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).
Progress report on cost savings and development for the P.III, P.II, B.50, B.III, and Wraith models.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 148\5\ scan0325 | |
| Date | 27th April 1938 | |
| -2- 27.4.38. The result is that whereas the P.III after it had been in production over a year, was still about 25% more costly to produce than the P.II chassis it replaced, the estimated saving due to material and design of B.50 is at present more than 30%. In addition to reducing the cost of the car and developing it in a shorter time, it has also been necessary to cut down experimental expenses. The peak year of P.III's , experimental expenses were £122,131 on cars; this year, which may be considered the peak year for B.III and B.50, we have so far succeeded in working at the rate of a budget of £60,000 per annum, a reduction of 50%. The only work of any importance that was done at the same time as the P.III was increasing the bore of the 6-cyl. unit from 3¼ to 3½. The Wraith, particularly with regard to Works' requirements from the D.O., has slowed up B.III progress considerably as much of it has been dealt with in parallel. Simultaneously, a greater effort than ever before has been put forward by the Aviation portion of the Expt. Dept. Tabulating past achievements against present targets we therefore have:- | ||