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).
Test drive report and feedback on a demonstration Bentley car, No. B-154e, over a 450-mile journey.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 3\6\ 06-page105 | |
| Date | 28th December 1933 | |
| HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} To for. from Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Copy to F.H.Arthur re the Bentley. I used our demonstration car No.B-154e. over Christmas and drove it a total distance of about 450 miles. Generally speaking, I think it is a most delightful car and one that has definitely achieved our main object. It is very much less like a RR than the one which I tried in the summer. Its general performance is really marvellous and, instead of enumerating its good points, I can say quite definitely that I found no point on which a complaint could reasonably be made, except petrol fumes in the body, which point I am taking up with Bm. It reminded me very much of the 20/25 with the J.I engine which I used in France in 1932 and about which, you will remember, I said: "Generally speaking, the car is a delight to drive, excellent for power, acceleration, speed etc. etc. It is, however, less like a RR than any car I have ever driven bearing the RR.name." One piece of level new road over the marshes between Pevensey and Bexhill I quickly and easily attained a speed of 95 miles per hour against a slight head wind, yet at the same time I was able to crawl along the Eastbourne front at 10 miles an hour on top gear! Congratulations to all concerned! Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} | ||