RACING CARS

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11649, 13 October 1923, Page 14

RACING CARS

SPEED NOT THE ONLY ESSENTIAL. Recent events have demonstrated that steed alone will not win races, for there were several cars faster than the victorious “Sunbeams” in the recent. Grand Prix, although the performances they put up clearly demonstrated that they were the best all-round cars in the race. No doubt by this time the care that took part in this classic road event are undergoing most minute examination, for all the dismantled parts are undoubtedly submitted to exhaustive teste for the purpose of discovering possible weaknesses that may not have actually developed as the result of the race. If the designs are slightly modified to give a greater degree of efficiency than is necessary for touring models, the same specifications for materials of construction are used in both the racing and touring models, so that from this point of view alone, racing is well worth while. MUST RESIST ENORMOUS STRAIN. Perfection in motor-car construction is only a relative term; but the nearest approach to mechanical perfection is to be found in cars that successfully resist the enormous stresses imposed byracing conditions. Steering, balance, ease of control, suspension, acceleration and braking, to mention but a few items at random, must be absolutely faultless in cars that fly round a race course for hours on end at the maximum speed of which they are capable. In short, the science of the designer, the art of the metallurgist, the pro- ' ductive genius of the manufacturer are as essential as the daring of the driver to produce results which will guide the energies of the makers in producing the touring models of to-morrow. ATTEMPT TO IMPROVE QUALITY. The racing programmes of big motor firms are not prepared with the mere object of gaining publicity of an extremely expensive kind, or of fostering the sporting instincts of the general public, but rather constitute a serious and organised attempt to improve the quality and durability. of cars which will eventually be handled by the private owner. Motorists in general owe a debt of gratitude to those firms who spend huge sums on racing, as well as to the drivers who risk their necks by participating in racing events.