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).
The development and testing of the B.III prototype Bentley, with preliminary performance figures.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 97\4\ scan0051 | |
| Date | 18th October 1938 | |
| -2- It is almost impossible to imagine how bad the suspension and directional stability of an 'M' Series Bentley is on a moderate French road until one has tried B.III. There is no doubt that B.III would be a good deal better if it were not so much higher than previous Bentleys. Sr. will be giving you a report on his views of the Bentley, compared with the present standard products, in due course. The programme with regard to 8.E.V. is that we have told Waller to complete his 15,000 miles' test as soon as possible, and bring the car back to Derby. We have had to do this because we are now without an even reasonably up-to-date B.III in the Experimental Dept., and we shall not get another one on the road until towards the end of November. We must, therefore, get this car back to enable us to carry on with development work. It is unfortunate that the controversy over coachwork should have put us in this position of being without a car to work on, but we shall have to try and make up for lost time. We are satisfied that by the time we reach the prototype B.III we shall have a car which is as much better than the present Bentley as the Wraith is better than the 25/30. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} FIGURES FOR PRELIMINARY RUN ON B.III. BELGIUM GERMANY CZECHOSLOVAKIA.FRANCE. MILES RUN - 1700 PETROL CONS.- 14.5 M.P.G. OIL CONS. - over 2000 M.P.G. BEST TIMED MAX. SPEED - 97.5 M.P.H. | ||