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).
Insufficient seating capacity and accommodation in Bentley cars leading to lost sales and design suggestions for improvement.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 84\3\ scan0091 | |
| Date | 17th November 1936 | |
| S/W. To Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} from Bly.{B. W. Bleaney - Bentley Sales} 204. Bly{B. W. Bleaney - Bentley Sales}4/R17.11.36. Re:- Bentley Seating Capacity. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}2/R14.11.36. ------------------ The number of cases when we have lost orders for Bentley owing to insufficient body space is considerable. Since the 1st October last, which includes the Olympia Motor Show, we have had 15 cases of insufficient room. This number does not include those who require a division without additional seats. We have endeavoured to interest them in RR and five of them are in touch with RR, but only one so far looks as if he is likely to buy. I am in thorough agreement with you that we must not impair the handling and road holding qualities of the Bentley, and therefore it would appear that the wheel base must remain unchanged. What I do hope is that we can get a little extra room, say 3", this would be a great help as the general comment on the Bentley is insufficient room. It is not only a matter of ingress and egress, but the lack of room for a person on the back seat behind the driver when the driver is on the tall side; we find we are up against this difficulty on many occasions. With slight additional room, and if we could give better entrance to the drivers seat, that is by modifying the levers in some way or other, then I think we should have everything as desired on the Bentley, as far as accommodation is concerned. There is one other point that should be studied, that is insufficient room to the front owing to the shape of the dash board. It has been found on many occasions impossible for drivers with big feet, especially when they wear heavy shoes, to prevent their toes fouling the scuttle and the steering column, which needless to say is dangerous. This is more especially so recently, on account of the insulation now fitted to the dash board. Bly{B. W. Bleaney - Bentley Sales} | ||