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).
Letter to a motoring magazine comparing the performance of Forest-Lycett's 8-litre Bentley against other contemporary models.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 160\5\ scan0037 | |
| Date | 17th November 1940 | |
| Editor of Autocar [The following address is struck through:] THE MOTOR, Bowling Green lane, London, E.C.1 17th November 1 9 4 0. Dear Sir, In these times it is refreshing to read articles such as the one in your issue of October 30th on Forest-Lycett's Bentley. [The words 'This article' are struck through] This article made me wonder how this remarkable vehicle would compare with one of the modern Bentleys having an engine but half the displacement of the 8 litre, assuming that it was fitted with the same type of body. Unfortunately, Mr Lycett has never entered his car in either of the two classic road races for sports vehicles, i.e., the Tourist Trophy or Le Mans. The performance of its contemporaries, however, with super-chargers, which ran in 1928, 1929 and 1930, on the Ards Circuit seem to indicate that these big cars are, relatively speaking, slow over a road circuit, since Hall's 3½ litre Bentley in 1935 averaged 80.3 m.p.h. for the race against 69 m.p.h., the best speed as far as I can ascertain ever put up over this course by a 4½ litre super-charged Bentley. Presumably, had the 8 litre been as fast over the course as the 4½ litre super-charged model, it would have been entered by the manufacturers. The only direct comparison between Hall's and Lycett's Bentleys which I am able to find, is at Shelsley, where, as far as I can ascertain, the best time put up by Lycett's Bentley was 50.44 seconds, whereas Hall succeeded in doing the climb in 46 2/5 seconds. These figures seem somewhat inexplicable in view of the disparity of the power weight ratio between the two vehicles. If Hall's car is still in existence, it would be most interesting if Mr Pomeroy could take it for a run and record his impressions of it, because by its records it must be no less remarkable than the vintage 8 litre, which has created so much interest. Yours faithfully, | ||