CYCLING AND MOTORING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1144, 14 March 1912, Page 19

CYCLING AND MOTORING.

A new speed record was recently established in France by Vedrines, the crack French aviator, mounted on a 100 h.p. monoplane; Vedrines flew 94 miles in 62 minutes 23 seconds.

A fine motor car performance was registered last week by Mr R. J. Lewis, a Melbourne motorist, who drove from Sydney to Brisbane (about 700 miles) in 7 6 hours. gross time. His actual driving tim e was 32 hours.

Attention is being Grawn in France to the use of the Diesel type for motor car purposes. As motorsits are probably not acquainted with this engine, it may be well to give some indication of its operation. In effect the Diesel engine is much the same a s the ordinary internal combustion engine—gas and petrol. Its distinguished motoring feature is the use of what to the engineer seems an enormous compression, and the. igniting of the gas charge by its compression alone. Moreover, the charge is introduced into the engine under great pressure and at

the time of almost maximum compression. It is self-igniting and operates on either Che two or four cycle principle, according to the arrangement of the design. Its great advantage, if it is subsequently proved to have advantages over the conventional type will probably be found in its ability to use an oil of low flash point and cheap in cost of production. The engine may be considered a little more complicated than the usual type of mqtor, having four valves to each cylinder and also a supply pump and com press er. But, on the other hand, the whole of ttye electrical equipment is dispensed with, and this is a matter

of considerable importance. Objections have been raised to this type of ■engine in that has a want of flexibility as to speed and output. It is suggested that -this flexibility may be obtained by so arranging the mechanism that two out of four of the cylinders of a four-cylindered motor can be put out of commission at will. Considiering the wonderful flexibility of modern petrol engines, this would seem to be putting the hands of the clock back with a vengeance. It remains to be seen, however, whether the difficulty of inflexibility canno,t be

overcome. High powers with low grade and cheap fuel and the discarding of the electrical plant are attractive features, but they will not be sufficient to ensure the adoption of >the Diesiel engine for pleasure cars if inflexibility, valve complication, increased weight, are to remain as concomitant features of its use.