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).
Need to improve car aerodynamics and redesign the front end, referencing American competitors and specific design inspirations.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 111\1\ scan0133 | |
| Date | 15th August 1938 | |
| -2- Our recent research on wind resistance has indicated that we are a long way behind the Americans in making cars having low drag. To put our Sports range right we have got to re-design the front end. With the present shape and type of grille on the Bentley radiator we see no hope of getting anything that is either distinctive or functionally satisfactory. To get something distinctive with the Jaguar, Alvis, Humber and Talbot using radiators of very much the same basic outline, seems to be impossible. We hope that the visit of the Paulin Bentley will help to clarify our target. Personally, we feel that we might get something out of the modified Paulin Bentley, or, alternatively, a scheme on the Lincoln Zephyr lines, i.e., low horizontal radiator with clean bonnet line. Monsieur Paulin though located in Paris, may be of some use to us on the ultra-modern side, but at the same time should we not try and collect someone who could specialise on the artistic side at Derby under EV{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}'s supervision. As the Coachbuilders go into liquidation, less people are giving their time to evolving attractive looking motor cars on our chassis, and presumably some of their staff are looking for employment. We feel sure that if the Car Division is to go ahead we must have something corresponding to the American art and colour section in the engineering organisation. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||