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).
Road test report on a supercharged Mercedes, from the 1933 Paris Salon, comparing it to a Bentley and P.II.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 128\1\ scan0158 | |
| Date | 25th October 1933 | |
| X 3431 To Wox. from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} C. S. C. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} C. De. Hdy.{William Hardy} Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}13/KT. 25.10.33. X631 PARIS SALON. OCTOBER 1933. ROAD TESTS OF CARS. MERCEDES. 5.HRO c.c. Rootes Supercharger. We tried a Mercedes having four independently sprung wheels. The absence of pitching on this car was remarkable, also the directional stability when running straight forward at high speeds was exceedingly good. It was not, however, so impressive at low speeds over wavy roads but was about equal to our P.II. It was not good as the Bentley for cornering. The car did not sit down very well when the brakes were applied violently, these were effective but not progressive. It seemed under damped at high speeds and over damped at low speeds - i.e. required variable control. The car was fitted with a Maybach gearbox and an over-speed top gear. Without the supercharger the engine gave only a moderate performance, but with the supercharger the acceleration was certainly excellent, appreciably better than the Bentley. The supercharger noise was terrific, however, and quite intolerable. Even with the supercharger we would not say that this car could exceed 90 m.p.h. The steering was free from road shocks but did not seem to be very reversible. Br.{T. E. Bellringer - Repair Manager} who tried this car agreed that it would not compete very seriously with the Bentley cont'd.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary} | ||