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).
Showroom report comparing a Continental Trials car against a competitor's Lincoln 8-cylinder Vee.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 19\1\ Scan219 | |
| Date | 7th September 1932 | |
| SECRET. H3 X7120 X3993 To P. From Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Copy to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} re Future of 40/50 HP Car. Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}8/E7.9.32 Referring to Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}26/E2.9.32 I enclose copy of showroom report relative to an American gentleman, Mr.Boyle. This is self-explanatory but briefly it amounts to the fact that, after an extensive trial on our Continental Trials car, this owner of an 8-cylinder Lincoln has turned our car down for poor performance, vibration, noise and springing. It is interesting to note that the engine size of the Lincoln 8-cylinder Vee which he owns is 6324 cc. as against our Phantom 7669 cc. This car has a very low gear but nevertheless he took our salesman out on it after his trial on the Phantom in order to, as he said, show what "a real motor-car was like" and our salesman says quite definitely that for silence and freedom from vibration it was considerably better than ours. The Lincoln 8-cylinder long wheelbase chassis sells in this country, despite the tariff, at £1050 against our £1800. I am sure you will agree that a report such as this shows very clearly the necessity of our pushing on with the design of an improved large car. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Enc. | ||