THE NEW FORD CAR.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 276, 22 November 1927, Page 17

THE NEW FORD CAR.

BATTUE WITH RIVALS EXPECTED.

DELIVERY AGAIN POSTPONED.

Motorists, here as well as in America, are awaiting with keenest interest the stern and bitter struggle that is developing between Henry Ford, the multimillionaire motor manufacturer, and his powerful American rivals, says the "Weekly Dispatch," London.

His greatest competitor is a huge manufacturing trust with closely linked-up interests in all branches of the industry. It is the most powerful combination the 60-years-old millionaire has ever faced, and the fight will be the biggest in the history of the motor car.

_ Ford has his back to the wall this time, and the question being asked on all sides is, "Can he come back?" —that is, come back to his former supremacy.

Since October last, the great Ford works at Detroit have been practically silent, although a small section of expert engineers have been busy on the "Great Secret."

The new British-made Ford car, specially constructed for the home maris expected to make its appearance early in the new year, simultaneously with America. As in the case of the American product, nobody knows what it will be like, or what it will cost.

Then will start this Titanic struggle between Ford and the huge American corporation which is out to fight him to the death.

Discussing the coming struggle Sir Harold Bowden, chairman of the Raleigh Cycle Company, who is fully conversant with the situation, declared that in his opinion Henry Ford would win in the long run.

"I have heard that a big corporation "will undercut Ford in a price-cutting war," he said, "even if they have to sell cars at a loss. Why any corporation should assume the 'right to ,try and kill Henry Ford I cannot conceive. A price-cutting war between two giants in industry cannot be a popular thing, for it will be bad for the whole community. 'It may bring in its train bad timet *nd even disaster to many firms engaged in the motor industry, not only to U.S.A., but also in this country, as well as to hundreds of firms indirectly connected with the motor industry. '"Neither will the public benefit. Sensational reductions in prices on such terms will probably be at the expense of quality and efficiency, for there is no better value for money in the world to-day than a motor car."

The latest mail brings a definite state-, fflent from Henry Ford that his new car would not be in the dealers' hands by December 1. This has announced to the Ford dealers that the end of their ■waiting is a long way off. The Ford organisation wants to be more than sure of being able to carry out a nation-wide programme of delivery to dealers before any definite <Jate is set for tlie appearance of the new car.