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).
Letter to Overdrive Gears Ltd. discussing royalty figures and competitive strategy for various engine sizes.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 136\2\ scan0080 | |
| Date | 20th April 1939 | |
| 1153. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}6/R.{Sir Henry Royce} 20th April, 1939. E.J. de Normanville, Esq., Overdrive Gears Ltd., 76, Victoria Street, LONDON. S.W.1. Dear Mr. de Normanville, Thank you for your letter of the 19th April. I am glad that we are going to be able to work together. I would like to confirm that the figure of 15/-, which you mentioned for the smallest of our models likely to be inproduction when the gear is introduced, is satisfactory. I should be glad, however, if you could give me a figure for a royalty to which you would agree on engine sizes up to 4½-litres. As I pointed out to you, we are willing to regard the very large motor-car of over 6-litres, such as the Phantom III, as in a price class by itself, but on all the smaller jobs there seems to be a possibility of offering alternative engine sizes, and there is no doubt that up to 4½-litres we must be prepared to be highly competitive in the future. I would, therefore, like to have your assurance that you will treat cars up to 4½-litres on a competitive basis. Yours sincerely, | ||