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).
Post-war car programme planning, design constraints, and a proposed list of models.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 153\3\ scan0235 | |
| Date | 12th January 1944 | |
| -2- Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}1/JH.12.1.44. high demand for cars. Reliability and a "continuity of the breed" are essential, and therefore new features demanding lengthy development are ruled out, as well as radical changes in appearance. (b) The maximum amount of drawing and planning must be carried out prior to the end of the war, in order to reduce to a minimum the period B to E of getting into production from the word "go". Certain price reductions must be made, and smaller models must be introduced to suit Post War Economic conditions. The buying public are always suspicious of post war models, and fear they may not equal those of the pre-war era. Therefore such a period seems ill-suited for any radical change in appearance in particular that affecting the bonnet and radiator. The Modernisation of an existing appearance provided the original characteristics are not lost, I suggest, is not ruled out. Very considerable design and planning work has to be carried out in order to achieve this simple post-war programme. For reasons of safety it is suggested that we should work assuming the war will terminate towards the end of 1944 and regard any extension of this period as gratuitous. The programme as given below and outlined in Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}10/h.22.12.43.meets the above conditions in general. (1) 11ft. 1 in. wheelbase - 8 cyls. - R.R. "Silver Phantom". (2) 11ft. 1 in. wheelbase - 6 cyls. - R.R. "Silver Wraith". (3) 9 ft. 2 in. wheelbase - 4 cyls - R.R. "Silver Ripple". (4)10 ft. 10 in. wheelbase - 8 cyls. - Bentley (3.B.50) "Comet". (5)10 ft. 4 in. wheelbase - 6 cyls. - Bentley - "Cresta". (6)10 ft. 4 in. wheelbase - 6 or 8 cyl. - Bentley - "Corniche" (Paulin Body). I would venture to suggest, however, that the 10 ft. 10" wheelbase of No.4. model, the Comet is redundant. The long front end has been maintained to accommodate an 8 cyl. or a 6 cyl. engine and to reduce the front end frame types to four in all, yet a new frame is demanded for this model because the rear body base is 3 ins. less | ||