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).
Vehicle design points and performance considerations.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 90\1\ Scan086 | |
| Date | 24th March 1934 | |
| - 2 - (5) Four doors would be heavier but this need not affect top speed performance, only acceleration. If the seat in the back is to be used at all then there ought to be four doors. (6) More luggage accommodation is undoubtedly required. (7) One can see no objection to the horizontal shield behind the cycle type front wings attached to the chassis. My experience is the same as yours, that the windscreen does keep clean. (8) Staggering front seats would undoubtedly improve the steering room for the driver, a most essential feature on a car of this type. (9) We agree the lower tail would improve the appearance from behind. (10) Personally I am very keen to lower the bonnet and radiator if we can get agreement for this as I think the obstruction to the driver's vision is the chief fault noticeable at present. The Alfa Romeo sheels who have special experience of racing and high speed cars generally have produced a special saloon with low fronted radiator and bonnet for which they claim perfect driving vision. There is ample cooling available which would permit of such a modification on a special high speed model. (11) We shall have to go along with cycle type wings as our present scheme for the time being, but we should like to see a drawing of the application of the air flow front. You will remember we roughed out something on these lines with the wings faired into the bonnet. We should like to do something like this without losing too much of the personality of the car. Speed with present H.P. We notice you estimate a loss of 2 1/2 miles per hour with the increased width and height of coachwork proposed. If we can avoid raising the height some of this would be recovered. | ||