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).
Secret memo from RJ to Sg. outlining key questions to inform the launch strategy for a new sporting model codenamed 'SS'.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 65a\2\ scan0104 | |
| Date | 12th November 1928 | |
| Secret. To Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} from RJ. Of course exactly the same secrecy is necessary, and it must be understood by every official who knows about this chassis that he who divulges the secret even to his best friend or does not use his utmost endeavour to preserve the secret must be considered a traitor not only to this Company but to every person in the Company, as leakage of the information might do great harm to the Company and reduce the sale of the present Phantom. As soon as the SS.{S. Smith} is ready for the road, we should have a few cheap but very sporting looking bodies made marked "SS.{S. Smith} Test Body". These could be seen about the Works and elsewhere to indicate that the chassis is really only a sporting model. To enable the Board to arrive at a safe decision as to the date of introducing the "SS{S. Smith}" we now require information on the following points: 1. In what respects did R's car which he used in the South of France differ from the "SS{S. Smith}" that we expect to sell to customers? (Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Please reply.) 2. What benefit shall we actually derive by showing the "SS{S. Smith}" at Olympia as compared with launching it a few months later? At Olympia the Press is crammed with long articles about every car and its alterations, whereas if we introduce the SS{S. Smith} a few months later we shall have the whole press to ourselves and make a much bigger boom. (Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}, C. and Cx.{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager} Please consider). 3. What experience have we of alterations being necessary after new cars have been tested for 10,000 miles? For instance what alterations have been made to the Phantom and the present 20 HP after 10,000 miles? Have we any record of how long these alterations took before they were again tested and perfected? (Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Please reply.) 4. What have been our experiences in the past concerning the time taken to develop new designs from the time the first one has been made until they have proved satisfactory - for instance (i) Front Wheel Brakes - see CJ3/E7.4.25. (ii) 20 HP chassis - see CJ3/E7.4.25. (iii). V.{VIENNA} engine. 40/50 HP. See CJ3/E7.4.25. (iv). Condor. How much testing has this had and how far can it be considered satisfactory to-day from our experiences with (a) the Dornier Company; (b) Cobham's Flight; (c). Sassoon's Flight; (d) engines for airships; (e) the general opinion of the Air Ministry and why it has caused them to drop the Condor as unsatisfactory. (Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Please fill in details). | ||