MOTOR AND CYCLE.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 November 1926, Page 14

MOTOR AND CYCLE.

BRITISH CAR INDUSTRY TENDENCIES OF THE TIMES. (By H. Massac Buist.) London. Oct. 21. It is now several weeks since those professionally concerned with motoring have been shown the new season’s cars. This, and preliminary peeps at the Olympia Motor Show at Kensington, now make it abundantly plain that this show is going to have even a wider appeal than any previous one of the series. This is not due, merely to the introduction of two or three ‘•cars in the £lOO category, chiefly with 2 cylinder engines. On the contrary, most intending motorists will prefer to obtain small four cyclinder engined cars costing, perhaps 40 or 60 per cent, more, for the sufficient reason that value is given for such extra sums. The hundred pound type of car as yet is not being introduced by any firm on a vast scale of production such as could alone constitute_it a really serious proposition. After the last three years’ experience, there is no longer any question of asking whether a ear is standardised with four wheel brakes. A car that is not so equipped is not seriously to be considered, the practice now' being all but universal. During the last twelve months manufacturers have gained much valuable experience. In nearly all classes cars are being standardised with brakes of greater area and of greater diameter. As a result relatively lighter pressure produces greater results and more powerful control than formerly. The only exceptions are that very small number of pioneer firms of first-class international racing experience, who never had any reason to doubt their four- wheel brakes when tney first standardised them,- and who therefore produced such mechanism of proper design, scale and control from the outset. As to controllability, those who argued that it was dangerous to give the driver too absolute, and too light a control, because of the danger that he would turn a car over, have had their ranks thinned. Instance, notably, the number of converts to the vacuum, or Dewandre, system of control which is specially in evidence among constructors of high grade, large cars. To-day neither constructors, vendors nor buyers think a car is complete unless it is standardised with adequate brakes to all four wheels, a mechanical enginestarter,. electrical lighting equipment, a windscreen wiper and all-weather equipment. PREVENTING DEPRECIATION. e What, then, is the development which most distinguishes this year’s enter-1 prise from the owner-driver's point of| view? Unquestionably, the introduction in standardised form for the first time of guncotton, or cellulose, finishes (otherwise called lacquer finishes), by the! British industry, following on pioneer!

work in this field by the American industry. Probably nobody would suggest that all these finishes achieve all that is claimed for them. But it is evident that very pleasing colour schemes can be, and are, standardised by these means, including hues most suitable for daylight and the open road, which were impracticable from the wearing point of view when they were exploited in ordinary paintwork and varnish. This makes for an era of . brighter, as distinct from gaudier, cars. There is no gainsaying that the ownerdriver is interested in these lacquer finishes, because coaehwork so treated does not go to ruin if he is compelled to put his car away with some spots of rain or mud on it and leave it for a spell. A ear regularly neglected in this way will, of course, not present a fine appearance. But when it conies to disposing of a lacquer finished car as second-hand, a hard morning, or afternoon, spent in rvashing and polishing it thoroughly, will restore much of its pristine effectiveness. These remarks are of a general character, and are made without prejudice to the fact that the individual inquirer should have constantly in mind that, as ears differ in merit, so do lacquer finishes. The majority of the manufacturers are getting very satisfactory results, and there is a minority' that is obtaining quite astonishingly satisfactory results. THE CLOU OF THE SALON. Will any one exhibit be the cynosure of all eyes at Kensington this week? Undoubtedly, the Daimler ’’’double six.” which is the first 12 cylinder engined car to be standardised by' the British industry, the largest private motor carriage type in the world, and the only “double six” sleeve valve type, must be regarded as the clou of the London motor show this year. Its performance reveals the attainment of a new standard of luxury by reason of the turbinelike quality' with which the power is developed by this 7,136 c.c. unit, w’hich propels the largest carriage type standardised in the world—l 9% feet overall. It is, nevertheless, only of 50 h.p. rating, though it develops fully 150 h.p. It can be driven by- a lady' at from 2 to 82 miles per hour on top gear, the engine speed being only’ 2480 revolution per minute when it is travelling at a mile a minute. New style Daimler carriagework is also introduced for this new car type, therefore the chassis design had to be evolved in special details. It will be appreciated that if engines are to be built to work efficiently, there is a limit to the size of the individual cylinder if smoother functioning is to be achieved. That is why' Daimler has gone to a “double six.” Thus, from the mechanical point of view new style steering is evolved that enables finger and thumb control to be exercised over a large section low pressure tyres as have ever been used safely' on a high power, high speed ear. thereby greatly' assisting suspension. Nevertheless, that has been considered ] also from other noints of view, not the i least of which is that this combination I of smooth power output with the use of large tyres enables half-elliptic springs, and a spring drive, to be employed in association with the Daimleri worm driien back axle. In like fashion! the bodywork on these large chassis!

is on entirely new lines. It will exhibit fresh colour combinations, which the firm also in its display of lesser powered cars, which includes the introduction of a new 20-70 h.p. chassis, having a ’ performance akin to that hitherto available from the six cylinder 25-85 h.p. type. Daimler “double six” carriagework is notable for. triple colouring; that is to say, in addition to the usual use of black, if a grey green, lake or blue be chosen, then the saddle and the wings and some of the boot are carried out in a darker hue of the given colour than are the panels, the sides of the body, and so forth, the effect being extraordinarily artistic, pleasing and suitable for the natural light of the open road or town service, MORE BRITISH AND FOREIGN “STRAIGHT-EIGHTS.” To achieve smoother functioning and greater acceleration by using more cylinders for an engine of a given volume, too, there are introduced still more 8 cylinder-in-line engined cars, Sunbeam offering a second and more powerful 547'7 c.c. type rated at 35 h.p. and having and 'excellently- stiffened frame to accommodate very large coachwork; and Beverley Barnes a 17.8 h.p. R.A.C. rating 2440 c.c. overhead valve engined type. Warwick-Wright will introduce the new “safety-first” type, 32.5 h.p. “straight eight” Stutz from America of 4711 c.c. cylinder content and which develops 92 b.h.p. at 3200 revolutions per minute. THE GOOD DRIVER. Good driving for the most part is th&’ exercise of good sound commonsense. The good driver is known by: His starting and stopping. His careful cornering. His keeping to the left of the road, especially on bends and over the crests of hills. His intelligent use of hand signals. His comfortable expression. His avoidance of all obstacles, however small, without endangering the occupants of his own or of other cars. His case of handling. His courtesy in moving to the left of the road when an overtaking car signals to pass. His protection of his engine; his use of the gears. His alternate use of foot and hand brakes. His thoughtfulness for pedestrians. (He thinks for them). His skilful steering and his properly adjusted steering gear. His use of the brakes before and not after reaching a bend. CROSS ROAD DANGER. DON’T OVERHOOT. ■ It is all very well to “boot” on approaching cross-roads, but it should not be overdone, or there will be no chance to hear if someone else is approaching from the side and doing the same thing. Nor is it wise to assume

that because the hooter has been sounded, the way'-is magically cleared. Some motorists seem to think that, having given warning of their approach, in some way or other the earth is clear for them to put in full throttle and plunge ahead.

There should be no necessity to say that the main road should be approached with care by traffic emerging from a secondary thoroughfare.