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).
Test report on an 8-Cylinder 2-Litre Bugatti, noting its poor performance compared to the Phantom sports car.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\S\March1928-May1928\ Scan132 | |
| Date | 1st April 1928 | |
| To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to BJ. Wox. c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. to BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} OY. c. to CWB. ORIGINAL Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}2/LG25. 4.28. 8-CYL: 2-LITRE BUGATTI. [Handwritten numbers: X2266 (crossed out), X7770, X3531] We had a run in one of these cars yesterday. The owner wishes to sell it for £450. The general running of the car was impossible. The springs were solid, the carburation was very tricky; if the accelerator pedal was pressed too far, the engine stopped, or else it was liable to catch fire. The steering of the car was perhaps the best feature on it, but it is only what one would expect with a very light car, small wheels and tyres, solid springs etc. The car xx is so far removed from any of our products that we doubt whether we should gain any useful information. [Handwritten number: X7770] When one actually tries these cars which are built for speed, such as the Bugatti, the Lorraine Dietrich and the Mercedes, and experiences the atrocious riding at low and moderate speeds, one considers our effort on the Phantom Sports car was an achievement. We are certain there is no car in the world with the speed range, flexibility, silence and comfort equal to the Phantom sports car. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||