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).
Secret memo discussing the licensing and secrecy surrounding the 'Spectre' car model.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 138\3\ scan0178 | |
| Date | 4th March 1935 | |
| SECRET. To Wm. from Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} re SpectreCodename for Phantom III License. Copy to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}Wer. Referring to recent memos., curiously enough I do not remember anything about agreeing that the first SpectreCodename for Phantom III license should be as for a Phantom so far as the number of cylinders was concerned, though quite possibly I may have agreed that it should have been called a Phantom. I do remember a discussion about what we could do to help the secrecy question when the time came for the car to go to France and whether we could 'make a mistake' on the papers and call it a 6-cylinder, but that we came to the conclusion that this would be useless because the engine has to be actually examined. I feel that we cannot risk a false statement and that there is no other course open to us than to surrender the present license for the SpectreCodename for Phantom III and run it and the other car on trade plates for the present. I do not feel that this should attract much attention to the cars whilst in your neighbourhood as there must always be RR cars around with trade plates. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} | ||