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).
Whether to bring a 12-cylinder car to America and a road test report of the 'Vulture' model.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 173\1\ img064 | |
| Date | 23th January 1934 | |
| USA W.A.Robotham Esq., Athletic Club, Detroit, Mich., U.S.A. To Hm.{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs} From Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} I have had a short discussion with Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} on the car we expect you to bring back. The discussion centred around whether you should bring back the best car in America or whether it should be the best 12 cyl. car in America. My own point of view at the moment is that as we boast of making the World's best motorcar the car that you should bring back should be the best car you can find in the States. We realise that we are committed to a 12 cyl. engine as our next move, but if it is a fact that the 16cyl. is definitely better than the 12 cyl. then we ought not to be under any delusion. After struggling with the big 6 for so long one anticipates that any sort of 12 will appear to us as being the 'last word' in a motorcar. If there is very little difference between the best 12 and the 16 we should certainly prefer the 12. I am anxiously looking forward to your reports on the development of the U.S. cars. We have had the 'Vulture' on the road. It has got plenty of 'fizz', phenomenal acceleration, the top speed I should say is about 100. We have fitted to it the separate gearbox with the synchro-mesh second. Although when we first took the car on the road the synchro-mesh second did not function, after a little abuse it settled down and is now working very well the change being quite as foolproof as third gear. The steering on the car at the moment is bad. One thing we have got too much backward lean on the pivots in conjunction with the 4° transverse pivot lean. We also have got a small diameter steering wheel. The body, although very heavy, is excellent for accommodation. The total weight of the car all on, two spare wheels, tools and petrol, is 42 cwts. I trust that we shall never have to sell any of these, as it really is a coarse brute. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||