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).
Purchase of an Alfa Romeo and the potential development of a new sports car model.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 124\5\ scan0017 | |
| Date | 4th December 1931 | |
| HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} X4482. To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} re Alfa Romeo. Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}9/E4.12.31 Copy to Lr.{Mr Ellor} Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Referring to the above and our discussion yesterday, before we definitely decide to buy the car which Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} and E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} tried yesterday, I think we ought all to be clear as to the real purpose for which we are buying it. So far as I understand, the Alfa Romeo is the luxury car amongst the sporting cars. The price of the chassis, before we went off the gold standard, was £1075, i.e. more than the price of our 20/25 RR chassis to-day. We want to be careful that we do not take xxx as a model a very expensive car with the possible result that we should produce a car which would place it in the luxury class. If so, I think we should have defeated our whole object, i.e. getting into a wider market for our goods and obtaining considerably more work for our factory. I am wondering whether it would not be advisable for Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} and possibly also E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} to see and try one or two of the British sporting cars, such as the Invicta 4½-litre 6-cylinder, which sells at £620, and the Lagonda super-charged 4-cylinder which sells at £610. I am not for one moment suggesting that a 4-cylinder would be good enough for us but I think it is useful to see and try what other people are making. I confirm letter which I sent you from home last night, saying that, after you had left, we went on discussing the matter out of which arose a suggestion that, if it is decided that the sports car should have a different engine from "Peregrine", it might be a good idea and save a great deal of time from the design point of view to take the "Kestrel" engine, i.e. one row of 6-cylinders, and scale it down to the requisite size. The main trouble with cracked cylinder blocks could be overcome by giving a little more space between the centres. The "Kestrel" is of course a proved design and we know that it will stand super-charging. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} | ||