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).
Test report comparing a new car model to a previous one, detailing improvements and drawbacks in performance.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 89\1\ scan0260 | |
| Date | 11th April 1939 | |
| 1. B.W. Bleaney Esq. 11.4.39. 3. The irritating noise made by the radiator shutters has been eliminated. 4. At low speeds on cobble stones and the like the springing is softer and more pleasant. 5. The steering is definitely an improvement, being lighter and more positive. The drawbacks to the latest model I consider are as follows:- 1. The acceleration is definitely inferior. 2. The springing at high speeds on bad roads is definitely inferior. In my opinion these two features are very much more important than those enumerated under the list of improvements. I found the springing most uncomfortable when driving fast on a rough road. The back of the car seems to jump up far more than my own and makes a long run much more tiring. The lack of the third gear is most noticeable, ahd on many occasions I missed it very much. In order to satisfy myself that the car's performance was definitely inferior to my own, I carried out some comparative tests. These were all carried out on the same piece of road and under the same conditions, In this country where road and traffic conditions are so congested extra acceleration is far more valuable than a problematic increased maximum speed. No doubt from a maintenance point of view the geared up top is of considerable assistance, and | ||