THE MOTOR WORLD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19905, 27 September 1926, Page 5

THE MOTOR WORLD.

By ACCELERATOR. (Continued from page 4.) MOTOR NEWS FROM GREAT BRITAIN. By R.A.C. BODY DESIGN. One of the many problems that confront the coachbuilder is the design of a body so as to be truly in keeping with the charocterictics of the chassis. Nothing is more ridiculous than a body on the lines of that of a racing car placed upon a chassis only capable of very moderate speeds. A very good new example of harmony as between the body and chassis is to be found in a special open touring body recently produced for use on the 14-30 h.p. fourcylinder and short 18-50 h.p. six-cylinder Armstrong-Siddeley chassis. The adjustable V-shaped windscreen, doors and stern are sloped at the same a»gle, producing a subtle suggestion of speed, which is furthei emphasised by the well-known Vshaped Armstrong-Siddeley radiator. Comfort is in no way sacrificed to appearance. For example, the front doors, owing to the deep, wide slope of their leading edges anti the fact that they are hinged to the centre pillars, make both entrance and exit an extremely simple matter. The driver’s seat is rapidly adjustable without the driver moving his position, and the accommodation for tools, and luggae is admirable. According to the Autocar, a coming development in the popular open-closed inexpensive type of body will take the form of wind-up celluloid windows. The lightness, safety, and ease of operation of this type of window in conjunction with an allweather top is bound to lead to its extended use. Certainly one of the most important recent developments in the British light-car industry is the manufacture of comparatively low-powered cars with quite luxurious saloon bodies. An excellent example is the new Galloway Twelve. Under ordinary travelling conditions the power is adequate for the weight of the body, which is by no means great .though the accommodation is ample and. in fact, luxurious. There are. of course, _ some districts in which the type is unsuitable, but there are many others in the overseas markets in which a moderate-priced, moderate-powered and fully-enclosed car of this type should help materially to stimulate the demand for British vehicles. STATISTICS ’OF EXPORT TRADE. Some information recently issued by the statistical department of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders is very interesting as showing the development of British trade in the overseas markets. It appears that in 1923 the whole production of the British industry amounted to about 88.000 cars, of which about 6250 were exported. In that year the export represented only just about 7 per cent, of the total production. By 1924 the -aggregate production had risen to 132,000 and the export to about 15,600, or nearly 12 per cent, of the total. By 1925 the total production had risen to 153,000 and the export to over 29,000, or very nealry 20 per cent of the total. It will be seen that, while the whole production has been almost doubled in the space of three years, the export in 1925 was very nearly five times as great as it was two years earlier, and, in fact, amounted to not less than about one-third of the total production of 1923. Tlie figures in respect of motor cycles, issued by the British Cycle and Motor Cycle Manufacturers’ Union, are even more remarkable In 1922 Great Britain exported 7280 motor cycles, while nearly 16.000 were exported by America. Three years later American exports had risen by about 50 per cent., reaching a total fo a little less than. 24.000. Meanwhile, British exports had risen by over 500 per cent., and had reached the excellent annual total of 46,642. Provided that the rate of export for the first throe months of 1926 is maintained, the aggregate overseas trade of this year should amount to not less than 60.000 machines. This years car show at Olympia opens on October 2] and the Motor Cycle and Cycle Exhibition on October 4, and it will be interesting to see whether, by that time, still further significant figures are available. MOTOR CYCLING SUCCESSES. The success of British motor cycles has undoubtedly been largely influenced by their victories in races and trials throughout the world. 1 ,ead in the Motor Cycle that among events recently won by British machines are the French Grand Prix, the Italian Grand Prix, the Austrian TAT., tho trench 24-hour Road Race, and the German Solitude Road Race. In the Austrian T.T., the winning machine was a 3.49 . overhead valve 8.5., similar to that which recently won the Three-mile Solo Championship of Western Austialia. In the Czecho-Slovakian 1000 Ivilomtro Reliability Irial 10 B.S.A.’s wore entered and 10 finished without losing a mark, gaining. 10 gold medals and the team prize. Even in those eases in which foreign machines are successful, one frequently finds that the winning cycles are fitted with British engines. Thus the winner of the .Donzelle Hill Climb in Switzerland rode a machine fitted with a Villiers 1212 c.c. engine, which attained this success, despite its small dimensions, on a climb having a gradient in places of about 1 in 3. In France a. foreign machine fitted with a 172 c.c. Villiers engine has lowered its own world’s record for its class for the standing kilometre. In British motor cycling event? tho foreigner nowadays seldom makes anything of a show. Particularly in reliability trials ho is up against a very stiff proposition. A fair example of the sort of thing he may expect from his leading British competitors is to bo found in the fact that in the 1925 Edinburgh run 16 Matchless machines started, and obtained 15 gold medals. In the London to Lands end run 17 Matchless machines were entered and 1/ finished, gaining nine gold and eight silver medals and a special prize for silence. NEW MODELS. Some quite interesting new British models of motor cycle have recently been introduced in what may be called the 6 horsepower class. Thus the latest Rudge-Writ-worth is rated at 4.99 horse-power, and is guaranteed capable of gaining a speed of 80 miles an hour. As normally delivered from the works, however, the compression is somewhat reduced for ordinary touring purposes by the fitting of a piate on the base of the cylinder. With the compression raised by the removal of this plate and with special tuning up, speeds of well over 90 miles an hour have been attained. The latest Triumph production has an engine of 4.94 c.c. capacity, and is known as tho do luxe Sports model. It is quite distinct from the Model “P,” and does not replace or compete with it. Amongst special details of design one notes the aluminium alloy piston with a fully floating gudgeon pin bearing directly on tho metal of the piston; also the oil filler on the rear of the gear box, so positioned that it is impossible to overfill the box. The new model is marketed at a low price, and should have a very wide appeal.