LOOKING AHEAD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 248, 19 October 1937, Page 18

LOOKING AHEAD.

THE CAR OF TO-MORROW.

YOUNG DESIGNER'S IDEAS. i;u:i; Axcrc, ykt simplicity. (My KIMVAKI) \V. MOKHINON.) DKTKOIT, September 2. '" To engineers iind designer* for the (■VlllMlll AI. >(<> I" ■* ('()I|)UI;|| inn, iuul to student* of automobile development as ■ well, fell the roll- of crystal guzi'is n~t they studied recently tlit- thousands of ; piitrnnlrt in the model rar competition of tho KUher llndv ( r,i ftei man's Guild. Aliliougli the models that were entered I in tin , content were built by youngsters bi'twi-Pii the nges of 12 and 19, ine.n whn arc responsible for the shape of tho cur i of to dfiy and to-morrow scnitini«ed I them with utmost intercut. j The boy of to-day is the potential nutiimnbile owner of to-morrow. What kind of cur docs ho want? Olliriala of! t ho l''i«her Body Corporation iit»ke<l themselves that when they started the con te-it. And what kind of enr do hi* parents vimiitlUe us ideal in design? Streamlining Looks Permanent. Streamlining ;* liere to stay, the youngsters indicated by their work. Their tiny cars — none of them with a wheel hu«B of more tlinii 10 inches- - followed the trend of the seniors in the automobile business to thnt extent. The "teiir-drop" enr wim modified by most of the youngsters, however. While showing a preference for graceful contours, they eeemed to turn away from iiltra-modefn lines and sweeping lengths for either tho front or rear of the car. Whether by conscious direction or by the fact thnt fancy appurtenances were not e«sy to duplicate in eueh email cars, the youthful designer** were sparing in their u*e of grill work. Their model* emphasised elegance, yet simplicity. Angles and sharp lines were minimised as much ns poosible in projecting the radiators. Many of the youthful builders nought apparently for a fine symmetry thnt would catch both radiator shell and front fendere in one effect. Rear Engine Possibilities. Light.* were popularly set in the fenders. The problem of lights was not always easily solved, nevertheless. One entrant perched a lamp above the front of his ear, after the fashion of a locomotive lamp. Another contestant made provision for air cooling in his model. Hβ designed his car so that it would draw air in through a grill in the front, filter the air before it passed into the ear, then distribute it by a fan and expel it at the rear. If these miniature automobiles reflect the trend for the future then the running I board may be expected soon to dis- | appear. There was an obvious attempt to utilise all the spaee within the fender width of the car. One of the models on display made a compartment within the door to carry the spare tyre. The contestants gave much attention to rear engine possibilities. In fact, a high percentage of the models were built for rear engine mountings. Here many of the youngsters ran into trouble attempting to balance the need* of the engine against the seating requirement*. However, even the most competent of the automotive engineers foresee difficulties in the practical application of rear engine principles.—N.A.X.A.