Power Steering

Sir,

I find W.B.’s comments on Triumph Stag and Rolls-Royce power-assisted steering interesting. Years ago I used to demonstrate the first ever production Silver Clouds with PAS and soon realised that, the better the driver my prospect was, the longer he took to feel at home with the new steering. If a customer told me straight away how good the steering was, it was a sure sign that was in for a terrifying drive!

Recently, I have done a great deal of continuous driving in a Stag. To begin with, it took me a good month to get used to the PAS. After that, I found it quite delightful. But if I use another car for a day or two, it always takes some time to acclimatise when I return to the Stag. I find exactly the same applies with the Silver Shadow now with infinitely lighter steering than the Silver Cloud of 1957.

Manufacturers’ development engineers no doubt live too long with their own products, but after all they must evolve a final solution intended for the majority of customers who will drive that car pretty exclusively, and not for the few like W.B. and me, who probably get too much variety.

It seems to be a question of what one’s used to. My own critical faculties are perhaps dulled to the extent that I am perfectly happy with both Stag and Silver Shadow steerings as they are.

Selby. M. Redart