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).
Loss of sales to American competitors due to a lack of modern conveniences and features.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 72\2\ scan0032 | |
| Date | 28th January 1926 | |
| Private and Confidential of sales, because in regard to certain conveniences and refinements on cars we follow instead of lead. Until we fall in line we lose sales and by the time we have fallen into line, the Yankee is a mile ahead again with something new which appeals to the public. But here nowadays motor cars cannot be sold upon their technical superiority but only upon the ease of handling and absence of trouble and the ability of the owner to dispense with a chauffeur. I have seen English car sales lost repeatedly here to the Americans because doors of the saloons were not made to lock, the consequence being the car owner dare not leave his car in the street with any parcels or baggage inside it and had therefore to load himself up with the whole lot and carry it in and out again from each place he called at. For years I have been labouring the point about the necessity for a mechanical tyre pump, the absence of which has lost us many sales. The lateness of adoption of balloon tyres and four-wheel brakes did the same thing and same applies to the absence of "One shot lubrication system". To what the present moment amounts to is that R.R. is at last at some expense to make the best car in the world, we ask the average buyer to pay three or four times the price of American cars for a car which does not give him what he wants and necessitates a great deal more work and attention, or the employment of a chauffeur. I am sure it would greatly strengthen our sales propaganda if we could put it to a customer that in buying a Rolls-Royce he is getting more for his money in respect to these small comforts and refinements than has been given to him by the Yankee. A prospective buyer is much more likely to be influenced by this and details of coachwork than by a whole volume of argument about the technical superiority in regard to which there is not the slightest doubt and which is accepted the world over. I know that "One-shot" lubrication is being tried out and sincerely hope it will be hurried up, also that the tyre pump question will be re-opened. This is not, on my part, intended as a criticism of the car but a statement of certain factors which are adversely affecting the sales of cars in Australia. P.S. By the way, the names of owners given above are only those of a few in the city of Sydney but there are an equal number at least in Melbourne. | ||