MORRIS TWELVE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 187, 21 May 1938, Page 5

MORRIS TWELVE

HIGH CRUISING SPEED. DRAUGHT-PROOF VENTILATION. The new Morris Twelve, by Britain’s largest motor manufacturer, is new from stern to stern, and combines a range of qualities and capabilities not previously obtainable in a car of medium size and liorse-power rating. It is essentially a modern car in the same sense that it provides a high cruising speed and extremely rapid acceleration, combined with excellent •road-holding and a degree of comfort and ease of control which realise to the full the pleasure of travel by road. The first thing a<bout the ear which impresses is the delightful interior. The seats are of arm-chair type and are mounted on floating springs, a system which is the last word in comfort. Upholstery is in soft leather. The rear seat has a folding centre arm-rest which is used when two passengers ride in the rear, and folded up when there is an additional passenger. This new Morris introduces a system of draughtproof ventilation which may be compared to_the finest air-conditioning systems of the day. Whatever the weather, every passenger enjoys fresh air without the smallest risk of exposure to a draught. The new instrument-panel groups all the dials compactly for easy reading. Immediately beneath is a parcel-tray which extends the full width of the dash —a feature which every woman will appreciate. Additional items are twin windscreen-wipers, sun-visor and a hand-brake lever so positioned that it is never in the way. As in all Morris cars, the now Twelve has safety glass in nil windows.

The luggage-carrying problem is solved by a compartment of ten cubic feet capacity at the rear, accessible by a door which, when folded down, provides additional luggage space in the form of a platform. The luggage compartment is completely weather-proof. Underneath is a. separate compartment where the spare wheel and tools are accommodated.

Introduced in this new Twelve, after exhaustive tests hy the Morris engineers, is a new overhead-valve engine which gives a 50-60 m.p.li. cruising spied with a remarkable smoothness and silence. Its power over a wide range of speeds combined with fourspeed -gears produces really outstanding hill-climbing. Indeed, one might well ask whether there are many cars on the road which could better this Morris on all-round performance. Road-holding, a characteristic which has always been associated with the Morris name, is conspicuously good in this newi model. The stability of the car at speed, its general steadiness and light, sure control give the driver real confidence no matter "what the road conditions may be. Special mention must be made of the Lockheed hydraulic brakes. Instantaneous adjustment is provided for by a hand-screw; all that needs to be done is to turn this screw until it is fully taken up; on being released the screw automatically returns a fraction, giving an_accurate and, mistake-proof adjustment. Adjustment of the brakes is therefore a matter requiring only a minute or so of time, and no skill whatever. Already widespread interest has been shown in the new Morris “Twelve.” wherever it has appeared.

PASSENGERS WHO DOZE. WHAT MAKES THEM SLEEP? Wliat is it that makes one’s passengers doze ? The poor driver sits stolidly at the wheel hour in and hour out, covering mile after mile with almost crushing monotony, but his passengers nod, shut first one eye and then the other, then both; they endeavour to look awake and intelligent, but finally they are gone. . . . Some sleep for a few minutes, others are cheerfully in the land of oblivion for much longer than the recognised 40 winks, but still the driver sticks to his post. My most regular passenger sleeps and so do many of my friends, writes R.J.P. in the “Motor.” This all led to a discussion recently in which the passengers endeavoured to Hatter me by saying that the dozing shows what confidence the occupants of the car have in their driver. The driver is concerned because ho is the only one who is doing any work. Furthermore, it is very irritating, indeed, to have taken a party out to see some particularly pleasing bit of countryside only to find that they have all passed out by the time you get there . . . and doze away while you pas 9 through. The driver suddenly sees something striking, draws attention to it, and all he gets in reply is a grunt or sniff. Bah!

Maybe it is because the passengers do not have to concentrate that they sleep ; if so, they can be excused. It is the nervous, highly-strung ones, that always stay awake. But when one really investigates it, drowsiness is probably caused by the motion of the ear and the various roadside objects apparently fleeting by. They make passes before the eyes and produce a lulling effect upon the brain. Can anyone tell me?