COMBINE PLANS TO GET WORLD MARKET.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18959, 4 January 1930, Page 24 (Supplement)

COMBINE PLANS TO GET WORLD MARKET.

SECRET BRITISH LORRY TO DO 50 MILES HOURLY. (Special to the " Star.”) LONDON. October 27. A light commercial car chassis of British manufacture is expected by the experts to revolutionise motor transport. This car has been prepared under conditions of great secrecy in a Luton, Bedfordshire, factory. It has been run for thousands of miles with a dummy radiator through England and Scotland to keep its secret safe from competitors. Several times parts have actually been taken off and run on other lorries to keep them hidden. For some time the United States has led this country in the production of long-distance motor-coaches and light lorries, and the latest of these types have been brought ever to the Luton factory to make certain that the British vehicle is as good.

Speed with Silence. The ideal that has been sought by the manufacturers has been to produce a vehicle which, while it would carryheavy loads, would be as like a luxurious private car as possible, not only with regard to the bodywork, but also as far as ease of driving, speed and silence are concerned. This new British light lorry chassis will be known as the Invader, and has been specially designed to cater for the world markets.

It has a six-cylinder engine, but most important of all it has a “ twin top ’* so that it will run as silently on the third speed as on the top ratio. A most significant fact is that it has been produced by a firm who are part of the only British motor combine. This is the Humber-Hillman-Commer group. Though the two first parties to the combine have been successfully invading foreign markets against American competition, nothing had oeen heard for some time of the Commer Company. Two First Models. All the while, however, they have been secretly preparing a series of commercial vehicles to take tLeir part in the struggle for world markets, anti the two first models, which will be known as the Invader and the Avenger, will make their first appearance at the Commercial Motor Exhibition at Olvmpia on November 7. The chassis that I drove yesterdav was the Invader (says the “ Dailv Mail” motoring correspondent), and it was fitted with only a temporary body, weighted to approximate to a load of twenty people. ! The car is as light on the steering : and controls as any open car. When I 1 pressed the accelerator pedal, the speed- | ometer climbed u£ to fifty miles an hour and more with no effort, while the braking was lighter and better than in the case of the average me-dium-priced open car. The vehicle would cruise at forty miles an hour indefinitely with the steering absolutely steady, and it climbed a hill of one in seven on third without dropping below fifteen miles an hour. The larger car has a six-cylinder engine developing 100 horse power, and is. designed on the same advanced lines.