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 detailing a car's performance characteristics and suggesting improvements.
Identifier | ExFiles\Box 82\1\ scan0034 | |
Date | 2nd March 1933 guessed | |
-2- the springing too harsh at low speeds. The ease of changing gear is particularly pleasant on this type of car, while the silence on third gear makes the acceleration very impressive. Visibility, general handling and the braking give one very great confidence, and when these qualities are used it is very exhilarating, and one can put in a long day's run without feeling tired. I think that with a slightly higher back axle ratio, better streamlined body and wings, a speed indicator 100 could be shown on the road under favourable conditions. I think there is too much movement of the radiator wings and headlamps. The steering is a little inclined to wander at ordinary speeds, and although its behaviour is good over very bad roads it seems to get continual vibrations from small irregularities of the road. Some of these vibrations and dither of the radiator, lamps and wings might be helped by a softer setting of the front shock absorbers, and might be reduced quite materially before affecting the road-holding at high speeds. The engine makes rather too much roar when working on full throttle. If the throttle is eased the least bit it becomes perfectly quiet. It would be interesting to try a large air silencer. There is also a definite and rather bad period at 60 m.p.h on the overrun. Although the car is at present very useful on its gears, it would, I think, be much better if 1st, 2nd and 3rd were all higher. The whole time I drove the car 1st was never used, and with certain types of bodies a higher axle ratio will be necessary. The streamline of bodies should, I think, be very carefully experimented with. The shape of the wings both back and front, also the tail of the body could I should imagine be very much improved, also the desirability of running boards wants careful consideration as there is a lot against, and very little for them. The headlamps are bad as the main beam is so narrow that cornering is difficult. | ||