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).
From Sg. to E. discussing engine strategy, including the Bentley 6-cylinder and prioritising a straight-8.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 21\6\ Scan134 | |
| Date | 6th February 1934 | |
| To E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} from Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}2/E6.2.34 - 3 - With regard to the Bentley, my present feeling is that this should remain a 6-cylinder. We shall then have rather a nice range, the 40/50 HP 12-cylinder, the 20/25 - or as it may have to be called, the 25/30 HP with an 8-cylinder engine and the 3 1/2-litre Bentley with 6 cylinders. If the engine of that car has to be a little bit rough, it does not worry us so long as it is generally no more noisy than the present car. Anyhow, we can leave that in the background for the moment and concentrate on the straight-8 for the 20/25 as soon as you have got the SpectreCodename for Phantom III engine off your drawing boards. I am not keen that you should work in parallel on a double-6 because I feel that it will be a dissipation of energies with the ultimate result of delaying a stright-8. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} | ||