A LITTLE CAR WITH A BIG FUTURE

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29051, 13 November 1959, Page 16

A LITTLE CAR WITH A BIG FUTURE

This week, Stirling Moss tests the new Austin Seven, which should be availc'~le in New Zealand shortly. The cost in England for the de luxe model is £537. This article is reprinted by arrangement with the "Sunday Times."

E T WAS particularly in- = * terested to drive this E new British small car, be- = cause I feel that it repre--E sents the first piece of = really original thought E by our designer* in this = field for a very long a time. Wherea* the ConE tinentals have appreciS ated for some year* that z a small car should be a E vehicle in its own right— E the 2cv Citroen, Renault E Dauphine, and Fiat 600 E are examples—ours have E tended to rely on sealingE down their existing E larger models. E But the Austin Seven (and E the Mini-Minor, which is = almost the same car) repreE sents a completely, new conE ception, with its transversely- = mounted 848 c.c. engine, its front-wheel drive, and its inS genious including of the gearE box within the crankcase. By E retaining the conventional S engine position at the front, E the designer, Alec Issigonis, = has satisfied the slightly cons: servative outlook of the BriE tish motorist. Who is there that = doesn’t feel the engine gives E added protection in the event =of a head-on accident? By E mounting it across the car, E actually ahead of the front 5 wheel centres, he has provided E a quite surprisingly large = amount of passenger space in E a car which has the very miniE mum of overhang both back 2 and front. E Excellent Visibility

• I thought the visibility from : inside the car was excellent, • and the interior gives an im- ■ pression of well lit roominess; : the area of glass around the • passengers is first-class, and : there are no blind spots, : though I thought the small, : rear-view .mirror did not

nearly take advantage of the large rear window. I found that I needed the front seat at the full extent of its adjustment, but there was still room for the knees of the passenger directly behind. With the seat in this position, I found the switches, spaced along the centre of the lower edge of the dashboard, to be slightly far away, though the floor-mounted gear lever was conveniently placed. The seats, both back and front, are comfortable and give adequate support on a long run; the pedals are very well placed, and the clutch is light in operation. Austerity There is a sense of austerity in the interior finish—which, of course, one would expect in such an economically priced car—but I found everything there that I needed; what there is is good. There are strong roomy pockets in the doors and alongside the back seats, and the backrests of the front seats fold forward to allow people into the back; the opening, when these are tilted forward, is quite wide enough. I really enjoyed driving the little car, although my test run was shorter than I would have liked! In London’s traffic it represents as quick transport as you could find anywhere; a journey which normally takes me about 12 minutes in heavy traffic was cut down to eight without taking any chances. The steering is very accurate, and light, and I do not think

that anyone, who had not previously been told, would spot that the car is front-wheel drive. When I cornered it fast, with the power “on" (as every front-drive car should be handled), I noticed a very slight understeer—but not to the extent that would worry anyone; on the over-run there was no understeer, but a shade more tyre squeal. I would say that even a driver with relatively little experience could take liberties with the car without' finding himself in trouble of any sort. There is very little roll on cornefs, even when the full complement of passengers is carried, and the all-round independent suspension, using rubber instead of springs, gives a comfortable, level ride. Even though phe sits close to the engine, it is fairly quiet, although I noticed that the fan makes a lot of noise at the

higher engine speeds. The four- ; speed gearbox is smooth, and < the gear change precise, though.; I found I could quite easily ■ over-ride th*- synchromesh. ! Third gear is extremely useful, ; giving a top speed of around < 60 m.p.h., and I found I spent : most of the time in town using < this gear. : Luggage Space > ~ : Luggage space, actually in- • side the car, under cover, is : pretty small; but the boot lid ■ is hinged along its bottom edge : and is held securely in the hori- ; zontal position so that it cah ■ \ be used as a platform to carry : additional loads outside the; body. I found that there was ! no method of introducing cool: air into the car—except; through- the side windows: which slide horizontally and • ' can l -be-opened at either end. • As you ihay have read, I was : involved in a minor collision ■ , while /driving this car back: from Oulton Park. But let me; make it quite dear that it yas j not the car’s fault! ; Summing up, I would say : that the Baby Austin provides ; wonderful value for money. It: is far from being a sort of: underpowered “dodgem,” which • will be left behind the other: traffic; during the quite long ■ journeys I made with it I found ! I could equal—and often bet-: ter—averages I had previously • maintained in much bigger cars.: It is great fun to drive, agile; in traffic, and I think that there: will be a tremendous future: for it both in this : 1 \ ./ , countr y and abroad; ; '■ ‘. 7 , -’ J