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).
Comparing their car with American competitors and ranking them, discussing the need to purchase a rival car to inform future big car development.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 19\1\ Scan221 | |
| Date | 8th September 1932 | |
| To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} c. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} X712 HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}3/AD8.9.32. FUTURE 40/50 HP. CAR x3993. Re. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}8/27.9.32. We are not surprised at the comments made comparing our Continental car with the Lincoln. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} reported on his return from U.S.A. that latest U.S.A. cars were better than the Phantom. If it is a fact that the comparison was made with the 8-cylinder Lincoln we have got to realise that this is an out of date model. The latest Lincoln car is a 12-cylinder and we know from Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}'s reports that this car is a very definite advance over the 8-cylinder. The capacity of the 8-cylinder is, as you state, 6324 cc. The Lincoln 12-cylinder is 7350 cc., the Cadillac 12-cylinder is 6050 cc., the Cadillac 16-cylinder is 7420 cc. and the proposed R.R. 12-cylinder is 6254 cc. From Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}'s experience of trying all these cars in U.S.A. we place them as follows :- (1) 16-cylinder Cadillac. This stands out as the best big car we know of. The later cars are tremendously improved over the original ones and we are convinced that this is the best big car made today. (2) 12-cylinder Lincoln. (3) 12-cylinder Pierce Arrow. (4) 12-cylinder Cadillac. (5) 8-cylinder Lincoln. Recently, all our design work has been concentrated on the smaller models and as it is proposed to bring the big car up to date we think it is essential that we should purchase one of the best big cars we know in order to be convinced of the degree of excellence which has been reached on these cars. Even though we may not like 16-cylinders, if we are to make the best big car it may be advisable to purchase one of these because we have got to produce something better to have the "best car in the World". Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||