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).
Test drive report on a 2-3 litre Alfa Romeo, detailing its performance and mechanical features.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 124\5\ scan0109 | |
| Date | 7th November 1932 | |
| S/W. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}..from Bn.{W.O. Bentley / Mr Barrington} Copy to Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} PN{Mr Northey} +448r. Bn.{W.O. Bentley / Mr Barrington}3/WT7.11.32. The 2-3 litre Alfa Romeo. I went a short run on this car which has the good points of a racing car but with the bad points to a very pronounced degree - it would only be possible as an open car and only appreciated by a very few people - and then only probably for a short time. The performance is of course very good, acceleration and maximum being excellent, but the engine gear and gearbox noises are quite impossible for anything but a pure racing car, while the comfort of the springing is non-existent, in fact the car is painful at moderate speeds over a bad road. Apart from the power output of the engine, the best points are the steering and general steadiness of the front, both in cornering and braking. The front springs are shackled at both ends and are controlled by the radius rods. The engine which is 65 m.m. x 88 m.m has its super-charger at the side, running at 1.3 engine speed I think. The reasons that they put it at the side are :- 1. can be conveniently geared to run faster than the engine. 2. Shorter induction pipe. 3. Allows the engine to be brought further forward. I am told that a new 8 cyl. Alfa has the same method of gearing, but with two small superchargers, one for each four cylinders. The gearing used on the present Alfa would be an impossible job if silence were aimed at, as the accuracy of the gear-centres could not be guaranteed, in one case a copper asbestos joint intervenes between the faces which control these gear-centres. The brakes are good, progressive and steady, but I think require rather too much pedal pressure for anyone who has owned a car with servo-helped brakes. They are excellent racing brakes. | ||