Rally Rolls-Royce

At a small champagne-party at the Park Ward works at Willesden on January 16th, journalists and well-wishers were shown the Rolls-Royce which W. M. Couper and Desmond Scannell were taking on the Monte Carlo Rally.

A delightful four-door Park Ward saloon, it had just come in from a test=run to Wales and back, during which it did nearly 17 m.p.g. and showed no signs of a single oil leak. Most interesting feature of the body is the rear wheel spats, which are normally locked in their places, but which swing out and backwards on hinged members to give access to the wheels.

A single spare Dunlop-shod wheel is accommodated in the luggage boot, this swinging on a pivotted arm, for easy removal. Two small detachable compressed-air bottles were carried in case tyre inflation was needed. Three fitted suitcases are accommodated on a shelf above the spare wheel and is lamp illuminates the entire boot. Special Rally equipment included two thermos flasks, full demisting, anti-frosting and screen washing, a blind isolating the front and rear compartments, wheel chains, two chromium-plated spades, a map lamp, and car cleaning material in the driver’s locker.

Other equipment includes radio, heater, torch, fire extinguisher, roof net, barometer, altimeter, under-bonnet lamp, and a cocktail cabinet. The driver’s window and deep bench-type front seat are power operated, tables are fitted to the back of the front seat, there is a pocket in the rear-seat armrest, further pockets in the rear quarters and tables, pockets and lockers in the front doors. The car weighs 42 cwt. We are describing it at some length because, by the time these words are in print, it should have won the Comfort Prize for Britain.—W. B.