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).
Engine choices and chassis design for the Wraith model, with a focus on improving ride comfort and manoeuvrability.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 6\6\ 06-page039 | |
| Date | 18th October 1935 | |
| 600 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rs{Sir Henry Royce's Secretary}/K/KB.18.10.35. Wraith Chassis. Referring to E.1/HP.14.10.35. and Cg.10/E.17.10.35. We are strongly in favour of as short a power unit as possible from the point of view of riding and manoeuvrability, the latter feature being, we believe, an increasingly valuable attribute of any car. Apart from the fact that it would mean developing a type of engine of which we have had no previous experience, the main objections to the V.8 are indicated in Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Cmtb.7/KB.18.10.35 attached. Conditions being what they are, it does seem that the suggestion contained in Cg.10/E.17.10.35 is a good one. It will leave us time to devote to going over the engine mounting again, in conjunction with the separate gearbox, and we ought to be able to contribute something further towards smoothness in this respect. If we can save some weight in the chassis redesign, we may be able to lower the compression ratio of the big bore unit and still give good performance. The Terraplane 6-cylinder is an example of what can be done in making a smooth motor car if a high specific power output is not demanded from the power unit. Where the specific output has got to be very high as on the Bentley, and there is no doubt that a straight 8 will produce these results in a more desirable manner than the 8-cylinder. We cannot say that we have ever tried a V.8 engine with high specific output that was pleasant to sit behind. If cost can be designed out of it, the small 12-cylinder easily gets the most marks on all counts. The attached memo. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Iss.21/KB.18.10.35. raises the difficulties under which we are working with regard to riding comfort. At present on all maximum bodies, i.e., bodies used by those people most likely to be sensitive to discomfort, the rear passenger's backbone is located 17" behind the rear axle. It seems to us that if we want to retain our pre-eminent position with regard to riding comfort, this standard must be altered, and as a beginning we would recommend that the ideal to be aimed at should be that the passenger should be moved forward 6" relative to the rear axle. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rs.{Sir Henry Royce's Secretary} | ||