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).
Performance review and road test report of a motor car named 'Bertha'.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 97\3\ scan0231 | |
| Date | 18th July 1939 | |
| Page No 2 PARIS Sr21/Dm{D. Munro}18.7.39 Bertha In my opinion, this is the finest motor-car the firm ever put on the road. It is, as near as possible, a complete motor car in every sense of the word. One must bear in mind that the car is fitted with a six seater facing forward type of body, and should therefore be driven in accordance with the number of passengers etc., it was intended to carry, but if one wishes to forget the fact that the body on the chassis has been built for the elderly type of customer with a large family and lots of luggage, one can do so and the car follows. It is absolutely amazing the way this car will run along mile after mile at 80 or 90 m.p.h. (genuine miles) with the greatest of ease and with unvarying water temperature, oil pressure, etc. The steering whilst being agreeably light is free from road shocks and the car goes down some of the most undulated French roads at speeds varying between 80 and 90 m.p.h. extremely well without any effort of the driver to keep it straight, which is not the case with the streamlined model at present at these speeds. Bertha will take bends as fast as most motor-cars of the "sports type", whilst on the other hand, one can drive the car as if it were an electric vehicle with unlimited power. It was very rare on the Alpine passes that one had to get into second gear. When this was done, the acceleration on the worst passes was remarkable. Without a doubt - the most amazing feature of this car is the steering lock. This seems to be unlimited, and the bends in the various passes we went through were negotiated with two or three exceptions without a reverse, snow being responsible on these occasions. As regards speed, averages of over 60 m.p.h. were easily maintained over stretches of road from, for instance Lyon to Saulieu, where there are numerous bends to negotiate. The springing at the rear was found to be good, on condition that the car is handled properly, and consideration given to the type of body fitted, otherwise it can be somewhat bumpy. The front of the car is a little too free for certain Continental roads especially when one has to negotiate "canivaux" (water gulleys) and certain unpleasant level crossings, when the fore-part of the car crashes badly. The power unit is simply wonderful, with never a sign of any sort of failure. The engine starts up at once, even after being run 125 kms. at speeds rarely dropping below 90 m.p.h. on the Milan-Turin Autostrada with an air temperature of 31° Centigrade. The.... | ||