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).
Outlining the methodology and considerations for a 10,000-mile production car test, including reporting frequency and performance checks.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 53\4\ Scan022 | |
| Date | 28th September 1923 guessed | |
| contd:- -2- information, however, is available and we attach herewith the proposed report sheet which it is intended to issue weekly. We considered that a weekly report was more likely to be digested by the Officials than a daily report. Although we appreciate that the 10,000 miles should be covered as quickly as possible, we think it would be possible to overdo it in this respect. For instance, if necessary we could complete 400 miles per day and so get the test completed in 25 days. We do not consider, however, that the results we obtained would indicate what was likely to happen to the car under average customers conditions. As a compromise, we set out for the minimum of 1000 miles per week and we are keeping to this. On the 10,000 miles production cars, the parts have already been through their standardisation test, so we do not expect parts to fail as much as whether the car will continue to perform perfectly and silently. It is difficult to judge the fineness of the running of the chassis if it is out to cover a certain number of miles in a certain time. In our programme, we have taken what we call - a standard performance test every 1000 miles. The car is tested and timed on hill climb also for speed and acceleration on the level, and slow running so that we have a record of the deterioration or improvement of the car after mileage. With regard to the driver. We gave due consideration to this and decided that as amateurs (who would drive the car for pleasure in the same way as a customer) were not available we should try and get as large a number of different contd:- | ||