MOTOR-CAR BODIES.

Thames Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 17763, 10 December 1929, Page 6

MOTOR-CAR BODIES.

COACH-BUILT OR FABRIC?

A KEEN CONTROVERSY

BOWING TO FEMININE TASTE

Hi >; Writing bofore the opening of the ['London, Motor Olympia, the motoring i correspondent of the Daily Exxpress St declared that the keenest motoring II controversy since the famous four or | : Six-oylinder battle was likely to dell ;velop with the opening of the Motor "-■'Show at Olympia. r "It is to be more than a war be1/'tween the fabric and the coach-built gB body; it is really a sex war," he wrote. M '/British manufacturers hare refused .'.to bo bounced into dropping the fabric ::; body 'at the dictates of fickle Paris fashions. '"Hie Daily Express was.the first I newspaper to call attention to the fact •.'that the fabric type of body bad al--1 most disappeared from tlie Paris show. Ej| "At our show, fabric bodies will be !f:seen on practically every British car. ;. ■ It is even possible that they will out£number coach-built bodies, though y'every firm, as in the past, will give v motorists an alternative choice between Vccacb-built and fabric. Feminine Dictation. . "The reason for the dropping ; of the 1 -fabric body by Continental manufacturers is now clear. One of the leadI ''•'ihg French body-builders has openly that he has bowed to the diestates of feminine taste, Iff ' "Women naturally do not know the I intricacies of motor bodybuilding, but t.they do know, or do consider, that the

! glossy- finish of the coach-built body is /prettier than the dull finish of fabric.

;. "One French body-builder, as a coral/promise has attempted to amalgamate, 9P(6iitq speak, the advantages of fabric Construction and the prettiness of the ; coach-built finish, and by this he'hopes ;. to appeal to both sexes. This is the ?!iie,w flexible steel body, which js claimvied to be'almost as flexible as the ,fab-;;-r,io 'typ e ) arid,nearly as light. Time tests will give proof. The same

Initio* of coachbuilders, however, is |showing (i large number of _ fabric bodies at the London exhibition, to \ .ineet the tastes of English motorists. ■;, "The most interesting point at the itinoment is whether Englishwomen will febe'attracted by the glossy coach-built ppdy, or will stiWy as. well .the merits Xof the fabrjc type. Mass Production. I ''lt is almost an international ques- ! pibn. , Continental coachwork has become Americanised. United States Imakers find, it more advantageous to Itnake steel bodies, because they lend to mass production; I "Personally, ~r~am glad to see that |?our manufacturers are offering fabric ] bodies as well as coachbuilt. I have fenb complaint to offer against the steel ifbody . Some of these are very beautifful and efficient, but it would be a ICgreat pity if the fabric body were to Idisappear* over here because of a vogue from Paris. P "The flexible fabric body has many 'advantages. Tt is entirely free from it wears well, it is light, fe.'and does not Unduly burden the engine mi medium-powered cars, and it is easy to keep clean. ' 1 r "So I say in advance to all the thousands of women whose influence will mi brought to bear on the great car■•buying oroblem a;t Olympia.. When £ybu take your men folk to Olympia to |buy a motor-car, remember that beauty ifts'only, skin-deep, that the gloss on %aintwork is not eternal, and that fabric construction has points that merit ' close consideration. W "Perhaps, too, We are presuming too '•much that the fabric bodies are not Agoing to be as pretty as their rivals. I -heart rumours of certain methods of the rather drab exteriors of tthese bodies with materials that will j give them a fair chance in the 'beauty' .contest."