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).
Typed report detailing driving impressions and comparisons of various car models.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 146\5\ scan0018 | |
| Date | 20th October 1938 | |
| SrI/ET.20.10.38 - 2 - We move off. Immediate impression: the WRAITH. Engine quietness, gear box ease of action, silence of intermediate gears. After a short run, I was immediately convinced of the immense progress made on this chassis. The steering is free from reactions and extremely light. In fact, one's first impression is that it is too light. We leave Versailles after taking the car over some very bad pavé which I know well, where I was able to convince myself that the ride of the car was amazing, and we get out on to the open road. I have an immediate impression of driving a car of entirely different mechanical conception, as compared with any of the Bentleys or any other sports car in existence t-day. By this I mean that the car is so admirably sprung that one thinks that such springing is not compatible with road holding and directional stability. This impression is very soon removed when one starts putting the car through its paces round bends, at considerable speed. The performance of this car, whilst being up to standard I believe, gives one the idea that it is slower than anything we have made before. This impression is due of course to the general silence of the car at all speeds and the comfort in which one travels over roads which, in our other cars, make it necessary to slow down one's speed considerably. I do think nevertheless that the maximum speed is insufficient and that we will be criticised on this point by most people. At this point, let us step out of B.III and into B.6.MR, which has had its tyre pressure lowered, there having been some mistake on the part of our staff as to what the correct pressure should have been. After B.III, B.6.MR when driven on French roads, whilst still being a very nice car, gives one the impression of being tossed about on a choppy sea on a fairly large yacht. This is not over disagreeable and quite supportable. The directional stability of the car has been considerably improved, if not completely put right by using the correct tyre pressures, and I am very happy driving this car which seems to me to have a better turn of speed than B.III. This may be due to the light body which is fitted to this car. We stop B.6.MR and get into my old friend B.35.KU, a car of which I am very proud and which everybody in this country considers the last word. Off we go, and within five minutes, one is wondering how on earth it was ever possible to drive this car for 40.000 Kms., believing all the time that it was really an amazing piece of machinery. As compared with B.6.MR, you are tossed about in this car as you are when riding an outboard at 60 m.p.h. on a fair sea. The steering joggles all over the shop and, after the other cars, the impression is that of driving a small lorry. This car, however, has still got a very good turn of maximum speed. | ||