MODEL OF EFFICIENCY

NZ Truth, Issue 1262, 6 February 1930, Page 18

MODEL OF EFFICIENCY

New "Afford Stands Up To Work Under All Conditions

CAR "HANDLES " LIKE AN ARISTOCRA T

"Simplicity combined with efficiency." After a detailed examination of the model "A" Ford cacr, followed by an exhaustive road test, our impressions are best summed up m these words. It is hard to say which of these two characteristics predominates.

ONE is convinced of the efficiency of the power-unit, and the transmission of the developed power to the road -wheels suffices, to give most remarkable acceleration arid a hillclimbing' performance that it would be r difficult to surpass even with cars at very, much higher prices. This 'hill-climbing ability and the surprising acceleration rate are undoubtedly largely contributed t6--by the unusual method of springing— the efficiency. '-.•'of which/there is no doubt — -while, th^.simpilcity of the lay-out is equally striking: ■ ■-..".■■'. • Only two transverse springs are employed, and by . themselves these would undoubtedly give a suspension that would be' : too responsive to load inequalities, but these are reinforced by Houdaille • shockrabsorbers that tiy-

draulically • control both the compression and the, rebound of the springs, and, thus keep i the wheels m constant contact with the road. This suspension ; system reduces the unsprung:" weight to a/ minimum. . .The ■ smoothness • of riding is , really, delightful, and even when . taking, cdrners; at ; speed, there is . no tendency to" svyay.; The. four- ' ...-■■'wheej : - i bra!<es..''c6ntrol'''ihe i '_car''with 'certainty: at" any speed;' arid during the test'therevyere times When the speedometer informed us that we were, going realj'y fast, though the steadiness of. .the car and absence' of any 'sign's .of effort from the power- unit would have deceived us. ,'". .■' "■ :; " '..■•' ' ; .'. ,; ...... I Perhaps one of the greatest surprises, of. the par. Was the {performance on second , gear. 'The highest speed actually ; reached on this gear was 37 miles' per -hour, and- at this, speed the car showed' no 'sign's of strain.,' The acceleration on a really steep gradient* gave one, a feeling of "command" tha.t one seldom has. in any but" the higher-priced cars. '. • . Gear-changing-^-bpth up' and down — was .wonderfully;, ■■■'easy.' The singler' plate clutch engaged with most gratifying smoothness— in fact, m

most instances we found that we moved off on second v gear ' entirely without effort or any roughness. The model tried out was a closed- car, and we were greatly impressed with the comfort of the seating. The upholstery is of excellent quality and the springing of the seat and back cushions is really luxurious. j The extremely responsive way m which the car "handled" ga.ve us a real sense of pleasure m driving". ' \ There is no doubt about the popularity of this car. So phenomenal has been the success of this latest creation of Ford's genius that now, when almost three million of the "new" model are on the roads, the sales m the

[ United States heave reached . 40 per I cent, of the total registrations. . - ■': Here, m" New Zealand, the sales ! figures are 25 per cent, of all sales of motor vehicles— or, m other words, of every four car's now sold m New Zealand one is a Model "A" Ford. The distributors for New Zealand are the Colonial Motor Company, Ltd., and it is interesting to note that they- Avere the -pioneers of the "Built in 'N-Z.-Motor-car." ' ..■• .. ■■.?',• ,>;'^:^,:->v.'i The Ford industry to-day gives ; employment to more people m the Dominion than does any other. : make of car. The Colonial Motor Company, Ltd., is entirely a New -Zealand company operating on New Zealand-owned capital. Eighty-two Ford dealers are distributed throughout New Zealand. The servicing of the Ford car by this huge dealer-organisation ensures each owner getting the care-free use of his vehicle that the Ford organisation has. always made such a prominent part of its policy. The various models are .assembled from parts made m Canada by the. Ford Motor Company of Canada, Ltd.; 1 the largest single' producers of : motor-; cars under the British flag, iqperatedt entirely by Britishers with>i : British! capital. ' . --p .'•;