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 of a New Phantom with the King of Spain, noting severe steering wobble and overheating.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 69\3\ scan0278 | |
| Date | 19th June 1925 | |
| To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from C.J. Copy to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} X8770 My dear R.{Sir Henry Royce}, I have just heard from Carlos de Salamanca that he took the King of Spain out on our New PhantomCodename for PHANTOM I car. The King was so interested that he was on the car for three hours. Carlos drove the car at the King's request up the Guadarrama Hills at full speed and nearly broke all records, but he adds: 'There was a most awful wobble on the steering at a speed of 75 miles an hour'. It was so bad that he had to stop the car as it gave the impression that the car was going to break into two. He tried to make the King believe that it was owing to too strong application of the brakes. He feels that something must be done at once to remedy this alarming fault. The King thought the car was very perfect. Carlos says that the water boiled on the Guadarrama Hills. Yours ever, C.&H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} | ||