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).
Customer feedback on competitor cars (Packard, Mercedes) and intelligence on Hispano's plans for a 24-hour race car.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 27a\1\ Scan135 | |
| Date | 25th October 1934 | |
| To: "Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}" DERBY. X4013 Levallois. Sr2/Crn.25.10.34. Dear "Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}", Herewith various points of interest :- I had a conversation this morning with an important customer of ours, Baron von Boecklin, who, although a hard nut to crack, certainly knows something about a motor car. He states :- 1) that his "Continental" has a decidedly better acceleration than his 12 cylinder Packard. 2) that his Packard holds the road better than his "Continental". 3) having followed up (he is a German) since the beginning the Mercedes spiral sprung job, and having recently tried the new 5 litre, he has come to the conclusion, and has had his opinion confirmed by a friend of his in the Mercedes concern, that the longer the chassis gets, the more impossible becomes the springing at the rear of the four wheel independantly sprung job. The Baron states that not only can one not sit in the back of the new 5 litre at speed, but it is positively dangerous to be sitting at the rear as, unless one hangs on very carefully, one risks at any moment to be thrown clean out of the back. Having had lunch to-day with the head saleman of Hispano, during the course of conversation he informed me that Straight was seriously contemplating entering the 12 cylinder extra short special chassis in the 24 hours race. He would be seconded by Count Trossi. Should they be able to get their weight down sufficiently to enable the brakes to stand up, they are confident of being able to attain a maximum speed of 205 kms an hour, with an engine developing a little over 250 B.H.P. Cheerio, M P.S. Hispano's total sales for this year will not exceed 165 chassis !!! | ||