BRITAIN'S CAR DRIVE

Chronicle (Levin), 4 January 1949, Page 5

BRITAIN'S CAR DRIVE

Pre§s Associctfton)

Hopes That Dominion Will 'Buy More *-

(Per

WELLINGTON, Jan. 3. In its drive to produce a ,car for tjie world market, the British piotor industry was concentrating largely on the production of models in the 14 to^l8 horsepower class and was aehieving phenomenal results, , said JJr. A. W. H. Brown, New Zealand representative of the Society of Motor Manufacturers, London, who returned in the Wanganella after spending several months in Britain. , Mr. Brown said Britain was now ex- . port-ing 80 per cent of her production pf motor vehicles and her biggest single customer was the United States. Not only private cars of the new type but also eommercial vehicles and tractors were being adapted to new wbrld market requirements. Britain was also ■ produeing vehicles eminently suitable for taxi and ambulance work, some of which were already in use in Australia and giving good results particularly by way of economical i'unning costs. The general plan of the British motor industry was to rationalise production. Although models of higher horsepower and quality were still being producecl, "there was concentration on popular requirements. Except for two manufacturers who were produ,: ig very effici-

ent o norsepower models, critisn manufacturers were turning out models from 12 to IS horsepower. The Society o.t Motor Manufacturers had established a joint research plan for the industry for speciai research independent' of that done by various individual firms. Al ready this had produced results of great value for the improvement of new models. The prices of cars were tending to ease. A point of partieular interest to the prospective buyer of the new type of British car, was that he would, in future, be getting even better value by way of better performance eombined with more economieal running. . Mr. Brown said tremendous interest was taken by the British public in the recent international motor show at Earls Court at which the attendance broke all records, indicating that the people of Britain. were takihg a keen interest in the, new mudels even though few could yet hope to own one. Only 20 per cent of private cars produced m Britain were available for the home market and it was, in fact, easier to • buy a British car outside Britain. He eonsidered it signiflcant, said Mr. Brown, that not only motor manufacturers but also Government oflicials, had expressed the hope that New Zealand would see -its way clear to buy more cars from Britain. The trade m Britain was anxious to cooperate vvlierever possible with New Zealand but hoped tliat New Zealand import conditions would improve sufficiently to enable the Dominion to buy cars that were available to her. In the past New Zealand ha'd earned the speciai interest of British motor manufacturers, having been formerly one of Britain 's largest per capita eustomers. Indicative of the development of the overseas markets, said Mr. Brown, was the appointment of representatives oi the Society of Motor Manufacturers m new fields. The society was now represented in seven countries. He himseli would travel to-the Far East in March, visiting Malay States, China, Japam and the Netherlands East Indies in the interests of the British motor industry.