City Car Beats World Fuel Economy Record

Press, Volume C, Issue 29506, 6 May 1961, Page 12

City Car Beats World Fuel Economy Record

(From Our Own Reporter)

AUCKLAND, May 5. World record petrol consumption figures were set by the Christchurch drivers G. W. Drayton and W. L. Timlin in the Mobilgas Economy Run which finished at Auckland late this morning. Driving the Morris MiniMinor .with which they won the small car class last year, they completed a 759.75 mile drive, which took them from Hamilton to Wairakei, Tauranga, and finally Auckland, with an average petrol consumption of 60 69 miles to the gallon. However, the Association of New Zealand Car Clubs stewards who control the event penalised them to the extent of 0.5 miles to the gallon for infringements of the road code and that brought their figure down to 6019 miles to the gallon. That was well clear of the record established only two or three weeks ago by an English team in a Morris Mini-Minor in the United Kingdom event. Recognised experts, they managed 57.76 mites to the gallon. The Christchurch crew’s effort was one that put them well ahead of the Fiat 500 which was runner-up in the class. It was driven by K A. Martin and Mrs Martin, of Mount Maunganui, who returned a net figure of 57.92 miles to the gallon, having been penalised by the stewards to the extent of 3.25 miles to the gallon. The run baffled drivers yesterday when they found that their speedometer mileage did not coincide with that given on their route instruction sheet. This morning the secretary of the Association of New Zealand Car Clubs (Mr P. L. Lupp) told the 26 crews that the computer that had been used when the course was originally sur-

veyed had erred. In actual fact the drivers .travelled a shorter distance than had been originally planned. The original course had been computed at 771 miles but in actual fact it turned out to be 759.75 miles. In terms of every-day motoring the difference was not a great one, but for drivers who were working to split-second schedules it proved to be rather bewildering. However, in the final analysis it could not affect the result. The interesting feature of the event was that 23 similar cars, which competed last year, used on the average 9 per cent more fuel than the amount used this time Last year the cars were running on 83 octane petrol and this time on the recentlyintroduced 93 octane fuel. This evening Christchurch was represented on Auckland television when Drayton and Timlin were interviewed. The final results, including penalties, are:— Class A (up to 900 CC.).— Morris Mini-minor, G. W. Drayton and W. L. Timlin (Christchurch), 60.19 m.p.g., 1; Fiat 500, K. A. Martin and Mrs M J Martin (Mt. Maunganui), 57.92, 2; Austin 7, R. D. Reid and W. N. Morris < Taupo t 53.84. 3 Class B (900-1200 cc.).— Morris Minor 1900, .R. G. Rutherford and Mrs M. E. Rutherford (Hamilton), 51.51. 1: Austin A4O. J Macdonald (Te Horo) and O. Jones (Otakil. 49.82, 2; Ford Prefect. W. J. Perkins and E. H. Lucas (Blenheim). 44.88 3. Class C (1200-2000 ec.).— Citroen IDI9, W R. Tucker and N. G. Foster (Opoutama), 42.10, 1; Morris Oxford A. N. Boustridge and R M. Cook (Greymouth). 4016, 2: Singer Gazelle. T. J. Doyle (Hawera) and J. A. Gunn (Patea), 38.12, 3. Class D (2000-3000 CC.).— Rover 100, M C. Paterson and R. K. Wilson < Dunedin L 32.71. t Vanguard Vignale, E. T. Skews and D A. Wade (Wellington). 31.64, 2; Vauxhall Velox, J. N. Mackintosh and D. G. Blair (Wanganui). 31.27, 3