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).
Comparing the 'Peregrine' and 'Bensport' engines, arguing in favour of the 'Peregrine' due to better performance, cost, and lower noise levels.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 1\8\ B001_X100 Engine Chassis-page048 | |
| Date | 19th July 1932 | |
| S CRET. X4027 To R.{Sir Henry Royce} From Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Hy.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}2/MJ.19.7.32. X4553 'PEREGRINE' & 'BENSPORT'. Now that we have had fair experience with the 'Peregrine' complete car on the road and the 'Peregrine' engine on the test bed with normal carburetter and super-charger it might be of interest to give our views. As a result of our experience we are more than ever convinced that the 'Peregrine' engine would be a more satisfac-tory engine for the 'Bensport' than the one proposed. Tests with the supercharger have gone far enough for us to say that we shall get the same performance with either type of engine. The 'Bensport' engine is certainly going to be more expensive, it is certainly going to be more noisy, and is certainly going to be more difficult to service. The only advantage left is that it will look different. One would think it is doubtful whether it is the right policy to make an engine which is less satisfactory and more expensive in order that it will look different. The chief alteration on the 'Bensport' engine is the arrangement of the valve gear. This on the 'Peregrine' has not given us a moments anxiety, and it is very evident that the limit of the engine in both cases will be crankshaft and blower. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} has already put forward in his memo Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}9/14.12.31 that he did not wish us to follow the Alfa because it was very expensive and not a practical car. There are very few of these cars sold, and one assumes that we shall want to cover a much wider range of customers than the Alfa cater for. We do not agree one bit with the attitude that it does not matter if 'Bensport' is noisy. The thrill of a car going fast wears off very quickly and if there is a continual buzz and noise it will not be long before the man who has to live with the car will complain. The whole of the R.R. organisation has been built up around a silent car and I do not believe that can ever be altered. If we are content to make a car which is going to be noisy it will mean that the market will be very limited. If, on the other hand we can | ||