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).
Analysing pre-war car sales by price and horse-power to inform post-war car strategy.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 148\2\ scan0314 | |
| Date | 3rd November 1943 | |
| To: (Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}) M/LS. Bly.{B. W. Bleaney - Bentley Sales} Chassis PSN. WG.{Mr Gill - Financial Director} c. to Directors. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}17/KW.3.11.43. 1260 re: Post-War Cars. With the aid of C, I have obtained some information in regard to pre-war sales in the different price and horse-power categories. He turned up a memo. of mine circulated in February '39, an extract from which is attached. This shows that practically 75% of the sales in 1938 were in the price range of £255 and below. Further, that practically 90% of the sales were included in the range £355 and below. The £500 to £900 class equalled only 3.02%, and the over £900 class equalled .57%. C. also obtained a chart issued by the S.M.M.T. showing the new registrations of private cars by horse-power classes in Great Britain for the 10 years 1929-1938. I attach copy of particulars taken from this chart. Taking the top part first, you will see that cars in the 10 HP. range formed a very high percentage of the whole in each of the 4 years 1936/7/8/9, and that if you add the 10 to 15 HP. range, the two together formed a very high percentage of the whole. Taking the lower figures, the total registrations for the 10 years are given in the last column but one, and the percentage for the 10 years is given in the last column. The horse-powers with a cross in the first column bring certain groups together, as follows :- 7 - 12 = 69.50% 13 - 16 = 18.21% 17 - 25 = 8.77% 26 - 34 = 3.15% 35 - 50 = .33% Miscellaneous = .04% --------- 100.00% ========= I think you will find these figures worthy of study. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} | ||