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).
The performance of the 3 1/2 litre Bentley, comparing speeds, and discussing streamlined body investigations.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 3\4\ 04-page334 | |
| Date | 17th June 1933 | |
| -2- Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}1/WJ.17.6.33. Cont'd.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary} As regards the difference between cars No.1 and 2 at maximum speed, we agree that No.1 from our tests is about four miles per hour faster. We cannot avoid these variations and we certainly cannot promise that all cars will be up to the standard of No.1 because to do this it would mean that all cars would have to be better than No.1. We have now had four Bentley cars and averaging up the performance (which after all is the most reliable method), we think it can be accepted that the 3 1/2 litre Bentley will lap Brooklands at 85 M.P.H. and under favourable conditions on the road or track show 90 M.P.H. Actually, every Bentley car we have produced, on the road has exceeded 90 M.P.H. It will be remembered that at the early discussions re. the Bentley we made a suggestion that we ought to produce one special car with the object of showing a very good top speed round about 100 M.P.H. This can only be obtained by producing a streamlined body. At that time this suggestion was turned down. We have, however, gone ahead with the investigations of reducing the body resistance and Mr/Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} has had wind tunnel models prepared which it has been arranged will be tested out with Messrs. Vickers wind tunnel. After the results of these tests are analysed it was agreed that we ought to make a body which would enable us to show a high maximum speed although it would not be expected to have anything like the accomodation of the standard body. One noticeable point about our discussion was that no-one brought forward any ideas of any competitive car which had a better performance than the 3 1/2 litre Bentley. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||