THE COMING GAR.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 274, 7 February 1929, Page 7

THE COMING GAR.

COMFORT AND CONTROL.

Features of the Future.

(By

Motus)

(Specially wrnien for this paper) There never was a time in the history of motor Car development, except in the change over from single to multiple cylinders, when as much

important progress was oeing made as is now on the way. So striking and successful do some of the features now being tried out appear to be that anyone possessing a reasonably good car capable of giving an--1 other couple of years of satisfactory service would do well not to be impatient to buy a new vehicle, lest that too should become out of date before the first coat of paint is tarnished. S Engines, f The developments of note referred to here are not in regard to the engine, though in passing one may comment that the day of the fourcylinder power unit is about done; six, eight and even twelve cylinders are going to be general, the acme of steadiness and freedom from vibration coming .possibly from an engine of 12 cylinders, in the form of two parallel lines of six cylinders, each set running in the opposite direction to the other, and harmonised by intermediate gearing between the two sets and the crankshaft. This engine, by the perfect neutralising of opposing forces, would give the steadiness almost of an airplane, the planes of which glide upon the air as does a skater upon ice. 5 Hydraulic Transmissions.

Attempts have been made, by the use of steam engines, to provide a practicable turbine for motor cars, but without success.- The reasons are technical and need not bother us here, since they are not likely to come to the fore again in the near future. But engineers are at work devising hydraulic transmission systems. In one, an ordinary petrol engine is used to drive a pump which supplies a liquid, such as water, to a turbine connected to the driving shaft or axle. Two promising systems are now being tried out, the second employing reciprocating motion, and should they prove successful they will do a lot to ensure steady running. New Suspensions.

The greatest cause of discomfort, however, is of course the shock of the road, and to meet this rubber suspension systems, independent wheel springing and front wheel drive are all being experimented with. The independent springing, allowing each wheel to move independently according to the road shocks, without being affected by the motion of the other wheels, is undoubtedly an immense advance towards the comfort and roadability of cars and is bound to revolutionise practice in design. The front wheel drive also makes for steadiness and ease of control in cornering. One way and another the developments in hand are of vast importance and include various automatic gearchanging systems which alone will do much to make motoring easier. Taken together, the practicable devices now on the road being tested in touring cars are such as to make all the present standard types of cars hopelessly obsolete within five, years at the very outside and to an appreciable extent within two years. Hence the wise prospective purchaser will take his time about things, bide a wee and wait for independent wheel springing, front wheel drive, automatic gear changing, and maybe turbine transmission and rubber sustems to become firmly established, even if not in general use.