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).
Providing a critique and performance review of a streamlined Bentley model.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 90\1\ Scan074 | |
| Date | 13th February 1934 | |
| Copy. X261 Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} c. to C. c. to Bn.{W.O. Bentley / Mr Barrington} Re Streamlined Bentley. Judging by the restrictions in body space as regards headroom, width and particularly with regard to the back part of the body and the practically useless seat behind, I cannot imagine that we should sell many cars with a body like this. It seems to me that the sacrifice in utility is almost too great except in the case of a few enthusiasts. I got the impression in this car of being shut up in a small box, which took away a great deal of the pleasure of motoring in a car of that sort. I had to drive of course without a hat, as the headroom would not permit of it being worn. The performance of this chassis as it is now with an open body would make a very attractive car, but possibly the performance would not be the same in view of the then absence of streamlining. However, this car does definitely enable us to offer anyone who wants it a genuine 100 m.p.h. car. It would be interesting to know the error of the speedometer (if any) on this particular car, and especially nice to know that it is accurate at the higher speeds. I attained a speed of 104 with it yesterday with two up. It is the easiest car I know on which one could un-consciously over-rev the engine. The third speed is so excellently quiet and so fast on that gear that one could be easily lulled into forgetting that the third gear is engaged, because the car can quickly attain a very high speed on third gear, which makes it seem almost incredible that top gear is not engaged. I certainly think that on the Bentley car generally, including this streamlined model, those who drive them will make frequent use of the cut-out or will at least wish to, and that in consequence we ought to try and overcome the extraordinarily objectionable effect of running with the cut-out open and filling the car immediately with pungent fumes. contd: | ||