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).
Confidential letter discussing the commercial strategy for introducing a new model and a plan to mislead the public by referring to it as the 'S.S.M.'.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 65a\1\ scan0216 | |
| Date | 22th December 1927 | |
| Confidential. To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from BJ. My dear R.{Sir Henry Royce}, I was extremely interested to receive your long letter from Le CanadelHenry Royce's French residence concerning the future and it makes it all very clear to me. The main point that occurs to me from a commercial point of view is that, if it once leaks out that we are about to introduce an entirely new model, our whole Phantom business will stop and we shall be like the American Company and find ourselves with a large number of out-of-date chassis that we cannot sell and no orders coming in whilst the public are waiting for the introduction of the new one. I cannot conceive any position which could be more serious. We have to bridge over possibly 18 months to 2 years of a very dangerous position, keeping this chassis an entire secret and not letting it be seen on the road nor heard of, more so than we did with the Phantom. For this purpose I strongly suggest that from the 1st January next every one who knows of this chassis should in future refer to it as the "S.S.M." and let it be known that this refers to a super-sports model. Of course between ourselves we know that it has no reference to a sports model, but if other people at the Works hear of it or people outside it will certainly help to mislead them, which is our chief object. Therefore unless we hear to the contrary before the 1st January I propose to issue the enclosed memo. to those shown. Yours ever, B.J. | ||