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).
Road test article for the Oldsmobile Six Touring Saloon from The Autocar magazine.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 126\1\ scan0012 | |
| Date | 4th June 1937 | |
| June 4th, 1937. The Autocar 1093 THE AUTOCAR ROAD TESTS No. 1,117.—28.3 h.p. OLDSMOBILE SIX TOURING SALOON An Excellent Performance and Real Roominess of Bodywork AMONG the American cars available the Oldsmobile is not one of the least expensive, and it gives noticeably refined running on the road. This is one of the products of General Motors, and the six-cylinder model now tested has a bigger engine than last year’s corresponding car, of 28.3 h.p. rating, instead of 26.3 h.p. in 1936. It is the effortless performance, achieved largely on top gear, in relation to the comfort and carrying capacity of the car which is impressive, even admitting that the engine is of some 3 1/2 litres capacity, and also there is quality in the behaviour of this unit. It is beautifully soft, devoid of any tendency to pinking, and gives a smooth top gear minimum of about 8 m.p.h. Of more than passing interest is that the car appears to operate perfectly satisfactorily on the less expensive brands of fuel. Accelerated on the open road, the engine retains a remarkable degree of quietness, and it is hard, indeed, to form any close estimate of the actual speed. In the nature of things, the acceleration being ready and altogether free from hesitation, and the naturally attainable speeds being high, it is a car that covers the ground exceedingly easily. is the more able to think on these lines because the latest Oldsmobile displays satisfactory stability. The suspension is of a soft kind—independent by means of coil springs for the front wheels—but the addition of a spring steel anti-roll bar at both front and rear does seem to check sway. This car can be cornered sufficiently fast with a feeling of safety, and, as to general riding, there is a marked absence of pitching tendency or fore-and-aft motion. Over a really bad pot-holed surface the suspension shows up to great advantage. No direct shock is experienced, and it does not feel that the car is being “hammered.” As to other aspects of control, the steering is so light that it is easy to turn the wheel to full lock with the car stationary, thus facilitating manœuvring and turning round. Yet in spite of the fact that as many as 4 1/4 turns of the wheel are required from lock to lock, the steering manages to secure adequate accuracy of control at fast speeds, though naturally it is not “quick” in response to the wheel. There is strong caster return action. This car felt safe and quite solid when travelling at its maximum speed of nearly 82 m.p.h. by stop-watch on Brooklands track, when the speedometer showed 85-86. At 30 this instrument was but 0.2 m.p.h. fast, at 50 2 m.p.h. fast, and at 70 was 3.7 m.p.h. fast. Hydraulically operated brakes afford smooth, safe retarding power. It was noticeable how squarely the car pulled up in making the emergency stopping tests. They are brakes that give the driver confidence in his ability to deal with a situation from 60 m.p.h. or so, for they act with certainty and progressiveness, according to the pressure applied to the pedal, which on no occasion need be very heavy. The hand-brake lever is placed under the Top Gear Feats Again, it is an easy car to handle, not only because the controls are light in action, but also because the driver has little to think of. At a crawl in traffic the engine is still happy on top gear; it will take the ordinary sort of main-road slope slowly behind other vehicles without needing a change down, and, given a clear run, it will gather speed up the same sort of slope. In fact, on top gear this car was just able to surmount the short Brooklands Test Hill, which has an average gradient of 1 in 5, and a maximum of 1 in 4, the hill being approached at 30 m.p.h. Yet the gear change is a very easy one, for there is the first-rate General Motors form of synchromesh on second and top. The movement is so light as to make changing little more than a finger process, and it is almost impossible to clash the gears concerned, or the change up from first to second, which is likewise assisted by the synchromesh. First as well as second gear is quiet in the latest box. There is something soothing about the running of this car, it is so easy, so effortless, and so comfortable. One [Diagram Text] Front Track - 4'10" Wheelbase - 9'9" Rear Track - 4'11" Overall Height of Car 5'7" 6'0" 16'1" 47" 49" 46 1/2" 58 1/4" 47 1/2" Door Gap 29" 35" 10 3/4" 7" 16 1/2" 12 1/2" 15 1/4" 37 1/4" -16 1/2"- 21 1/2" -20"- 15 1/4" 38 1/2" 25" 17 1/2" -30 3/4" Rear Axle Position Seat Adjustment Seating dimensions are measured with cushions and squabs uncompressed. A 47 | ||