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).
Steering difficulties and comparing the 20 HP and 40/50 models against a Sunbeam.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\S\March1928-May1928\ Scan199 | |
| Date | 25th May 1928 guessed | |
| contd :- -2- A customer who has always quoted the 20 HP. Sunbeam steering against us, admitted the other day that the latest 20 HP. RR. steering was now much superior to that of the Sunbeam. If any big car has, what is considered an all round better steering than the 40/50, we should be only too interested to try it, but increase in parking difficulties as well as speed range have not simplified the problem. Perhaps it is not generally realised that low speed riding comfort and a big car with plenty of head room, are diametrically opposed to reasonable car control at high speed, and it is in the suspension portion of the steering problem, both tyres, centre of gravity, and road springs that our main difficulty lies. Perhaps the easiest way of emphasising this point is to compare the steerings of the 20 HP. and the 40/50 : on the fomer the speed range is much less, the centre of gravity is lower and the car smaller, while parking is materially easier for the same overall ratio, hence we are not criticised on this car to any extent. HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rn.{Mr Robinson} | ||