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).
Report discussing the benefits of vehicle streamlining, referencing competitor designs, and proposing wind tunnel work.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 161\1\ scan0003 | |
| Date | 6th April 1936 | |
| -2- Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}16/KW.6.4.36. Taking the results achieved by Dubonnet, it will be seen from the attached table that if Bentley windage could be reduced in the same manner, the result at 60 M.P.H. on improved acceleration would be equal to reducing the car weight by over 9 cwts. Even at 40 M.P.H. the acceleration would be improved by 7%, while at 80 M.P.H. this would be raised to 32%. Another way of demonstrating the improved efficiency is in petrol consumption. The normal Ford does 16.4 M.P.G. at 60 M.P.H., the Dubonnet car 26.2 M.P.G. at the same speed. In our opinion the technical advantages of streamlining are so great that the adoption of the principle is inevitable, and will be delayed only as long as is necessary to accustom the public to the changed appearance of the motor car. The attached photograph shows a modern treatment of the conventional front engined chassis. That it is not possible to accelerate this process of evolution too greatly has been indicated by the Airflow Chrysler, which has not been generally accepted as having a pleasing outline, but is now coming to look less abnormal. It is of course accepted that our clientele is probably the most conservative in the world, and for this reason our main concern at present is confined to knowing what other manufacturers are gaining from reduced windage, and whether there is any small modification that can be made to our products to improve their drag; as an example, the "Panhard" wing was worth having. Briefly, we are proposing to spend a small sum annually on wind tunnel work. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||