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).
Review of Citroen and Mercedes models from the Olympia Show for potential purchase and research.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 128\1\ scan0175 | |
| Date | 23th October 1934 | |
| To Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} +353/ Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}2/KW.23.10.34. OLYMPIA SHOW. We tried the Citroen and the new Mercedes at the Motor Show with a view to seeing whether either of these cars were worth recommending for purchase in connection with our independent wheel springing research. CITROEN. We were very impressed with the layout of the Citroen though the merits of front wheel drive are open to question, but on the road the car itself did not perform well. The spring deflections were insufficient to stop pitching and were really arranged for the car to be demonstrated over pot-holes at speed. This is the usual French demonstration and is of course of very little interest. When driven on normal types of road the car was rather too hard. I do not think we shall learn any more by buying this car than we have done by examining the layout. The steering was completely irreversible and so heavy that it would have been impossible on a large car, therefore we could not judge it for road shocks. MERCEDES. This car has changed very little since we tried one with a similar type of suspension a year ago at the Paris Salon. The ride is quite good but the road holding and stability are not, nor does it impress one with security when the brakes are applied. The steering is free from road shocks and reasonably reversible, which is interesting in view of the parallel link scheme fitted to the front. The car also appears to benefit from the stiff frame in absence of front end movement. The blower is as noisy as it always has been, and is only brought into action when the accelerator pedal is moved through the extreme portion of its travel, this being accompanied by an uncomfortable increase in effort required. Without the blower in operation the performance of the car is quite good, with the blower it is of course spectacular. As we do not at present favour this type of supercharging, and we have parallel action front end designs of our own on test, there would be no object in purchasing this car. | ||