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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).
Proposal to rationalize car frames and engine combinations across Bentley and Rolls-Royce models.

Identifier  ExFiles\Box 135\2\  scan0191
Date  17th September 1943
  
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In order to avoid creating six frames, I suggest that the 27 in. front end be confined to the shortest body base of 89.500 in. (Bentley) and be limited to the B.40 and B.60 engines.

The 95.500 in. body base would have only the 34.500 front end and would produce Silver Dawn, B.50 and Cresta as built and could have B.60 and B.80 power units.

The Limousine would be confined to the 98.500 body base and 34.500 front and could have either B.60. or B.80 power units and only R.R. radiators.

This would give 3 frames.

A fourth frame would be necessary as a special production if and when we wished to pick up Comet or Corniche 80.

Corniche 60 is an immediate possibility, but the 80 edition must be a long way off due to the amount of development work which must be done on tyres and brakes to make it safe.

There is one difficulty which I have always sensed in our rationalised programmes and that lies in mixing up Bentley and R.R. radiators without respect to car performance.

Bentley is a name equally well renowned for performance as the R.R. is for silence, and luxury travel, yet we have a tendancy to visualise alternative power units and put the smaller under a Bentley bonnet.

Likewise, I suggest that it is not political to sell two cars which are externally identical, one having 2/3 the power of the other.

As a suggestion I would put up the following proposal for consideration.

The Bentley body with B.40. engine would have the R.R. bonnet and is represented by Ripplet. (1.RT.1) The B.60 version would be Bentley 6 (12.B.5.).

In the B.50. wheelbase range the 3.B.50. body with 8 cyl. would be the Bentley (Cresta) and the B.60. would be a R.R. car.

The Limousine would break the rule, because it is always a Rolls-Royce and performance alone is not of extreme importance. It would appear as a 6 cyl. or 8 cyl. if there
  
  


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