1961 American Models

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29245, 1 July 1960, Page 9

1961 American Models

yyHEN the new American models are announced in October, smaller big cars and bigger small cars will be the trend. Four new large-size compacts are to be introduced, three from General Motors and one from Chrysler This means there will be ten cars selling in the compact range next year, indicating the great reception which has been accorded the reduction in size 'of American models. Same Models

The existing compact models of Falcon, Comet, Corvair, Valiant, Rambler and Lark will continue in production after being given a slightly newer look. The bigger compacts soon to be seen are the Pontiac Tempest the Buick SpeciaL the Oldsmobile F-85 and the Chrysler Lancer. Only the Tempest will be distinctively styled and bear no relation to the standard models. The Buick and Oldsmobile are basically scaled-down versions of the conventional models, while the Lancer is a big brother of the Valiant, with close styling ties.

In keeping with the trend to reduce car size, many of the 1960 conventional models will also find themselves shrinking. Some cars have been cut in length by five inches, and Cadillac’s giant vehicles have taken in their belts three inches. The fins which were becoming quite ridiculous on some models will all but disappear. New styling features are rolled’edges and gracious curves rather than fared blades of recent years. Four-Cylinder

On the mechanical side, the most interesting new feature will be the Tempest’s engine. It will be the first four-cylinder unit in the American industry since 1953, and is reported in the “New York Times” to be radically different and more powerful. This car will also break new ground by having a transaxle A transaxle layout means the

engine is in front and the transmission and differential at the rear. This combination results’ in an ideal equal weight distribution over iront and rear axles, and also eliminates the huge tunnel hump that has worried designers ever since cars have become much lower.

General Motors will produce a new small V-8 aluminium engine. which’ will be standard on the Buick and Oldsmobile compacts and an optional extra on the Tempest. The engine will reduce the weight of the cars considerably. Neither Ford nor Chrysler will be presenting anything quite new on the engineering side.