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).
Petrol tank capacity and fuel consumption for the Bentley Cresta.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 111\4\ scan0128 | |
| Date | 26th January 1939 | |
| toZZ 800a SECRET. By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Da{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} c. Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/JBD.{John B. Dixon - Fuel Systems} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}3/R.26.1.39. Petrol Tank Capacity Bentley Cresta. With reference to Da{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}4/M.25.1.39., we are anxious that the Bentley Cresta shall retain a first-class performance in spite of the fact that it has a reasonable amount of room in it. For this reason we are in favour of fitting to it the petrol tank designed for the Continental Bentley, which, we understand, holds 19½ gallons. With an electrically-operated reserve tap, it should be possible to use 18 gallons of this. Since the consumption of the car depends largely on its weight and not on its engine capacity, we believe that gallons will give the Cresta a satisfactory range for all normal conditions. We do not see why we should consider the owner who wants to drive the car all out on an autobahn without ever lifting his foot off, so much as an ordinary customer. If driven continuously @ 60 m.p.h., the present standard Bentley will do at least 22 miles to the gallon with the overdrive if the speed is held constant, the car weighing 34½ cwts. From the weights of the second Bentley 50, we anticipate that with light alloy drums, the Cresta Bentley will not weigh more than 37½ cwts. If, therefore, the consumption is 10% worse, we may expect the Cresta to do 19 miles to the gallon, or a range on 18 gallons of 340 miles. We believe that we should provide a special tank for a special owner and sell it him at an additional cost, and that if it is possible to make this into a 25 gallon tank, it would be advisable. It does seem to us that to produce a 19 gallon tank and a 22½ gallon tank is not in accordance with the idea of a rationalised programme, i.e., to make two entirely different tanks with a difference in capacity of 10% is not reasonable. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||