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. | ||