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).
Confidential memorandum discussing the introduction of new SS and G.4 chassis in light of the continued success of the Phantom model.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 65a\2\ scan0103 | |
| Date | 12th November 1928 | |
| [Handwritten in top right corner]: *S 27770 [Handwritten in left margin in red]: Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} To Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} from BJ. Copy to C. Copy to Cx.{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager} Copy to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} Copy to HY.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} Copy to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Copy to EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} Secret and Confidential. Please keep this locked up and return it to me at the conference. View put Before the Board by R re Introducing SS{S. Smith} and G.4. The secret memorandum RS{Sir Henry Royce's Secretary}/W7.11.28 concerning the above is of such very great importance that in about a week's time we should make an appointment to visit Derby with C. and Cx.{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager} to discuss with Wor{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager}, Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}, HY{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} and EP{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} all the pros and cons of R's suggestions. I am sure it was appreciated by the Board that, even if the Designing Department and the Works could produce the chassis in time to be exhibited at Olympia, there might be serious commercial reasons why it was inadvisable to attempt this; also that, as R's time quite rightly is fully occupied in designing and technical work, it would be unreasonable to ask him to accept responsibility for the success of the Company's commercial or financial policy. R.{Sir Henry Royce} is producing most wonderful and successful cars and aero engines for the Company to sell, and obviously the Company is always most anxious to put all his new designs on the market at the earliest possible date which is suitable and safe from a commercial and financial standpoint. Two important points for consideration are: (a). The present Phantom is looked on by the buying public as undoubtedly the best car in the world. The owners are immensely pleased with it. It is selling extremely freely, and we are having practically no complaints in spite of the large number that we are making and that are on the streets. Personally I have no doubt that we can continue to sell these at the same rate during the next 18 months without any serious alteration in design. (b). The chief reason, therefore, for putting the SS{S. Smith} chassis on the market at an early date is to prevent the possibility of its being called out of date in some respects and the risk of the secret of its introduction leaking out. We had to face some risk with the introduction of the R&C Phantom. The secret was kept excellently with a few exceptions which had very little effect on our sales. There is no reason why a secret should not again be kept, more especially if we make it clear that it is only a super-sports car we are preparing. | ||