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 drive report evaluating a car's performance with different fuels, along with commentary on handling, comfort, and noise levels.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 88\2\ scan0216 | |
| Date | 4th January 1937 | |
| S/W LES? 260 F.J.H. } c. to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. " E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. " Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} 5-B-IV Cx{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager}10/KW4.1.37. I drove this car in all about 275 miles. Dealing with the fuel, I drove it at your request firstly on National Benzole over a run of 100 miles. Pinking was only present in this engine to a slight degree, and then only when I intentionally aggravated the situation. I think that the dashboard insulation helps to render any pinking much less audible, in the same way that it isolates the passengers from valve tappet noises, etc. Actually I do not think I should have noticed any difference if the fuel of this car had been changed from Ethyl to Benzole without my knowledge, and I would have no hesitation personally in running this car on Benzole. On the return journey of approximately 100 miles I ran it on half National Benzole and half straight petrol, and here again I noticed no difference. As to whether there was any loss of maximum speed by the use of Benzole I had no opportunity of ascertaining, but it did strike me that the car was not quite so fast (maximum speed) as is the average 4 1/4 litre model. The body on this car is quite the noisiest I have ever heard, and even at moderate speeds is so bad - mostly from wind - that it makes it very difficult to hear other noises. My impression was that the springing and general comfort of riding of this car were appreciably superior to the standard Bentley, and the rigidity of the radiator and only moderate movement of wings and headlamps was something to be appreciated. The steering at low speeds I found very nice indeed to handle, but the small lock to which Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} refers in his memo is certainly very inconvenient. Apparently this can be corrected. At speed it was the most unstable Bentley I have ever driven. The car wandered about the road and could not be 'placed' as one expects to 'place' a Bentley at speed, but whether this was due to the softer springs even (contd) | ||