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).
Technical review of the Stutz and a Bugatti, discussing their engine performance, handling, and other characteristics.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\R\2October1927-November-1927\ 38 | |
| Date | 24th October 1927 guessed | |
| contd :- -3- was quite good, the most pleasing feature being the instant- aneous response to the accelerator pedal. The engine was not obstrusive though naturally not ultra smooth or silent. We could detect no marked period up to 45 m.p.h. on 2nd. gear nor did the valve mechanism (O.H.V. camshaft direct cam on valve) become noisy. Crankshaft arrangement 2, 4, 2. The suspension was very good and fairly fakk flexible. In spite of this the car held the road and cornered well at speed due to its low centre of gravity. The steering is very low geared but lacked selectivity somewhat. The brakes are very good for direct acting hydraulics. The clutch was not working well on this particular car. On the whole the Stutz is the best American car we have so far tried and would be of considerable interest to us for its engine, suspension and low centre of gravity. Also to see if their worm drive will stand punishment. They supply three types of head to give various compression ratios. The standard closed car is not ultra fast, 65-70 m.p.h. They have a very poor petrol consumption 13-14 m.p.g. 8-CYL. 2300 c.c. SUPERCHARGED 120 M.P.H. BUGATTI. The engine of this car is quite astonishing. It will function under ordinary traffic conditions at 8-10 m.p.h. on top gear and accelerates quite nicely from this speed without undue snatching. Though of course periods are difficult to detect on a racing car, we did not observe anything that we could pick out definitely. The power unit of the car would be an interesting study in producing a high efficiency straight-8. contd :- | ||