NEW GERMAN LIGHT CAR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22262, 9 November 1935, Page 8 (Supplement)

NEW GERMAN LIGHT CAR

A revolutionary German light car, known as the D.K.W., and manufactured by a member of the Auto-Union group, will be marketed in Australia shortly. One of these cars has already been imported into the Commonwealth, and a further shipment will arrive before the end of the year. One model is a two-cylinder car, rated for registration purposes at sixhorse power, but developing 20-horse power at 3500 revolutions a minute, giving it a remarkably good power to weight ratio. The wholo car, with fiveseater sedan coachwork, weighs only about Ucwt. The two cylinders are vertical, and have a bore and stroke of 75 mm., and are fed with gas from a third cylinder, known as the charging chamber, which gives much the same effect as a supercharger except that it also assists in scavenging the

cylinders. It is one of the first cars to break away from the accepted engine design, which has remained unchanged practically since cars first appeared on the road. It is claimed the car performs surprisingly well considering its all-round economy. It is stated to bo capablo of pulling five passengers up the average hill in top gear, and to have excellent acceleration. Another D.K.W. model being manufactured in Germany has an engine designed somewhat like a V 8 motor, except that four of the cylinders serve only to charge and assist in scavenging the four working cylinders. The performance of these little engines rivals that of a large twin motor-cyclo engine as regards economy.