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 page criticising an eight-cylinder car's engine roughness, distressing steering, and inefficient brakes.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\Q\December1926-January1927\ 6 | |
| Date | 15th December 1926 guessed | |
| contd :- -2- low speeds due to low gear ratio and eight cylinders, and the smoothness of the engine at high speeds. We ran the car above 3000 r.p.m. several times on the indirect gears without encountering any objectionable periods. However, we consider that the roughness when picking up from 32 - 48 m.p.h. is such as to condemn this particular eight-in-line engine when compared with a six, in spite of its other virtues. The car is distinctly lively on the road, its acceleration being about in the same category as a closed Phantom. Considering the Packard's large displacement/ton mile, we do not consider that their power unit can be very efficient. The maximum speed by speedometer appeared to be about 70 m.p.h; but this instrument may have been optimistic. STEERING. This was most distressing. It has no self-centering, and no stability. The general impression was that the pivots were vertical, as the gear was very far from irreversible, transmitting road shocks in a violent manner. The whole car wandered about at high speeds in an alarming way, this was undoubtedly due in a measure to the suspension. The steering also suffered from high speed wobbles. BRAKES. Smooth, and not too much pedal pressure required, but the pedal was already on the floorboards, when any serious braking was indulged in. This is another example of the impossibility of producing easy braking on a large car without frequent adjustment unless a servo is employed. contd :- | ||