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).
Car noise levels, competition with Bentley, and steering stability issues.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 3\4\ 04-page365 | |
| Date | 27th June 1933 | |
| To Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} From Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}8/E27.6.33 - 2 - production, the 20/25 would be out of production and replaced by J.III. I want to make it clear that I think you have produced a very wonderful car. My chief XXXXX concern and the concern of several of us at Sales is that it is too wonderful from the point of ats competition with RR. I still feel what R.{Sir Henry Royce} said in his memo. to you of the 28.1.32: "Personally I do not think it need be very quiet if the noise is not irritating. This we shall know later, but sporty people like a certain kind of noise." You will doubtless remember that, when we tried the first mock-up the day we went to Grantham, I was particularly keen that the silence should not be improved. I can quite believe that Bn.{W.O. Bentley / Mr Barrington} says that one of their troubles was that people were wanting the cars quieter, but probably this was because they were coming more and more into our market as distinct from their original market of the sporting type of car. The specification given in your memo. appears to be quite good but, as I said before, our chief concern is its competition with RR. I agree with the views expressed by you in another memo. that the RR wants further improvement and, when this has been done, then the Bentley could be improved, but I feel very strongly that at the present time we ought not to allow it to be better for noise and from a sporting point of view than the No.1 car which we tried at Grantham. You do not mention anything about the steering in your criticisms but I still hold definitely to the view that the steering of the No.2 car was unstable at speeds above 65/70. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} | ||