to take 3, 5, or 10 thousand dollars out of a man's pocket for a behemoth weighing three tons, or whether 100 quid handed over the counter for a jaunty little conveyance that can turn on a dime, and run like a scared cat, is the correct answer to the human demand for "going places". Every reasoning power that I have confirms the latter choice although Norma and I continue to buy La{L. A. Archer} Salles, which though large cars, are the smallest on which we can get a company discount. Even the work I have been doing here on ride confirms this belief, and I see myself digging the grave of the large car while drawing wages for improving it. As a vehicle the small car has nearly all the advantages. Power weight ratio. K²/ab. ratio. Ratio of radius of turn to angle of front wheels. Steering ratio. Resonant pitching speed. Ratio of unsprung weight. Ratio of inertia over frame stiffness etc. - but of course wind resistance is relatively much higher, and the stubbier body more difficult to propel. | ||