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).
Press release detailing the first luxury car journey across the Sahara desert.
Identifier | ExFiles\Box 114\4\ scan0072 | |
Date | 8th January 1924 | |
FIRST LUXURY CAR TO CROSS THE SAHARA. BRITISH MOTORING FEAT. A message just received from Kano, Nigeria, states that a party of three British motorists, including the well-known trials driver, Mr. H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Symons, has arrived in Nigeria after successfully crossing the Sahara desert, having accomplished a hazardous journey of 3,600 miles in 5 days 2 hours. Arriving at Boulogne last Monday morning they set off in their Rolls-Royce 7-seater limousine for Marseilles, which they reached in the early hours of Tuesday after having covered 650 miles. Embarking on the new Compagnie Generale Transatlantique steamer, the "Ville d'Oran," they arrived on Wednesday morning at Algiers, whence the real journey may be said to have begun. A few miles of straight level road brought them to the steep slopes of the Atlas mountains. Passing through the famed Chiffa Gorge they next negotiated the Col des Caravannes where they experienced intense cold. Beyond Dtelfa they began to descend the Southern slopes, the air becoming warmer until, at the oasis of Laghouat, the real warmth of the Sahara began to be felt. At Ghardaia, the mystery city of the M'Zab, they stopped for an evening meal, continuing the run that night as far as El Golea. Next morning they faced 2,000 miles of rough tracks across the desert where no road has ever been made. At times the car was running almost axle-deep in soft sand, at others the going was over rocky ground, generously strewn with boulders. In spite of all the difficulties associated with the Sahara crossing, the three travellers reached their destination after a most comfortable run. It is believed that this is the first time that a large luxury limousine has ever successfully made the Sahara crossing. The vehicle was a seven-seater with a wind-up division between driver and passengers. Special lockers had been fitted to contain food supplies, and also tanks for extra water, on which the French authorities insist for such journeys. Although there was no attempt to put up anything in the nature of a speed record, Nigeria was reached in 5 days 2 hours. This is approximately one third of the time normally taken by fast mail steamer and train. | ||