TESTING CUSTOMER REACTION

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31123, 28 July 1966, Page 13

TESTING CUSTOMER REACTION

(THE car market is highly * competitive in most of the world, and manufacturers have realised that if they want high sales they must give the public what it wants. More than ever before this has led to emphasis being placed on market research, and as part of this research large firms, mainly in the United States, are regularly producing “idea” or experimental cars designed to test public reaction to new developments and design ideas. The latest announcement in the idea car field comes from American Motors, makers of the Rambler, who have recently unveiled four experimental cars in the United States. These cars are now

being shown throughout the I U.S. to representatives of radio, television, the motoring and daily press, and members of the public. The fate of the new ideas incorporated in the design of these cars will almost certainly depend on the views these persons express about the vehicles. . The experimental designs include the 108 in wheelbase Cavalier, a fresh design using interchangeable quarter panels, doors, bonnet and rear deck: the Vixen, a two-door version of the Cavalier: the AMX, an advanced fastback design; and the AMX 11. The company says the new cars are not prototypes, but that reactions to the innovations will have a substantial bearing on future designs.

i The Cavalier presents a design which permits the interchange of body panels from front to rear and from side to side. The right front fender and rear left fender are identical, as are their opposite quarter panels. Bonnet and deck lid are the same, permitting production from one set of dies. The four doors are produced from two sets of dies rather than four. Front and rear bumpers are identical and may be interchanged.

The high degree of interchangeability offered by the design could provide savings of 25 per cent or more in body tooling costs. It offers interesting possibilities for the world markets, where parts inventories and body repairs are an important consideration.

Safety is also explored in the Cavalier design. The cantilevered roof panel has a built-in roll bar, and exterior doors handles are eliminated by using flush push-type door buttons. The unique rear deck lid can be opened to the normal position or elevated to the height of the roof for carrying large, bulky items, such as small trees or high-stand-ing boxes and furniture. This is made possible through the use of dual-action scissor-type hinges on the lid. The Vixen is a sports-type, semi-fastback adaptation of the Cavalier design, with many of the same features of interchangeability. The AMX fastback is powered by American Motors’ re-

cently-introduced 290 cubicinch V 8 Typhoon engine. The roof panel is the cantilever type and includes a built-in roll bar. The self-supporting roof permits the use of extremely thin windshield pillars for panoramic vision. The AMX II is a modified version of the fastback theme introduced in the AMX. Its larger dimensions permit additional features, including a full-size boot. Wide dual reverse air scoops are recessed into the hood. Windshield - wiper blades are concealed by a panel which rises when wipers are switched on. The grille has retractable headlight covers. New tail-lights are divided into three colour sections. Green lights indicate the car is in motion, amber lights show when the driver removes his foot from the accelerator, and red lights appear when braking.