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).
Recommending the purchase and testing of a competitor's car, the Cottin Desgouttes.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 21\4\ Scan007 | |
| Date | 27th July 1928 | |
| To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c.c. to B.J. c.c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} X4332 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}3/LG27.7.28. OTHER MAKES OF CARS. 48+10 At the present time we have no car of another make in the Experimental Dept. We recommend that we purchase a Cottin Desgouttes car. This car has 4 separately sprung wheels. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} tried one of these cars at the Paris Show in Oct. 1926. We give an extract from his report ref. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}1/LG22.10.26 :- "When driven straight at moderate speeds, the suspension was excellent, all small low speed road shocks being totally eliminated. In spite of the low weight and low centre of gravity of the body, there was a definite tendency to roll when cornering at any speed. This was obviously due to lack of lateral control. The suspension was very fair when running straight at high speeds on bad roads, but would have been better with a little more damping". We have heard, since the date that this car was tried, that further improvements have been made. We attach a copy of a letter which we have received from LHS.{Lord Herbert Scott} Our recommendations is that we arrange for Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} to try one of the latest models of this car and if the suspension has desirable features we should purchase one. Some time ago we made enquiries at the Paris Depot what price they could obtain one of these cars for and at that time they quoted us for a complete car at 60,000 fcs. | ||