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).
Telephone message discussing the commercial implications of introducing a new sports chassis.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 65a\1\ scan0144 | |
| Date | 13th October 1927 guessed | |
| X7770 [crossed out]X0114[/crossed out] 10th October, Telephone message from BJ. 11.0'clock. I see considerable danger to the sale of our Standard Phantom Chassis if we produce a sports chassis, which is more up to date. Customers will stop ordering standard chassis knowing that the improvements will be added shortly. Adding important improvements gradually is most expensive and embarrassing, as each one makes all the chassis then undelivered or in agents showrooms out of date, and we are either have to bear the expense of adding the improvements or lose the goodwill of customers or agents. Therefore we should wait for all important improvements to be made standard at one time. This probably means quite a year hence. Meantime we have a chance of a straight run to make 500 of our present excellent standard chassis and use our Jigs and tools. I strongly urge Derby's assistance to suggest a solution for Mr. Royce's consideration, by which we can produce a sports chassis very like our present standard chassis. I am convinced we can sell a large number with the new type bodies and low wind resistance, which means quite sufficient extra speed without many chassis alterations. We can produce a new sports chassis with all improvements a year hence. Meantime we can obtain orders for probably 50 sports cars this year and make £50,000 profit thereby, because all the profits plus establishment charges on 50 extra chassis. I have written you fully by the bag. | ||