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).
Customer expectations for a racing version of the 3½ Litre Bentley and the company's position.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 3\4\ 04-page351 | |
| Date | 22th June 1933 | |
| To Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} From Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to O.{Mr Oldham} Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}6/MJ.22.6.33. 3½ LITRE BENTLEY. During a recent visit to Bristol we met Sir Stanley White, Chairman of the Bristol Aeroplane Co., and his young son. His son, an enthusiastic motorist, had assumed from our official announcement that we were going to produce the 3½ Litre Bentley and that we were going for the Alfa Romeo type. He had already got a promise from his father that he would buy him one of these cars and he was looking forward to entering Continental road races and Brooklands races, and to become a racing motorist. He was naturally disappointed when I told him that the car was designed expressly so that it would not fulfil his requirements. I believe quite a few young enthusiasts were hoping to get a lot of excitement in driving Bentley racing cars for R.A. This small fraternity talk a lot and they will undoubtedly express more or less disgust at our 3½ Litre car. We know that we should make no profit out of that business and from Mr. Fedden's figures that the Alfa only produce 40 of their 8 cyl. supercharged cars per year. We attach herewith an extract from a paper called "Brooklands", which gives all the details of any work done on the Track. As soon as we take the cars on to a public track we cannot avoid anyone taking times. The licence plate gives the information as regards the size of the engine. The weight has evidently been obtained from the triptique plate. The description is what we should expect from any intelligent person who might have gone around the track and seen the cars being worked on in one of the tuning bays. We have always arranged that any work done on the cars was done on a remote portion of the track. We think the description of the engine is a statement of fact and one which we cannot take exception to. The title they give the car "Rolls-Bentley" is interesting because I have heard it described by the same name from several different sources. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||