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).
Sports car performance, customer expectations, and a comparison with competing models.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 69\4\ scan0375 | |
| Date | 23th February 1928 guessed | |
| -2- contd :- mile, actually the final car is rather better than this. We believe that under modern traffic conditions this feature of a quick get-away will appeal to the owner a great deal more than a maximum speed of 90 m.p.h. which can only be used once or twice a year. Incidentally, our experience with the type of customer to whom we expect the Sports car to appeal - such as Rocksavage, Short, Summers causes us to believe that the gears will be used to full advantage in most cases. These people spend a tremendous amount of time talking to their friends and so indirectly sell cars, though possibly not of the same model exactly as they themselves use. Owing to the axle control, we have been able with safety to increase the stopping power of the brakes very apprecia- bly.{B. W. Bleaney - Bentley Sales} The question of max. speed still seems to be misunderstood. As we never intend to race, we are not in the least interested in the performance of stripped cars, even if these are labelled "Stock cars". The whole question of standard car speeds has been confused by the systematic lying, and speedometer faking that goes on in the motor world. The fastest normal touring cars sold today are - the 30/98 Vauxhall, 3-litre Sunbeam, 3-litre Bentley and 4½ litre Bentley. We have frequently driven and are quite familiar with all except the 4½ litre Bentley. Quite appreciably the most lively and the fastest of the first three is the 30/98 Vauxhall. We hada the opportunity of attending a private speed trial organ- ised by Mr. Summers which included about a doz. cars and amongst them were three 30/98, one of which carried off honours at Shelsey Wash. The cars were timed over half a mile, they had contd :- | ||