CHANGE FORESEEN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 236, 5 October 1937, Page 18

CHANGE FORESEEN.

MANUAL GEAR SHIFT, i

IN DISCARD BY 1940 T

BANK OF MOTORISTS.

(By EDWARD W. MORRISON.) DETROIT, August 14. The niost-tnlked-of innovation in the new car models for IMS will be the automatic genr shift. Hie work the engineers have been doing for the last

two years toward eliminating the genr shift lever is bearing fruit. Conse

t|iiently, at least mx to eight companies are prepared to offer changes in transmission that will lighten the work of the ili iver.

The notion of Oldsniobilt , in introducing automatic gear r-liifts on its models la*t .lime was a forerunner of the impending changes. l'rc\ iously. Hudson had nlTcred option;il equipment that dUciinh'd tlie old floor lever. wliir ha* been the Irnne of ninny wnmon drivers as well a* inexperienced motorists of all njf<". The belief is general in motor circles that tlie manual pear shift in doomed to disappear altogether within the next 21 month'. Not only are the automobile companies trying to simplify the operation of n cur. but they nre alno trying to the front sent rider* more ro..>m for the sake of comfort and safety.

Onco tliP automatic ppnr shift i= est.ihliahpil ns n ili'linite part of motor r(|uipinont it is certain to !>p universally ndiiptofl. For n time it is likely to remain on the majority of rnr* as nn item for whk-h there is 8om"» extra ehnrjTP. Like other iinproveiuente. it. will henefit eventually from quantity produetion. however, until it ha* becomo part and parrel of the stork car.