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).
Visit to Marcel Michelin, detailing car performance tests on the Puy de Dôme and discussions for a potential Bentley sale.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 27a\1\ Scan115 | |
| Date | 2nd June 1934 guessed | |
| -2- Mr. Marcel Michelin We arrived at Clermont-Ferrand having covered the distance of 380 kms in the same time as Mr. Michelin does with his 12 cyl. Hispano, i.e. 4 hours & 14 minutes. The following morning at 8 o'clock, we were on the road, having previously visited Mr. Michelin's Garages where he showed me numerous cars. Messrs. Michelin & C° own 186 cars and trucks- 70 of these are touring cars used for tyre testing purposes. The average mileage covered per day amounts to 28.000 kms. This figure of course is for the complete fleet of cars. We went out with Mr. Hauvette Jacques and Mr. Hauvette Jules. These gentlemen were delighted with the performance of the car, especially Mr.Jacques who is an old customer of mine. I must say and it is fortunate that the car with the test that it was put to on this extremely hilly country and somewhat terrifying, stood up very well. After having deposited Mr. Jules Hauvette at the Works, Mr. Michelin came out to carry out some tests and Mr. Jacques Hauvette remained with us. The idea was to find out in what manner and at what speed the car could climb the Puy de Dôme which is a tortuous track with banked curves, 4300metres in length with a constant grade of 12%. It is indeed very satisfying to note that with three people the Bentley climbed this in second gear covering the distance in 3 minutes and 52 secondes. The figures for this extremely severe test for other cars are as follows - The 8 Ford 431", 5 litre Bugatti 506", especially light 40-HP Renault built to Mr. Michelin's order, 358". Later on in the afternoon we returned to the Michelin Works. I took out the Managing Director of Michelin & C° Mr. Mondays accompanied by Mr. Puisieux, one of Mr. Michelin's cousins a director of the Company in the same way as both the Hauvette brothers. Both these people were extremely satisfied. Mr. Puisieux is greatly interested especially in a Torpedo. I had a long talk with Mr. Jacques Hauvette and I have no hesitation in saying that unless something very unforseen happens, he will be ordering a Bentley in the near future. I gave him all details and promised to sell for him his 5 l. Bugatti which I supplied to him about 4 years ago. It would of course be a great asset if we could get into the Michelin crowd. To end up, I went with Mr. Michelin to various testing grounds where I was asked to carry out a standing start test through the gears up and down the measured track with two people in the car. Our times, which Mr. | ||