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).
The steering, control, and maximum speed of the Continental Phantom.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\R\2December1927-February1928\ Scan139 | |
| Date | 30th January 1928 guessed | |
| contd :- -3- (5) Steering and control generally. Owing to the low centre of gravity of this car due to the body design and the type of road springs employed (the c. of g.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} is now 5" below the top of the tyres) the control-ability of the car has been very materially increased. With the low disposition of the weight, turning over after skidding into a kerb becomes most improbable, likewise there is a greatly increased feeling of security when cornering at speed. (6) Maximum speed. The Continental Phantom is definitely 10 m.p.h. faster than a standard touring Phantom. This is not due to the increase in engine power but to the body and wing design. Any departure from the design of the car now leaving for France is likely to reduce the maximum speed. It has been gained by attention to detail found desirable by experimental tests. The main point to remember when considering maximum speeds is that in this connection more lies are told than about any other feature of a car. Usually a sports car is credited with about 10 m.p.h. more maximum speed than it can actually attain, the illusion is made more realistic by suitable speedometer adjust-ment. As a recent example, Viscount Curzon talks about holding 88 m.p.h. for 10 or 12 miles on a Phantom trials car. We know from a number of timed tests on Brooklands that the touring car has a maximum speed in still air of 76 m.p.h. yet Viscount Curzon is quite satisfied that he can do 88 m.p.h. on the same car for a number of miles. Incidentally we know the road of which he speaks and should be very satisfied if we could momentarily attain a genuine speed of 85 m.p.h. once or twice on the stretch contd :- | ||