LUXURY IN A SMALL CAR

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31082, 10 June 1966, Page 9

LUXURY IN A SMALL CAR

FRONT - WHEEL - DRIVE, 1 with the safe handling and extra passenger space it provides, is appearing on cars of all sizes, and it was no great surprise when Triumph announced that the new 1300 would have this type of transmission.

Now this car, well accepted overseas, has arrived in New Zealand, and recently we briefly road tested the first 1300 to arrive in Christchurch. The 1300 was designed to provide a small car with luxury features, and Triumph’s designers have succeeded well. Nor Is the 1300 a sluggish performer. It has good cruising and top speeds and brisk acceleration.

The 1300 is obviously a close relative of the Triumph 2000, and like the 2000 has independent suspension all round and disc front brakes. The floor shift controls an allsynchromesh four-speed gearbox.

The car has four doors, and all seats are very well shaped and most comfortable. The handbrake lever is between the two front seats, but they are so close together that the lever is sometimes a little difficult to reach.

The steering column is readily adjustable for both reach and height, an excellent feature, and this, combined with generous seat adjustment, means that almost any driver can find a comfortable position. The seats are not reclining.

The well-spaced pedals are light to operate, the clutch being particularly pleasant to use. In front of the driver, easily visible through the wheel, are three round dials, the left containing the speedometer and trip meter, the right containing gauges for fuel amps and temperature, and the centre being a composite warning light dial divided into eight segments. Each segment is a warning light. Reading clockwise they show ignition, low fuel level, right indicator warning, handbrake warning, choke warning, left indicator, oil pressure and main beam, anything amiss is immediately obvious and the dial is far better than the usual more scattered array of lights.

HEATER Slides in the centre of the dash control the efficient heater, and another knob low on the driver’s side, near the full width parcel tray, also controls air flow to the heater. There are toggle switches for the heater fan, interior lights and headlights (the dipswitch is hand-operated by a stalk on the steering column) and a T-handle for the choke.

On the right of the dash is a toggle switch for the wipers, which cover a good area of the screen, and, remarkably, a T-handle for the washers. This seems an illogical control, for the handle must be pushed to operate the washers: a Tshaped handle, on the other hand, suggests that the control should be pulled. There are sensible ashtrays at each end of the dash, the glove-box is lockable, and the parcel tray provides plenty of storage space for oddments. The doors feature fold-away window winders, which are safe, but inconvenient to use in a hurry (when making hand-signals, for instance) and which also are too close to the seats when open. The hand dip-lever also acts as a headlight flasher.

Headroom is generous front and rear, but rear-seat legroom is just sufficient when the front seat is completely back. The boot is adequate but the lid does not lift sufficiently high. Under the bonnet all service points are quite accessible. Driver visibility is good, although the solid rear quarters cause a slight blind spot. HANDLING Heavy rain fell throughout the test. It was surprising how rapidly the Triumph 1300 could be driven around corners on the streaming roads. Part of the credit for that must go to the tyres, but nevertheless the car handled very safely. Like most front-wheel-drive cars, the Triumph tends to understeer under power, and oversteer when the accelerator is eased in a corner, but the tendencies are not nearly as acute as in some designs. It is, in fact, a safety feature, for the car automatically “tucks in” as the accelerator is eased.

The ride is very comfortable for a small car, and there is little body roll on corners. Our test grass road was extremely slippery in the rain, yet the 1300 handled it with ease, and rounded the very greasy comers without sliding at speeds at which many rear-wheel-drive cars would have slid sideways. The handling and ride were equally good on a rough shingle road, and the brakes gave confidence at all times. They passed the fade test with no apparent ill-effects, although they were smoking lightly at the end of it. NOISE LEVEL

A particular noticeable feature of the 1300 is the low noise level for this size of car, and the engine always sounded smooth and unstrain-

ed. The gear-change was a little notchy because of newness, but gave the impression that it would become a very nice change. The synchromesh is excellent, and the lever movements reasonably short

and precise. A feature of the Triumph which following drivers will appreciate is that tail-lights and indicators are dimmed when the lights are on, thus preventing glare at night The turning circle is excellent, and interior ventilation is aided by extractor slots above the rear window.

Both the car and the boot are carpeted, and the upholstery is of the latest ventilated type. The makers give the 0-to-60 m.p.h. time as 18 seconds, and top speed as about 85 m.p.h. The engine is a larger version of the Triumph Herald unit. The Triumph 1300 provides luxury features and a high degree of comfort in a small car, while giving good performance and manoeuvrability. For the person who wants a small car with a high standard of finish and fittings it seems an obvious choice.

The price of the Triumph 1300, which is Englishassembled, is £1255, £624 being required in overseas funds. No firm date for New Zealand assembly has been set. TECHNICAL

Engine: Four cylinder, 0.h.v.. bore 73.7 m.m., stroke 76 m.m.. 1296 c.c. 61 b.h.p. at 5000 r.p.m., torque 8751 b in at 3000 r.p.m. Dimensions: length, 12ft Ilin; width, sft liin; ground clearance 51in, turning circle 30ft. Fuel tank holds Hi gal. Transmission: four-speed all synchromesh gearbox, floor change, Diaphragm clutch. Suspension: independent front and rear, rear by se.mi-trailing arms mounted on rubber insulated sub frame.

Brakes: Disc front, drums rear. Central handbrake lever operating on rear brakes. Steering: Rack and pinion. 16in wheel, 3} turns lock to lock. Fully adjustable steering column. 4in axially, 2in vertically.