ENGLISH MOTOR CARS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 257, 30 October 1928, Page 17

ENGLISH MOTOR CARS.

GROUND CLEARANCE COMPARED.

EXPLODING A FALLACY

Following a slip on the side of the road in Taita Gorge recently it was reported in regard to the obstruction of the road that "the ruts and potholes weTe so deep that owners of low-built English cars felt rather diffident about proceeding," says "The Dominion."

This statement was brought to the notice of British manufacturers and agents, one of whom commented that it would not stand examination, and that is was a reflection on British cars } the makers of which were having an uphill fight in countering the prejudice created by the oft-repeated statement—but today mi justifiable—that English cars were too low and were unsuitable to New Zealand conditions. Speaking to a "Dominion" reporter, Mr. L. Ashcroft Edwards, agent for one of the best known British oars, produced a list of comparative ground clearance* of different types of cars, and as the figures best speak for themselves they are published herewith. They are:— Front Rear Make. Axle. Axle. Model "A" Ford llin 9}in Essex Sedan Six Tin 7Jin rk>dge Six (standard) .. "in "in Chevrolet t»in Slin Plymouth SUji Bjin Hudson "iin 7iin Whij>p«t- Sin 7in Falcon Knight Oin 9in Hunmobile Oin 9in Nash S?.in OJln Austin 12 lOJin SJin Standard Six f)in 81in Morris-Cowley sfiin .. Oiin Sjin Morris-Oxford oOin. ... Ojin SJin The use of the term "unsuitability of English cars in New Zealand" had been disproved long ago, said Mr. Edwards, and could less than ever be hurled at English cars since the visit to New Zealand of Mr. W. E. Morris, Mr. J. K. Starlev, Mr. Allen Fenn and other leading British motor experts, because models of English cars now in New Zealand were the direct result of the close investigations of the above gentlemen and manv others.