New Small Hillman Model

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32233, 27 February 1970, Page 11

New Small Hillman Model

A new, compact, fourdoor saloon called tbe Avenger ha. been announced in Britain by ; Rootes Motors, and it is expected to be on sale in Australia and New Zea- ! land next year.

' j 3 ' »* ■*«#» * I The car is about the same 3 size as a Ford Escort or a d Vauxhall Viva, but is said ' I to have more interior space. ?• Three models will be avail- td able: a standard version S with a 1250 c.c. engine, a J “Super" with a higher 1 standard of trim and the ,

same engine, and a “Grand Luxe” version, which will have luxury fittings and a 1498 C.c. engine developing D 3 b.h.p - The 1498 c.c. car has a top' speed of 90 m.p.h. and wiM accelerate from 0 to 80 m.p.h. in about 14.2 sec. The smaller-engined edr has a 1 top speed of 83 ntp.h. and will accelerate to 60 m.p.h, in about 16,5 sec. , The fourseater Hillman' Avenger is conventional in design, but has a completely new overhead-valve, fourcylinder engine. The car has rack and pinion steering—for the first time on a medium-sized Rootes Motors car—disc front brakes, and a four-speed all-syncromesh gearbox. The car is 13ft sin long and sft 2 jin wide. The body is about Bin shorter than a Hillman Hunter but gives almost- the same interior accommodation. Automatic transmis-. sion will be available. The car has individual front seats; and the sidewindows are curved to increase shoulder-room. Con-

' ! : : ‘ ■■ ' siderable attention has been paid to sound-proofing-the front suspension .it by' McPherson struts, and the rear suspension is by a live axle, which is mounted on coil springs and is located by diagonal links and trailing anas.. There ?at« about 3.8 turns nf the steering wheel from lock to lock, and the turning circle Is about 29ft. Both the engines are oversquare units, and both have The seats in the two cheaper versions are much the same, but the Grand Luxe model has more expensive seats with reclining backrests. The more expensive model also has more comprehensive instrumentation and reversing lights. In some markets the 1500 c.c. engine will be available as an option in the. cheaper cars. The Grand Luxe car will probably cost about $2600 in New Zealand, and the Cheaper 1250 c.c. car about $2lOO.