THE SPORTS CAR.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 1 May 1926, Page 11

THE SPORTS CAR.

INCREASED POPULARITY. FASCINATION FOR SPEED. i Whatever our friend's the Communists may say, most of us are agreed that the spirit of competition is the salt of life. From the earliest days man has matched himself against man, especially in rivalry in speed. The racehorse, v .he whippet, and the greyhound each has its special place in our affections, and the battle of the swift thrills us still as no other form of contest has the power to do. So long as this spirit remains, the sporting car will find a public (says an Australian writer). It is not everybody’s car, of course, any more than the racehorse is everybody’s mount. It appeals chiefly to the young and adventurous, though there are many who are getting to the sere and yellow stage of life, and yet retain their old enthusiasm intact. It is not only from the competition point of view that the sporting car attracts. It gives an impression of life, of energy, of health, so To speak, which makes it a pleasure to drive. The strict utility car plods on sleepily, like a cart horse, as though bored with its job. The Sleepy Tourer. Compared with the sports car, the touring car is an invalid, lethargic and lacking the joy of life. It is the beast of burden, very useful and efficient in its own proper sphere, and answering admirably, the requirements of the great majority, but lacking those superlative qualities which raise motoring from a mere means of transport to the finest and most exhilarating pastime extant. Now, there are sports cars and sports cars, and some of them, one fears, belie their names. The stream-lined body and outside exhaust in some cases hold out promises which the engine is unable to fulfil. Their lines are attractive, and conjure up visions of speed, but their performance'is disappointing, and their price sometimes exorbitant. Then there are others. How they make one’s mouth water! If only they were within one’s reach! But we cannot expect to buy a thoroughbred at the price of a common hack. An Analysis.

Let us analyse the features which make the true sports car so attractive, and, incidentally, add so much to its cost.

First, it must have a very high powerweight ratio. The engine must be superefficient, yet sufficiently docile to make ordinary traffic driving pleasurable. It must not be a racing car, pure and simple, for most of its life will be spent in touring on the road, and its maximum speed will rarely, if ever, be required. Now, the super-efficient engine cannot be a cheap engine. Its moving parts must be ultfa light, and yet capable of withstanding enormous stresses. Its finish must bo beyond reproach; its balance as near perfection as human skill can make it; its clearances mathematically correct, for rough and ready methods bring friction in their train, and friction is the enemy of speed. This meticulous attention to detiil must extend to the chassis and transmission also. Lightness, combined with strength, is the problem the manufacturers must solve. The gears and trail--mission must be capable of standing up to the. strains imposed by the power of tin 1 engine and the high road speed. The weight must be properly distributed, and the steering lay-out welldesigned, if the road is to be held at speed. The body is the last consideration, it must be smooth and tapered, near as possible to true streamline form. It must, of necessity, be narrower than that of the touring car, for wind resistance must be reduced to a minimum, vet there is no reason rvliv comfort should be lacking. The slope of the seat and squab are important in this connection, as is the rake of the steering column ami the position of the controls. Leg-room should be ample, and controls adjustable, to suit the tall anl the short. The hood should come well forward without, restricting the field of view, and the lighting sot should be capable of supplying sufficient illumination to make night' driving at fairly high speeds reason abl v safe. The sports car public may be divided into two classes: those who appreciate liveliness and speed on the road, and those who are interested in the sportingside of: the pastime, and wish to enter for events in which a high standard of efficiency is necessary if success is to be attained.

In either case the discriminating purchaser will require proof of a car’s performance before he makes up his mind to buy. Whatever may be said in the ease of the touring car, there can be no doubt of the value of racing and com-

petition work in the case of tlie sports car. Apart from the lessons to be learned in the matter of material and design, successes on road and track will largely influence the choice of the purchase]-. He will follow the records of rival types with the greatest interest, and • analyse their performances with assiduity. In particular, he will be influenced" by the successes of standard cars, . driven by private owners, for these, from his point of view, are the most convincing proofs of all. A Limited Market. The sports car is for the discriminating few, and the demand for it is limited, but the choice, though comparatively narrow, is wide enough to warrant serious consideration. Such cars as the Sunbeam, the Vauxhall, Alvis, and the Bugatti are at the top of their class, and may always be depended upon to give a good account of themselves in any company. A little lower down the price scale are many fast and high-class cars, the names of which are daily becoming more and more familiar in the competition world. Among the smaller cars in the 750 c.c. and the 1100 c.c. there are the Austin 7, the Rover f), and the Amilcar. Now, apart from the foregoing, there are several considerations which will influence the choice of the amateur competition driver. If it is his desire to try his luck in reliability trials he will look for sturdiness, manoeuvrability, and gear ratios which will take him anywhere without a falter. If he be out for speed, his requirements are not quite the same. Power he must have and reliability, but lightness and roadholding properties are, at least, as important, while gear ratios present a problem which may well cause him wakeful nights. For liill-climbs and fast touring in hi-lly country, a close-ratio four-speed box is a great advantage. It not only enables one to suit the gear to the hill, but simplifies gear changing. The three-speed box often has steep steps between its ratios, each of which is eillier too high or too low for the best results on the hill on which these events most often are hold.

A special kind of accessibility is called for by the speodman. He wants to be able "to convert his car into as good an imitation of a racing car as he can, with as little trouble as possible. Running boards and wings should be removable, and as easily replaced, as should also such accessories as lighting and starting sets, hoods, screen, and the like. Unfortunately, it is seldom possible thoroughly to test a- car before, purchase, but a good idea of its performance may be obtained if the dealers are called upon to supply the following information :

1. Maximum brake-horse-power 2. Maximum r.p.m. on the road 3. Gear ratios.

4. Weight. With the aid of these data a few simple calculations will provide far more convincing answers to the questions which the' prospective purchaser will wish to ask than, the protestations of those who are interested in the sale of tin! car, aiid who may be tempted to stretch a point, here and there, iii their endeavour to make out a good case and so secure a purchaser.