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 and initial impressions of the Jensen 541.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 26\1\ Scan238 | |
| Date | 16th January 1956 | |
| To: LS Hdy.{William Hardy} Dor{Mr Dorey} JFR AFM{Anthony F. Martindale} AFM{Anthony F. Martindale}/VL.{V. Lewis / Mr Valentine}.. from Gry.{Shadwell Grylls} Jensen 541. I came up from London in this car on Friday night and it certainly has some very good points. I would far rather have this car than the Mercedes 300 SL. The Jensen has considerable refinement whereas the Mercedes had none at all. The Jensen is quite free from shake, but is worse for road noise than we should tolerate. The exhaust has a Continental flavour and no doubt this and the road noise drown other noises which might otherwise be objectionable. On the whole the compromise is good. Much to my surprise the seating position was not like a racing car and the floor was well below the seat level. The general construction of the car reminds one of the Mercedes and the Lincoln Continental in that there is a giant tunnel down the length of the car. The performance is good, as one would expect from 4 litres, 28 cwt and five speeds. Brake rumble is very noticeable and the pedals are so near together that it is very difficult to press the brake pedal by itself. Of detail interest, the single speed windscreen wiper parks itself without leaving a smudge in the middle of the screen. Performance figures will be supplied by AFM{Anthony F. Martindale} in due course. Gry.{Shadwell Grylls} | ||