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).
Development of a 12-cylinder car, comparing competitors and deciding to build their own engine.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 43\4\ Scan325 | |
| Date | 4th March 1931 | |
| 84024. To R.{Sir Henry Royce} From Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to Ss.{S. Smith} Hpr: c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. to By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}1/MJ.4.3.31. 12 CYLINDER CAR. X.3531. X.4024. It will be seen from Mr's. report that except for the gearbox the Maybach car possesses no features which would interest us. This report was not intended to convey the impression that a 12 cyl. engine was not worth making. The point is, that a 12 cyl. engine will not immediately relieve us from our troubles. It is accepted, for instance that all the 12 cyl. cars we have tried - Maybach, Cadillac, and Cadillac 16 cyl. - have been bad for booms and fuss at high speeds. They have, however, been entirely free from torque reaction vibration. We believe that there is only one way for us to decide whether a 12 cylinder engine would be suitable to us, and that is to make one. It would be much better for us to spend our money in making a 12 cylinder unit rather than to purchase a car which would only give us negative results. In the meantime we have got to push on with schemes to overcome the faults on the present car. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||