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).
Article from 'The Motor' magazine discussing car interior comfort, seating capacity, and essential passenger dimensions.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 117\1\ scan0056 | |
| Date | 12th November 1935 | |
| The Motor 746 November 12, 1935. PLANNING CAR COMFORT [Image Caption: Do not endeavour to crowd three people into a narrow rear seat like this. These dimensions show the minimum width desirable for any reasonable degree of comfort. Image Text: 44-45 THREE ADULTS, 36 THREE CHILDREN] Do not endeavour to crowd three people into a narrow rear seat like this. These dimensions show the minimum width desirable for any reasonable degree of comfort. coachwork when inspecting a car with a view to purchase, the owner will obtain much more positive value. If the tallest members of the family would always occupy the front seat, for example, there is not likely to be much criticism of head-room; but if they are going to use the rear seat, even occasionally, it is well to check up the measurements from the depressed cushion to the roof line. As a rule, a minimum measurement of 36 ins. is allowed for this space and it is adequate for a man of, say, 5 ft. 8 ins. in height wearing a trilby, but a little unpleasant, to say the least, for the six-footer wearing a similar hat, and impossible for him to wear a “ topper.” It is difficult to say whether any stated measurements prove too small, for the “ give” of the upholstery will be a consideration. A softly inflated air bag will depress much more than fairly hard springs; again, the passenger’s weight will be important. The 11-stone six-footer will find his head-room more cramped in any given car than the man of the same height weighing four-five stone more, for the latter will settle down lower into the seat. It is better to take the dimension of the tallest member of the family, from the base of the spine to the crown of the head, and add at least 6 ins. to this to ensure that he has comfortable head-room at the back of the car. Anything less is almost bound to result in his hat being popped over his ears when the car pitches. Although it has been assumed that there is sufficient head-room over the front seats, it is just as well to check up the dimensions here as well and to allow the same minimum head-room, i.e., 6 ins. at least above the crown of the head. Rear Seat Width The question of rear seat width becomes vital so soon as a third passenger is carried, for whereas every four-seater on the market will take four in some comfort, many of them are not so happy when the fifth is squeezed in, even if the fifth is a child; the cars advertised as four-five-seaters are not always as spacious as expected when the extra burden is carried. On passenger coaches, an average of 16 ins. width per person is allowed on double and bigger seats, and this is very reasonable. Therefore, to take three persons in real comfort, one would suggest at least a cushion width of 48 ins. This is not practical on the average medium-sized car, and, indeed, is provided only on really big models. It will be found in practice, however, that a cushion width of 44-45 ins. as a minimum will be good for three average-sized persons, so long as there are also good elbow nooks of 3½-5 ins. each, giving a total overall width between the body sides of about 54 ins. Three slim persons will slip into a seat measuring 42 ins. between the wheel-arches if in summer togs, but when they put on their winter weights, the story would be very different. Indeed, the question of clothing has to be considered seriously when the space available is comparatively small. [Image Caption: It is possible now, on a number of cars, to sit three persons abreast on the front seat of a saloon without interfering with the driver’s arm movements. This photograph shows the Renault seating.] c21 --- November 12, 1935. PLANNING CAR COMFORT ... Contd. 747 The Motor [Diagram Caption: A self-measurement diagram showing the essential dimensions which it is desirable to know when selecting seating to give full support under the knees, adequate toe - room and head-room. Dimensions: 15 ins, 23-24 ins, 10-12 ins.] If a sixth passenger is to be carried in a medium-sized or even largish car, there is only one way to do it, unless there be room for folding occasional seats, and that is to have a bench-type front seat, as found on most American cars and on a very few British models. With a smallish car, a bench-type front seat will invariably decide where a single child is to be carried and kept in control rather than being let loose, as it were, in the back compartment on its own. As the front seat is at about the widest part of the car, it is possible to have a very comfortable bench, and on some Americans it measures 50 ins. overall—plenty wide enough for three persons without interfering with the driver’s freedom of movement. Incidentally, right-hand control is to be preferred in such cases, as the gear and brake levers will not then be in the way of the passenger’s legs. Alternatively, there is the self-change gear control on the steering column with a right-hand brake lever which gives equal freedom of movement and spaciousness. When the family includes young children, the question of how long it is intended to keep the car arises, for the children may easily outgrow a car in a couple of years. This happens most seriously with the two-seater sports car, where there is often space enough for luggage but not for children, in the back compartment, especially, the close-coupled type. Another point of personal comfort concerns the ease with which the driver or front-seat passenger can get into or out of a car. With the front door hung from the centre and cut into the scuttle there is plenty of room to swing the legs round. [Diagram Caption: (Left) Similar dimensions with a well-raked seat and squab and a flat floor level. In both cases the figures are for a man of about 5 ft. 9 ins. in height. Dimensions: 6 ins. MINIMUM, 3 ft. 6 ins. MINIMUM, 20-22 ins., 10 ins., 22-24 ins.] [Diagram Caption: (Right) The suggested minimum dimensions which should be considered in cars having a foot-well to give the required amount of leg-room. Dimensions: 6 ins., 3 ft. 6 ins., 20-22 ins., 16-17 ins.] Leg-room Considerations So much for seat width; leg-room is the next consideration and needs even closer investigation than many other points. Strictly speaking, leg-room can best be decided by experiment, for the minimum required space for the knees will depend upon the cushion and the squab angles. An upright seating position is much more economical in leg space than a sloping squab, which encourages sprawling. Few people prefer the more rigid, upright sitting posture, in which case a small amount of knee-room (8 ins. or so) with a deep well is all that is necessary. The majority, however, taking the line of least resistance, prefer to recline and sprawl, when leg-room dimensions should be taken to get a car that will give the space desired. What may appear to be cramped is not necessarily so. If the cushion is well above floor level (i.e., the bottom of a well, if such is provided), say, 16 ins., then knee-room of 8-10 ins. is good enough for a person of average height, whereas if the cushion is low, then at least 12-14 ins. will be needed. Generally speaking, 10 ins. should be allowed between the front edge of the seat squab and the back of the front-seat squab, and it is here that many cars are lacking. [Image Caption: The modern type of front-seat assembly on tubular steel frames gives additional toe-room and greater freedom of movement. An excellent example is shown in this photograph.] c17 | ||