Rolls-Royce and the Pursuit of Speed

The former head of the Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust, with unrivalled access to archives, tells the story of Rolls-Royce's involvement in over a hundred years of speed record attempts.

Ever since the Honourable Charles Rolls and Henry Royce (later Sir Henry) came together at their famous meeting at the Midland Hotel in Manchester, UK in 1904 the name Rolls-Royce has been synonymous with striving to be the best.This story will tell the story of that pursuit of being fast and reliable through some of the many of speed records that Rolls-Royce has achieved over more than 110 years. From those early pre-First World War car races where Rolls-Royce motor cars were pushed to the limit to Rolls-Royce’s later involvement with aviation, where speeds were pushed higher and higher with events such as the Schneider trophy races. The story ends with Rolls-Royce looking beyond the use of oil to the new electric-powered future with electric aeroplane speed record. The innovation needed to achieve these records will be explored along with some of those involved telling their own story of their involvement.