THE SPRING DEMAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 232, 1 October 1929, Page 17

THE SPRING DEMAND.

SALES STEADILY MOUNTING.

SOME POPULAR FEATURES.

(By AUTOSCEIBE.)

The approach of summer, with its lon sunny days, has again heralded the usua spring demand in car sales throughou New Zealand, and garages are reportin; increased business. Car importers am those who assemble in New Zealani alike are increasing output to cope wit] the summer demand, which will set ii properly next month. Car sales follov a definite curve each year here, beinj lowest in the months of June-August and highest during the summer. Tin Easter period also stimulates sales, am whether this be late or early, it usualb means a period of activity for garages During the next six months there wil be several thousand new motorists ii the Dominion, and some thousands mon will have changed their old model fo) something more up to-date. This mean! that to-day there are thousands eagerlj watching the offerings of the various agents, summing up the various features and preparing to buy the cars that seen to give most value for their money These buyers may be divided up intc various classes according to their means and while some will be looking for tht cheapest and most economical cars, there will.be others to whom price is a secondary consideration. From Small To Large. What a wonderful variety of cars await the choice of the would-be motorist to-day, from the "baby" class cars up to luxurious eight-cylindered cars running well over the £1000 figure, It is for each agent or manufacturer to outline the features which he thinks will most appeal to discriminating buyers, and Aye will therefore content ourselves with summarising the principal features. A large number of English manufacturers have turned their attention to the very small car, with the result that to-day the New Zealand motorist is offered a wide choice in this class, at prices that are keenly competitive. There is little need to say much about these cars. They have been proved both in the racing field, and over the roughest of our New Zealand roads. They have obvious advantages in economy of runing,; and certain disadvantages in that their capacity is strictly limited. They appeal more, especially to people without families, or with small children, and certainly represent a great advance in putting motoring within reach of thousands who. would otherwise be unable to afford it. Most range around the £200 mark, either a little above or below, and the tendency during the last year or two has ,hpt been to reduce the price, but to include-more features at the same price— the thus getting better value than if the initial cost were cut down by a few pounds. Although it is sometimes asserted that the popularity of the ■ "four" is on the wane, and although the tendency to-day is for manufacturers to switch over to the sis-cylinder class, there are still many outstanding "fours" on the New Zealand market, these including both English, and American cars. The tendency is undoubtedly towards the closed sar, and comparatively few tourers are sold to-day in comparison with sales of five years ago. Like the small class cars, the "fours" include a wide range of models in the £200 class, although of course there are others going much higher up the price scale. Obviously a fourjylinder car will be cheaper to run than 3, "sis," and it will accomplish all that most motorists ask of their cars; therefore it will appeal to a considerable section of the buying public. This Season's Sales. If New Zealand sales this year follow n line with those of other countries, Jiere will be an increasing demand for ;he six-cylindered car, of which there are low a number of reasonably-priced models on the market. Manufacturers ire always out to give the public what t wants, and the public, elsewhere at any •ate, has said definitely that it wants a ow-priced "six." In the £200-£3OO class n the Dominion there are now several iix-cylinder cars, while a number of addi:ional six-cylinder jobs are found sellng at between £300 and £400. The tendency towards six-cylindered :ars cheaper in price than those of a :ouple of seasons ago, is shown by the lumber of "light sixes" turned out by nanufacturers whose reputations' have jeen built up on the heavier class of sixjylinder car. These light sixes will ippeal strongly to many buyers who vant the reserve .power of a six, but vant it without too great an increase in :ost. "We have pointed out above that the iix-cylindered car is necessarily dearer to -un than the four-cylinder one, but as ,he difference is often very slight, those vho use their cars over rough country •oads do not object to that small in:rease, in return for additional comfort tnd greater ease on the hills. Because of -his it is probable that "sixes" will comnand more than 50 per cent of New Zealand sales this season. Tourer or Closed? Recent sales .show that the majority if buyers are going in for closed cars. Che percentage of touring cars bought is lecoming smaller each year, and tlthough some buyers still prefer the reedom of an open car for the summer, he probabilities all point to the "sunnine" saloons as being the open cars of ,he future. For the benefit of those who iave not heard of these, it may be said hat they are an attempt tc combine the food features of the tourer with the unioubted comfort of the saloon. Their only [ifference from the ordinary saloon is hat they have a top which slides back, blowing the car, when the windows ire lowered, to be. as nearly an open :ar as the tourer, with the added advanage that the solid body keeps out all the vind. Certain features are common to all •ars—four-wheel brakes for instance — nit nearly every manufacturer includes some special feature which appeals to jome. It is for the would-be buyers ;o watch, advertisers' announcements ilosely, sum up the value of the different features they offer, and select the car