TWENTY YEARS AGO.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18203, 2 March 1929, Page 16

TWENTY YEARS AGO.

AN INTERESTING COMPARISON. With so many diminutive and apparently low-powered cars on the market lor 1929 it is of interest to recall that 20 years ago the demand in Great Britain was for 9 h.p., 11 h.p. and 14 h.p. vehicles. Nine horsepower in 1909 was, of course, a different matter from 9 h.p. in a 1929 production, and the buyer of a car in this class 20 years ago would have been very surprised if iie could have forseen the comfortable bodies which are now fitted to chassis of this rating. The modern engine is capable of at least three times its rated output, and in this lies the secret of the liveliness of the latest cars qf nominally low power. Following is an extract from the “Herald” of January 9,1909: “The distinguishing feature of English automobilism now appears io be the moderation of power. Whereas in France, where many stretches of straight road are available, cars from 40 h.p. to 70 h.p. are common, the tendency in England is to produce small engines, flexible and reliable with moderate power and selling at a medium price. This tendency was reflected by the cars at the Olympia Show, where models from 8 h.p. to 15 lKp. seemed to predominate.” It is interesting to compare the similarity of the above statement of conditions 20 years ago with the following comment on 1929 models made in The Autocar a few weeks ago : “The tendency is for an increase in cylinder size in the less expensive classes. The small engine of to-day is gradually being given a greater load to carry, and is carrying such a load successfully.”