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).
Customer complaint from Sir Connop Guthrie about the performance of his 40/50 HP Cabriolet, Chassis No. 41-NK.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 47\1\ Scan073 | |
| Date | 31th January 1924 | |
| Hp. X4117 PN{Mr Northey}1/DN/31.1.24. TO EP{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} c. to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} FROM P.N. CHASSIS NO. 41-NK - SIR CONNOP GUTHRIE. The 40/50 HP Rolls-Royce Cabriolet (Hooper) owned by this gentleman, will arrive at Derby today driven by the chauffeur. This is a case which has threatened to prove rather a tragedy, and it will be only by an exercise of considerable care and attention to the case generally, that we shall be able to turn Sir Connop Guthrie from an extremely disgruntled owner into a strong and highly satisfied supporter of the Rolls-Royce production. At the time this chassis was ordered by Sir Connop Guthrie through Hooper's, he had definitely expressed to them his wish to purchase a car capable of running up to 80 m.p.h. and having a very high rate of acceleration, in this case, such things as excessive silence and siliness, being subordinate. It rather followed from such a set of requirements that the Hispano-Suiza would probably be the only car to suit him, - certainly not a Rolls-Royce. Hooper's, however, persuaded him to change his mind, assuring him that Rolls-Royce would be perfectly willing and able to give him what he wanted; so an order was placed for a 40/50 HP Rolls-Royce chassis. Hooper's wrote to us indicating what was proposed and we immediately replied, not only that we could not consider turning out a car capable of running at a high speed, but that we could not even undertake to provide a car which in any way departed from our standard. We did, however, promise that special care should be taken in selection and tuning up, in order that the car would be capable of giving as good a performance as possible, consistent with other characteristics. It appears that Sir Connop Guthrie was not informed of the tenor of our replies at all, so that when the car was delivered to him, he expected these high speeds. He was also irritated by the fact that there appears to have been considerable delay in the delivery of the chassis, and finally he got delivery of the complete car one day before the Announcement made by us on Nov. 1st last, that 4-wheel brakes were going to be fitted to all cars ordered after that date. In view of the complaints made as to power, I P.T.O. | ||