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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).
Letter from W. Boddy to A. Barnes of Bentley Motors describing a test drive of the Mark V car in icy conditions.

Identifier  ExFiles\Box 160\5\  scan0221
Date  24th February 1941
  
COPY.

129, Fleet Road,
South Farnborough.
Hants.

24.2.41.

A.{Mr Adams} Barnes, Esq.,
Bentley Motors Ltd.

Dear Mr. Barnes,

I had a most enjoyable day yesterday and brought the Mark V.{VIENNA} safely back in the evening.

She did just over 90 m.p.h. along the Oxford By Pass. I did Western Avenue to Cheltenham and then 8 miles crawling in Cheltenham, a total of 100 miles under very unfavourable conditions, in 1 hr. 54 mins. The roads were quite icy, and every built-up area was strictly observed, even to braking heavily before the signs.

A friend rode his 500 c.c. H.R.D. motorcycle over the same route, fell off twice and now has to admit to a large body of car and motorcycle friends that the Mk.V. is fast as well as silent !

I hope "The Autocar", "Motor", "Motor Cycle" and "Motor Cycling", may shortly refer to the run in a suitable way.

In any case, I'm telling the story guardedly in the March issue of "Motor Sport".

I have instructed City Road to send you a supply of January and February issues, which I hope will arrive safely.

Thank you for some excellent motoring.

Yours sincerely,

(signed) W. Boddy.
  
  


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