AUTOMOBILE TESTS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13740, 23 May 1910, Page 2

AUTOMOBILE TESTS.

PETROL CONSUMPTION AND SPEED.

I The petrol consumption and halfmile speed tests, promoted by the Canterbury Automobile Association, were held at the Metropolitan Trotting Grounds on Saturday "" afternoon. ■The event attracted a considerable amount"' of notice in motoring 'circles, ■ and . there was a ' fairly large attendance. The clay track was in very good,order for the '. event, and the amount of duet raised Iby the motor cars was surprisingly email. A good deal of time was occupied by the petrol consumption ttst, I which was a most interesting one from ' a motoring .point of view. The engines were all disconnected from their own petrol tanks, and connected with improvised tanks, each containing half a gallon of petrol. The cars were then ■in-until the' petrol gave out, and the instance covered by each car was measured. The various competitors i adopted widely diverse methods of getj tin? the beat out of their cars, somo driving at a rattling pace, and others proceeding at a rate which would ordinarily be described as fune- ; real. . The result of this test ■ cannot be made known at j once, as a mathematical calculation lias to bo made before the merits of the different performances can hs arrived at. The weight of the car, the distance cm-ered, and other considerations have .ill to be taken into the reckoning. The :-pced test was an interesting one, and onic remarkably good performances .vere put up. The distance covered was half a mile, from a standing start. The following are the actual times put up by the cars, but the award can only be made after the calculations have been completed:—. Class A, for care under 12 h.p. Xo. 16. Hcasre Bunco and Co. s Chcnam .Vc!c!:or,'rating 7.3, weight 16cwt lqr; time, l-.r. in 3-tsec. „ ~ Xo. 5. Mr B. O. Dixon's Sizairo Naudiii, rating 9.9, weight 17cwt 3qr; time, linin 9sec. ' Class B, for cars over 12 h.p. and up to i 30 h.p. Xo. 7, Mr C. P. Lock's AHdays, ' rating 13.2 weight 18ctvt 2qr 14lb; time, lmin IS 2-sth sec. ' Ko. 14, Messrs Bunce and Co. c Argyll, rating 13.7, weight 1 ton 4cwt 2qr; time, lmin 549ec. Xo. 17, Mr A. W. Lane's Marlboroii?h rating 18.02, weight 19cwt 3qr 211b; time lmin Oleec. Class C, for cara over 20 h.p. and up U 30 h.p. Xo. 2. Mr G. D. Macfarlane's Reo, ratin.7 21.6' weight 1 ton Ocwt 2qr 7lb; time, .miri II 2-sth ccc. Xo. 8, Mr A. E. Preece's Beo, rating 21.G weight 1 ton; time, lmin 4scc. Xo. <, Mr F. W. Johnston's Clement Tal hot. rating 22.3. weight 1 ton Bcwt 2qr 14lb; time, lmin 16 3-sth sec. Xo. 15. Messrs Bunce and Co.'s Austin, rating 22.6. weight 1 ton lewt Oqr li.'b; tin?p. lmin 9sec. Xo. 6. ilr A. Morten's Siddeky, Tntin? -23.2, weight I ton 3cwt Iqr2lb; time, lmin 17eec. Xo. 11, Messrs Adams, Ltd.,- Talbot, ratiiv--24.1. weight 1 ton Scwt lqr 211b; time, 56 1-oth sec. Xo. 12, Messrs Adams, Ltd., Talbot, rating ?».!. weight 1 ton 7cwt Oqr 211b; time, Xo. 9, Messrs W. B. Scott and Co.'s Vauxhr.ll, rating 24.3, weight 1 ton ocwt 3qr; time-. 4£: cc. Xo. 20, Messrs Dexter and Crozier's Belsizo. rating 24.53, weijzht 1 ton 4cwt nqr lilb; time, lmin 2 2-sth sec. Xo. 1. Mr A. L. Pratt's Rover, rating 26.0. weight 1 ton 4cwt oor Hlb; time, lmin 30»ec. Xo. 10. Mesera Dexter and CrorieT's Cadi'lac. rating 23.3, weight 1 ton scwt 2qr; time. olbcc. Xo. 19. Dr. Xeeky's Chalmers Detroit, rating 29.3, weight 1 ton ocwt; time, 56 3-Stl: sec. The following were the officials at the trials: —Judge, Mr R. English; chief observer and starter, Mr E. H. James: Assistant starfeer, Mr P. L. Hallenstein; time keepers, Messrs R. and W. Thompson,; secretary, Mr J£. Novdon.