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).
Road test report of a 'Bensport' car, detailing a 1,425-mile journey through various conditions in France.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 82\1\ scan0033 | |
| Date | 2nd March 1933 | |
| Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}.. from Bn.{W.O. Bentley / Mr Barrington} Copy to PN.{Mr Northey} S R.{Sir Henry Royce} Dawns. By Seen Bn.{W.O. Bentley / Mr Barrington}1/WT2.3.33. Test of Bensport. We started at 2.30 on Thursday afternoon in a blizzard and with the roads deep in snow, and after nearly getting snowed up stopped the night at Saulieu. Day's mileage 170. The next morning we continued south, the roads being very treacherous - covered with hard frozen snow. This continued as far as Lyon, which made our speed rather low. We had a good run from Lyon to Brignoles. Day's mileage 365. The next day was fine and we had a good run through Cannes, Nice, Monte Carlo and then up La{L. A. Archer} Turbie and back to Brignoles over the L'Estorel. Day's mileage 210. The car was fully extended on this day's run and there was a great deal of fast gear-work, cornering and use of the brakes. The next day, Sunday, we went north and had a fast run through Lyon to Auxerre. A very good day's run with plenty of tests of maximum speed. The fastest speed touched was 96, while speeds of over 90 were very frequently done. Day's mileage 420. On Monday we went from Auxerre through Orleans, Chartres to the Montlhery track, where we did a few laps and went round the road course. Unfortunately it was raining in torrents the whole time which must have considerably reduced our lap speed, which was 89 m.p.h. We also found that the speed indicator was accurate at high speeds. We then continued to Paris. Day's mileage 260. The car returned to Chateauroux the next day. Total mileage 1,425. ----------------- The car is easily the best all round car I have ever driven, and I have never been on a car with this type of body which could exceed 90 as often on the road. It is a car which has so many different characters that it can suit ones different moods, with the out-cut open and using the gears to best advantage it is like a real racing car, while on top with the cut-out closed it can be driven like a docile touring car having a high degree of flexibility on top gear. The road-holding and cornering at high speeds are really wonderful, and have been attained without making [STAMP TEXT] RECEIVED 8 MAR 1933 | ||