Extreme Changes Possible In the Cars of 1936

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18355, 24 March 1934, Page 9

Extreme Changes Possible In the Cars of 1936

CPECULATION is rife as to the developments in ear design which are likely to bo witnessed within the next two years. Already many notable changes have been made in the lay-out of popular standard models, and numbers of freakish cars arc :n their experimental stages.

Some oversea authorities are of the opinion that if the public shows signs of a readiness to purchase unconventional vehicles a resolution in policy might sweep through the motor trade. It has even been predicted that as early as 1935 some well-known manufacturers might alter their plans entirely and produce rear - engined, streamlined cars in large numbers. Not only have many experts declared that sin'll n typo of engine mounting is the ideal one from the point of view of efficiency, but now that streamlining has apparently won popular favor and some factories intend to market fully streamlined models, the facilities afforded by rear engine suspension are an important factor. Then, again, should the public bo ready to buy such vehicles minor producers might be placed in ail enviable competitive position, for the larger manufacturers would be involved in colossal costs if they had suddenly to scrap much of their existing plant and install new machinery for the mass production of streamlined, rear-engined cars. It was stated that when Henry Ford decided to cease manufacturing the Ford model “T” and substitute tiic new "A" type the change-over cost many millions of pounds. That circumstance may probably delay the coming of revolutionary types which are now exciting so much interest, but there are some critics who believe that the present marketing of what might be described as ultra-streamlined models is a deliber ate step towards the introduction of rear-engined streamlined cars whose lines will conform to the vehicle produced in England some years ago by Sir Dcnnistoun Burney. Matiy rapid changes arc taking place in car design, and he would be a rash j prophet who ventured to forecast what the next two years hold in store, but . a point which is often overlooked is that the speeds of present-day cars j are already in many cases too fast for existing roads. Unless the leading car- j using countries are prepare:! to lay down special highways, as has been i done in Italy and Germany, the practical value of super-fast, streamlined cars might be problematical. No , market, however, could depend on the provision of such costly roads, and so it. would seem that if the rear-engined streamlined model is to lie the car of the future, there will be an excellent field for small high-efficiency engines, a type which has been perfected since the tear by British and European manufacturers.