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).
Comparative car trials, focusing on noise, performance, and improvements needed against competitor vehicles.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 65a\3\ scan0042 | |
| Date | 25th June 1929 | |
| SECRET To Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} from Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} the other day after an extensive trial run on a Phantom a RR owner of 14 years' standing decided on a Packard in preference to a Phantom chiefly on the Packard's alleged improvement in silence, acceleration, hill climbing and freedom from vibration at the back. I emphasize this to show that it is of the utmost importance that we preserve the silence of the RR car. At over 45 m.p.h. there is an amount of induction noise and engine fuss which I can readily believe would have prevented the RR name being what it is had they been present in our earlier productions. The exhaust boom which was so noticeable in the earlier experimental cars has of course been very considerably improved but there is still a noticeable degree of boom or roar at speeds round about 50, which becomes very irritating even with a leather covered wmgx type of body such as that fitted to 21-EX. The officials who have made their trials are disappointed to find that the maximum speed attainable with this car is not greater than that of a good Phantom whereas the general impression appears to have been that there would be considerable improvement in maximum speed as well as in acceleration. When PH and CWB at the finish of their test down at Le CanadelHenry Royce's French residence in the early part of the year advised the wisdom of stopping the manufacture of the Phantom in due course in favour of "SG{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}", it was fully realised that, whilst the latter type had many highly desirable mechanical features, yet at the same time a good deal would have to be done to reduce the undesirable disturbances referred to, and it will be remembered that we were assured that we could rely on success in this respect, and the present position is that, whilst there has been a fair amount of success, a thorough test of this car and careful comparison with a Phantom shows that we have not yet achieved the necessary amount of success. I was so disturbed at some of the reports received from officials that subsequent to the first trial I made, I went out on two separate occasions with a Phantom, trying the cars over the same roads at the same speeds and with the same driver, and was reluctantly forced to the conclusion that the criticisms made in reference to the particular point [Handwritten text on left margin] 123 H P 2750 112 H P / 2400 RPM | ||