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).
Comparison of chassis dimensions and body styles against American competitors to identify potential sales impediments.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 124\4\ scan0071 | |
| Date | 6th December 1939 | |
| -2- Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}1/6.12.39. The Silver Dawn has a wheelbase of 130 inches, but probably no greater body space than any of the above. The Cresta would be the same chassis as the Silver Dawn but with a Bentley Radiator and characteristics. Its chief competitor in type would be the Cadillac 60 Special which it would deal with in true British style. Cadillac 60 Special - W.B. 125.5 inches - Sports Sedan. As previously stated the Bentley and Corniche would mark a new era in American motoring. We have then made a brief examination of the other chassis dimensions of Silver Phantom, Silver Dawn and Cresta, to discover if they in any way appear to have variations from those of the American counterparts which would become Sales impediments. (1) Whilst our rear track of 59.5 ins. for Silver Phantom and Silver Dawn might be suitable for the left hand edition of the latter, judging by statistics of American Formal Town Sedans we quote, a rear track of 62 ins. is called for. From such little information as we possess we appear to make better use of the rear track width in cushion width. This may be due to the use of finer wheel clearances. (2) In the matter of body widths we should be able to deal with American requirements at the centre pillar and aft of it, but at the elbow of the front seat we are 4 to 5 inches down. This is bad inasmuch as we presume the American cars will have no running boards. To overcome this we should need to widen the rear of the bonnets of Phantom, Dawn and Cresta, and to move out the spare wheel in Buick fashion. This done, the bonnet would look very blunt in plan unless we could have a very forward nose as on all American cars, which is out of the question. All told it does not appear to be possible to do much about it without a major tear-up. It would appear as though the standard position for the spare wheel on all cars save Corniche should be at the side as you have already suggested, but with the option of the Cresta tank on all models and the spare wheel housed as on Cresta as an extra. There is no design needed to achieve this. In conclusion, we would like to state that this comparison of our models with their American equivalents does not infer a suggestion that we want to copy them except in those features which make them attractive to the American condition of use. The | ||