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).
Letter discussing the market position and customer preference for red liquid column type petrol gauges.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 44\4\ Scan115 | |
| Date | 14th March 1930 | |
| Messrs.Rolls-Royce,Ltd., Date 14.3.30. Page 2 This may not be an insuperable difficulty, but it is one that very nearly caused us a great deal of trouble in making the dials to match up with your require-ments, owing to the different angles at which our dials were set, in place of the round flat surface in the case of the other instruments. Our latest figures show that approximately 80% of English cars fitting dash-board reading petrol gauges are using our red liquid column type of gauge. This is so at the moment, and we are making every endeavour to maintain our position, although of course competition must arise from time to time, but we shall strive to maintain our figure at well above the 60% mark at all costs. Under these conditions, many of the potential buyers of the highest price type of car, will so to speak have served their apprenticeship with the red liquid column type of gauge. We can assure you that we are now being told that people are getting accustomed to, and are actually preferring, this type of gauge to a needle instrument for the petrol service. We were at first sceptical with regard to general preference, but we are more and more convinced as time goes on | ||