Rolls-Royce power outputs

Road & Track points out that the Rolls-Royce policy of never disclosing the power output of its engines has been broken since Gray Marine has concluded an agreement with R.-R. for marketing the current light-alloy V8 power unit in America. The 1962 engine with 8-to-1 c.r. is quoted as developing 240 b.h.p. at 4,200 r.p.m., and the 1963 version, with modified carburation and 9-to-1 c.r., nearly 257 b.h.p. This is not very impressive from a 6 1/2-litre engine, remembering that the 4 1/2-litre V8 Daimler Majestic Major gives 220 b.h.p. at 5,500 r.p.m. and that the Jaguar E-type pokes out 250 b.h.p. on an 8-to-1 c.r., 265 b.h.p. on a 9-to-1 c.r., from under 4-litres.

However, do Road & Track have all the facts, apart from the R.-R. figures being the net, not the gross, outputs? It could be that the marine engine has an iron head, for usually light-alloy is a bad material for use in boat engines. Or the powers quoted may not be at the maximum permissible crankshaft speed. We would like to know but shall be surprised if Rolls-Royce Ltd. tell us.—W. B.