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).
Comparing a Hispano car to their own, noting its pros and cons as a competitor.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\K\November1923\ Scan117 | |
| Date | 21th November 1923 | |
| TO CJ. FROM R.{Sir Henry Royce} C. to BJ. RG.{Mr Rowledge} C. to HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} BA. re. HISPANO CAR. Y4214 Yesterday we had the Hispano here. I will not worry you with a long report (which I have not time to write at the moment) but this car seems to be distinctly the best competitor's car we have touched. To handle it is the nearest approach to a RR car. Fortunately it has a few very serious defects, important when in competition with us for such buyers as we cater for. For instance the exhaust and carburetter are distinctly noisy, the carburation is not good at the slower speeds, (20 to 30 M.P.H.) the engine is not very silent and the springing is distinctly hard and harsh, and the clutch shudders slightly on taking up. The steering is extremely like R-R.{Sir Henry Royce} having the virtues of being very light, but naturally having the same disadvantages. We believe that the Hispano people have carefully noted our steering when designing this part. The brakes are quite good, but owing to the absence of compensators would be subject to errors of adjustment. The engine runs well, has no period, but with ordinary fuels detonates badly in spite of the double ignition. It also has the serious disadvantage of being extremely difficult to clean, there being no detachable head. It has an overhead camshaft, and we hear very inaccessible attachments for the cylinder to the crankchamber. The whole chassis design is clean and generally very effective. The lock of the front road wheels is extremely good. Many of the points we have pioneered they have equalled or beaten us upon. It has 3 speeds which appear to give ample range. The chassis is depending largely on stiff springing for its success i.e. in respect to brakes, back axle, and steering. R.{Sir Henry Royce} NOTE. This memo. should substitute the original R4/M21.11.23. the latter not having been finally approved by Mr. Royce. | ||